Mario C 
There’s always a bigger bang to be made – who knows that better than Swiss brand Hublot? In that Spirit (of Big Bang!), they have decided to start the 2025 season off right with a trio of colourful models.
For those familiar with the hi-jinks of Hublot, this will sound like the usual spiel. However, it must always be said that, since its first model in 1980, the Nyon-based brand has constantly sought to disrupt the uptight traditions maintained by much of the watch world. This ‘Art of Fusion,’ as they call it, became a cornerstone of the brand’s ethos, doing what others hadn’t or wouldn’t and year after year, finding ways to upend the industry. Sure, the brand image they’ve created for themselves is as dynamic and energising as it is divisive – But isn’t that a part of the fun? If you love them, like them, or even despise them: It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re tuning in!
Hublot seems to agree, too, as the LVMH brand has almost seemed to up the ante in proportion to the frankly unfair vitriol they often find themselves at the receiving end of. One surprising example is that of the 2014 launch of the Spirit of Big Bang collection, which saw Hublot create their first-ever non-round watch. If you’re a seasoned reader, you might even recognise the tonneau (barrel) shape from our Christmas list for 2024 or our themed Halloween list, and you would be correct to assume these are the same watch. For 12 years, the Spirit of Big Bang has been both a company and an industry staple, showcasing the true might of the Hublot Manufacture whilst still offering a look into how much further they are willing to push.
With that signature pioneering nature in mind, Hublot’s LVMH Watch Week for 2025 continues with the addition of three new references in the Spirit of Big Bang collection, all formulated from brightly coloured, cutting-edge ceramics. Now, neither the material nor the colours are new to Hublot; The brand delights in working with such a structurally complex material on the daily, and the colours – Dark Green, Sky Blue, and Sand Beige – are all available in the round Big Bang collection. However, these three new Spirit of Big Bang pieces still stand as a glorious testament to Hublot’s never-ending quest to the far reaches of haute horlogerie.
Limited to just 200 pieces per reference, the new trio of Hublot Spirit of Big Bangs come with all the fixings you’d expect from such a spectacularly cool watch. The ceramic – hypoallergenic, light, and extremely scratch-resistant – has been masterfully sized and finished to the 42mm wide, 14.1mm thick specifications of the Spirit of Big Bang lineup. Accompanying it, is a perfectly colour-coded rubber strap, complete with Hublot’s proprietary One-click strap changing system. Dial-side, however, is where the true show begins: All three Spirit references are adorned with a brilliantly crafted skeleton dial, revealing the true nature of the watch within.
If you’re familiar with Hublot from the perspective of armchair watch experts on social media, then you might immediately write off their prowess in the microengineering department – But, once again, that’s just not the case here, as these three Spirit of Big Bang models have been installed with the HUB4700 series of movements. Leveraging their LVMH connections, the HUB4700 is ostensibly a heavily modified and skeletonised rendition of the legendary El Primero movement by Zenith. Better yet, Hublot’s additions hardly interfere with the already outstanding engineering available in the El Primero, as it maintains both the reliable 50-hour power reserve and the ever-popular 5Hz (36,000VpH) movement. “But Mario,” you might be saying. “That doesn’t exactly prove anything about Hublot’s engineering capabilities!” To that, I say this: If Zenith can make movements impressive enough for ‘The Crown,’ then why can’t they do the same for their corporate brothers-in-arms?
My Thoughts
As the rest of the Watch Advice team dives into the wonders of LVMH Watch Week 2025, I almost feel a sense of FOMO. All those new releases, in one destination – typically, I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world! As I see the guys in Sydney enjoy themselves, I start to feel bad, but then I remember: I’m writing this article on a flight to Madrid, so I might be the last person you should feel bad for!
My own flexing aside, Hublot’s LVMH Watch Week 2025, has, understandably, kicked off the festivities in a big way. While they have more extravagant pieces lined up – namely the new Meca-10 and the new Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM, I have to say that these (for want of a better word) subtler additions to the collection certainly have my attention more than the other offerings. According to the team who have been wearing them, they seem to fit like a glove and even on a smaller 15.5cm – 16.5cm wrist which you can see on Sam and Champs’s wrist above and below, they seem to wear well. We’ll be doing a full Hands-On Review in a few weeks time, so make sure you stay tuned for Sam’s thoughts on it.
The transformation of the LVMH Watches & Jewellery Division has been one I have followed with great interest for years, especially with Frederic Arnault’s recent announcement of the repositioning of Zenith. So, seeing a brand like Hublot utilise the horological chops of Zenith whilst staying true to their brand ethos – and being vocal about it – wasn’t exactly on my watch industry bingo card. But, it’s a development that I will eagerly follow for the rest of the year, and quite frankly I can’t wait to see what the division brings to the table next.
References:
- Dark Green: 642.GX.5210.RX
- Sky Blue: 642.EX.5110.RX
- Sand Beige: 642.CZ.6110.RX
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 42mm case diameter x 50mm lug-to-lug x 14.1mm thickness
- Case Material: Dark Green/Sky Blue/Sand Beige ceramic
- Dial: Skeleton with coloured accents in Dark Green/Sky Blue/Sand Beige
- Movement: Automatic HUB4700 with chronograph
- Power Reserve: 50hrs
- Water Resistance: 100m (10bar)
- Strap: Colour-coded rubber strap and ceramic clasp
