As the Chinese new year begins this month, Hublot has created a very special 200-piece limited edition model as part of the celebrations. In the Chinese new lunar calendar, it the is Year of the Tiger, so in the unique spirit of the brand’s watch-making prowess, they have released the Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Gold Tiger.
The barrel-shaped Spirit of Big Bang is an iconic model for the brand, but with this recreation in celebration of the Year of the Tiger, Hublot has done something really special. Aesthetic wise this watch is absolutely stunning, and we can’t imagine the 200 limited units being on sale for too long. The watch is carbon, with 18-carat yellow-gold being used in almost like a camouflage type pattern.
Design:
The case of the 42mm barrel-shaped Big Bang is a combination of two materials. It goes very much with Hublot’s philosophy of the fusion of materials, in which they have created some spectacular timepieces in the past. This, however, is the first is a first for the Spirit of Big Bang. Hublot has made the case by combining Frosted Carbon with 18-carat yellow-gold, which gives the beautiful appearance of the black and gold fusion.
The fusion of these two materials, which has been developed in-house by Hublot creates this unique finish which has a glimmer of gold shown throughout the case and bezel. With this fusion of materials, no two watches will be the same as different patterns of the 18-carat yellow-gold will be created on every individual watch, making each piece truly unique, just like a tiger’s majestic stripes.
The dial also features 18-carat yellow-gold features, such as on the counters and inscriptions. The superluminova used on the hands and hour indices have a gold finish too so it stays with the same colour scheme as the rest of the watch.
In the spirit of the Year of the Tiger, Hublot has given the Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Gold Tiger two-strap variations that the tigers colours. The first strap is a black rubber strap, which has been elegantly shaped to mimic a tiger’s stripes. The second strap is a yellow-gold-coloured velcro fastened fabric strap. The two straps can be quickly interchanged thanks to Hublot’s patented One-Click strap change system.
Movement:
The Big Bang Carbon Gold Tiger is powered by the self-winding skeleton chronograph movement, the reference HUB4700. The HUB4700 movement is a descendant of the high-frequency Swiss Made El Primero calibre from Zenith, which was made back in 1969. This movement operates at a frequency of 5Hz (36, 000 VpH) and gives out a power reserve of approximately 50 hours.
Hublot has created something special and unique with the release of the Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Gold Tiger. Ricardo Guadalupe is ecstatic with this latest creation, and he summed up this piece well by stating that Hublot loves the Year of the Tiger! People born in the Year of the Tiger are born leaders, courageous and energetic, and never afraid to take risks.
This is Hublot! We live by the mantra ‘first, unique, different, which is why the challenger spirit of the tiger is so inspiring to us. With its Frosted Carbon and 18-carat yellow-gold case, the Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Gold Tiger is also a technical first for us, a daring expression of an iconic form designed for today’s boldest leaders. Each watch is as unique as its owner. Go get ‘em, tiger!”
