Sameera Gamage 
A bold statement in modern watchmaking, the Big Bang Unico Water Blue Sapphire is Hublot’s latest innovation in transparent timepieces. Its mesmerizing Water Blue hue and open-worked design showcase artistic brilliance and technical mastery!
Hublot’s “Art of Fusion” has brought us many extraordinary timepeices that rewind 30-40 years ago would have seemed impossible. Everyone has their opinion on the brand and the extravagant horological timepieces they create, but what is undeniable is the advancement of material technology and innovation Hublot has brought to the industry. You may be thinking, “Oh, Hublot with another sapphire timepiece,” and you’d be forgiven for thinking that because, on the surface, it’s just a colour change. But the reality is that creating a new colour in sapphire or creating a new case in an existing sapphire colour requires innovation and experience that few brands are willing to work for.
When it comes to their sapphire creations, Hublot has undoubtedly mastered the art of creating different and unique colours that breathe new and exciting life into their timepieces. The brand wasn’t the first to create sapphire watches, but it is one of the few, if not the only one, that consistently produces sapphire watches year in and year out in different colours and combines them with the mechanical mastery of complex movements.
Related Reading: Crystal Clear: Hublot Is Redefining Transparency In Watchmaking With Their Stunning Sapphire Creations!
As Hublot puts it, “Creating new colours of transparent sapphire requires far more than simply switching pigments. Each colour requires finding the precise formula and adjusting the process accordingly to ensure a qualitative result both aesthetically and functionally.”
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Big Bang, and the brand has been releasing limited-edition timepieces as part of the celebrations. This latest is one of the best yet: a water blue sapphire creation, a stunning timepiece that is amazing to look at from any angle.
Case Design
The water blue colour colour in sapphire is the latest project from Hublot’s R&D department. They have been able to make the impossible a reality. This is not a typical colour like your standard blue, red and yellow, which means that the brand has to find new creative ways to make these new and special colours a reality. A light yet intense hue, Water Blue sapphire evokes tropical, crystal-clear waters, taking the wearer on a voyage to a world of serenity and happiness.
The 44mm case with a thickness of 14.5mm is not overbearing on the wrist when considering previous editions of this timepiece, but when it comes to wrist presence, it is one timepiece that seeks attention whether you like it or not. The way sapphire glistens in the sunlight is stunning, one that pictures don’t do justice, and you need to see it in person! Expect the water blue sapphire colour to not only be a conversation starter but also a bold statement of innovation and exclusivity.
Dial Design:
Open-worked dials are a signature design when it comes to Hublot’s Big Bang sapphire creations, and I understand why. This timepiece, even though it screams visual aesthetic as the highlight, is about innovation and technical marvel. Because that’s what it takes to create a timepiece of this calibre. So having an openworked dial where the movement is displayed is fitting for a watch where everything is meant to be “see-through”.
When it comes to skeletonised dials, however, reading the timepiece is the main drawback, reducing the watch’s functionality. If the hour indices and hands are not executed properly through contrasting colours to the movement, then it all gets lost and reading the time with a glance is not as easy as it seems. Fortunately, Hublot has matched the water blue colour to the hour indices and hands, which stand out against the mechanical complexity sitting underneath.
Movement:
The engine sitting inside this latest Big Bang Unico Sapphire creation is Hublot’s first in-house developed and manufactured calibre, the Unico. Hublot states that the Unico is “Built with a contemporary architecture, the automatic integrated chronograph movement with a column-wheel clutching system is composed of 354 components, simplified to ensure reliability and robustness.”
When it comes to the technical side of the MHUB1280 movement, it operates at a high frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH), ensuring that a high level of accuracy is consistently achieved. The movement is able to give out a decent power reserve of 72 hours as well. Hublot has specifically finished the movement main plate and bridges in anthracite Ruthenium-plated so that the water blue hour indices and hands stand out against them.
Final Thoughts:
Hublot’s relentless pursuit of innovation shines through once again with the Big Bang Unico Water Blue Sapphire. As with all of Hublot’s “Art of Fusion” timepieces, they aren’t just a watch—it’s a statement of modern horology, blending technical mastery with a striking visual presence.
The sapphire’s transparency, combined with the captivating water-blue hue, creates a mesmerizing effect that can only be fully appreciated in person for the lucky few who get the chance to do so! As part of the Big Bang’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, this release is not just a tribute to Hublot’s past but a glimpse into the future of high-end watchmaking.
Reference: Big Bang Unico Water Blue Sapphire (421.JL.4890.RT)
Specifications
- Case Size: 44mm
- Case Thickness: 14.5mm
- Case Material: Polished Water Blue Sapphire Crystal
- Dial: Polished Transparent Skeleton with water blue indices and hands.
- Movement: MHUB1280. UNICO Manufacture Self-winding Chronograph Flyback Movement with Column Wheel.
- Power Reserve: 72 hours (28,800 VpH/4Hz Frequency)
- Water Resistance: 50m (5 bar)
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.
- Strap/Bracelet: Transparent Water Blue Lined Rubber Straps
