Hublot is transforming their customer’s experiences and helping to usher in a new era in horology. Many luxury brands are slow to adapt to digital, but not the Swiss watchmaker. The Hublot Big Bang Referee 2018 World Cup RussiaTM was FIFA’s official watch and the brand’s first connected watch; it was designed for referees and included technology that tracked the game for the wearer.
But this wasn’t the brand’s only foray into digital. After all, Hublot are anything but traditional.
Their focus on delivering a great digital luxury experience allows them to anticipate their customers’ needs and helps them to get close to their customers. It also allows them to attract a new generation of Hublot enthusiasts.
Tradition and Innovation
Another way Hublot found to connect to a younger generation was by using new and innovative materials in their watches, such as ceramic. This allowed them to do something new instead of just rehashing past successes, which appealed to their new customer.
Producing creative designs and aesthetics was also important. To accomplish this, Hublot collaborated with many different artists, including Maxime Plescia-Büchi, a tattoo artist who designed the face of the Sang Bleu range, and Richard Orlinski, a sculptor who helped Hublot create new Classic Fusion watches.
Also, Hublot have made it obvious that digital and analogue can go hand in hand. Their connected watch retained the brand’s iconic architecture, especially when it comes to the six H-shaped screws. In addition, when the watch was in analogue mode, it looked very similar to the automatic models. So, while this is, undoubtedly, a connected watch, it’s also clearly a Hublot piece.
Combining traditional watchmaking with innovation allows Hublot to attract new customers and to stay ahead in the watchmaking world.
Technology and Watchmaking
Hublot believe that technology and aesthetics should work together in order to draw in a younger generation.
Their FIFA watch had to be connected because all the information they sought to add was impossible to have on a mechanical piece. This achievement showcased how well the brand can blend technology with its usual precision watchmaking.
Digital devices, including smartwatches and smartphones, are not simply gadgets anymore, so it makes sense that Hublot would include smart technology in their strategy – the market is always evolving, and it’s imperative that luxury brands like Hublot are capable of staying ahead. This makes it highly likely that Hublot’s first connected watch won’t be their last one.
The watchmaker’s venture into the digital world didn’t stop at this watch. Hublot know that developing great customer relationships is based on trust, availability and flexibility. They found a fantastic way to accomplish these values by creating a virtual digital boutique that complements their physical stores. This bespoke customer service still preserves the human connection, which is essential in the horological world.
Customers are able to talk to a Hublot sales manager in real-time through a full 360-degree experience without having to visit a boutique. Through this technology-facilitated service, customers undergo an exclusive and personalised journey that remains just as luxurious.
With their focus on digital, Hublot are connecting with a younger generation who has grown up with smart technology. The brand doesn’t see this as abandoning their values; on the contrary, embracing the past while forging a new path ahead is a great way to retain their position as a titan of the industry.
We’re proud to stock many Hublot watches at Banks Lyon. Alternatively, you can browse our other luxury watches or visit our Lancaster and Kendal stores to see them in person.