Hublot is continuing its tradition of pushing the boundaries of what’s capable, especially with sapphire timepieces. For their Watches and Wonders release, the Swiss brand is releasing the latest model to the Big Bang Tourbillon sapphire collection. The previous Orange Sapphire Big Bang Tourbillon automatic was a defining moment for the brand in its use of sapphire material for watchmaking. However, innovation is not a once-off thing, rather a continuous journey of betterment. Hublot is by far the leader in making watches with sapphire material, and this is proved further with the release of the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire.
The unveiling of this timepiece brings along a world-first for the brand, as the Nylon watchmaker shows an exclusive version of synthetic sapphire, along with a completely new colour in the form of translucent purple, a first for fine watchmaking.
Creating this translucent purple is no easy feat. It shows how tirelessly the watchmaker is continuing its research and development, to always be constantly improving and making themselves the leader and one of the most disruptive watch brands in the new Millenium. To create a new colour in sapphire requires subtle alchemy to combine a powerfully expressive and translucent shade within the highly complex Big Bang Tourbillon case. Hublot is able to keep pushing these boundaries as they have gained vast knowledge and experience from creating a number of impressive sapphire timepieces already. Hublot’s list of sapphire timepieces includes the Big Bang Unico Sapphire (transparent), All Black Sapphire, Big Bang Unico Red Sapphire, Big Bang Unico Blue Sapphire, Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire, and the last astonishing sapphire unveiling; the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire.
Design:
The Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire comes in a 44mm polished purple sapphire case with a matching bezel that has six H-shaped titanium screws. Iconic to the Big Bang Tourbillon design, the watch features a minimalistic movement, having only the necessities to power the timepieces. What this means however is that there is a lot of hollowed space in the movement, showing the tourbillon at 6 o’clock and micro-rotor at 12 o’clock on the dial quite clearly. What this also does is subdue the looks of the movement so that the main attraction, the beautiful purple sapphire case, and bezel takes most if not all the attention.
The visibility and readability of the dial are enhanced by the hands and hour indices as they have been filled with SuperLuminova coating. To finish the aesthetics of this timepiece, Hublot has given the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire a transparent purple rubber strap with lined relief, which also features the brand’s patented One-click express interchangeability system.
Movement:
The movement used for the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire is one where the brand has capitalised on fifteen years of continuous development of their tourbillon, with the first one being released in 2007. With the vast amount of knowledge and experience acquired, the brand is now able to offer the HUB6035 Manufacture self-winding tourbillon with three full days of power reserve (72 hours). To obtain a clear view of the whole movement from the dial side, the micro-rotor was placed right into the heart of the mechanism. The HUB6035 movement operates at a frequency of 3Hz (21, 600 VpH) and is made up of a total of 282 components.
A new frontier for Hublot’s sapphire collection, the all-new Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire is a great release from the brand for their Watches and Wonders unveiling. The model is only limited to 50 pieces, however, and with aesthetic codes like this, we can’t see them lasting long.
Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot CEO, states in regards to this latest release that “continuity, perseverance. Innovation is not about launching isolated products, but rather being able to sustain a range over the long term with a consistent quality level, while continuing to explore new frontiers. This is what we have been doing since 2016 with the first Big Bangs in a sapphire case. This Purple Sapphire version is the latest chapter and is once again a world first!
Reference: PURPLE SAPPHIRE 429.JM.0120.RT
Specification:
- Case: 44mm, 14.5mm thick
- Case material: Purple Sapphire, Polished Purple sapphire bezel
- Dial: Skeleton dial
- Crystal: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside
- Water resistance: 30 meters
- Movement: HUB6035 Manufacture Self-winding micro-rotor, skeleton tourbillon
- Power reserve: 72 hours
- Strap: Purple transparent lined rubber
