Hublot’s latest unveiling sees the Swiss giant take the “Art of Fusion” to its ultimate conclusion. The Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire stays true to the old adage that sometimes, less is more. Hublot over the last few years has made themselves the masters of sapphire watchmaking, and with this latest release, they are once again showcasing their exceptional expertise in the field. The all-new Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire features a new integral bracelet as well as a case that is custom-made from sapphire.
Hublot’s sapphire watchmaking abilities all started in 2016 when they released the Big Bang Unico Sapphire. With the Big Bang Unico Sapphire, Hublot was able to use the knowledge they had gained from machining very hard materials to develop a unique series of sapphire watches. With this latest release, however, Hublot is pushing the boundaries even further by creating an integrated case and bracelet from sapphire.
Design:
The dial is quite simply breathtaking to look at. Not only being able to see the whole movement as it’s skeletonized but with the added sapphire case it leaves the watch looking naked, and what you’re left with is the beauty and technical prowess of the movement.
In regards to the design of the new Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire, CEO of Hublot, Ricardo Guadalupe states that ” For such an exceptional creation, we opted for the new Automatic Tourbillon calibre with its sapphire bridges, the transparency of which creates a stunning spectacle. The act of creating an integrated case and bracelet from sapphire was, however, deemed impossible. But we were the first brand to gain perfect mastery of sapphire, industrialising it and making it reproducible in series production. It took us five years to bring our first sapphire cases to life – and almost as long for the bracelet. Producing both from sapphire and integrating them together is the pinnacle of the in-depth work undertaken by all of Hublot’s teams. We are proud to be the ones writing the first lines in this new chapter in the history of materials”.
Hublot has reconstructed the case for this new timepiece in its entirety to be able to house the Automatic Tourbillon movement. The goal of the 43mm case design according to the luxury Swiss brand was to redesign the geometry of the case to be able to integrate it with the sapphire bracelet and to also rework the bridges and main plates to give the illusion of being suspended in space. All up the case is comprised of 37 components, five of which are made purely from sapphire.
Movement :
The movement used inside the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire is the HUB6035 automatic manufacture calibre which is made entirely in-house. The HUB6035 movement features a 22K White gold skeleton micro-rotor at 12 o’clock and the tourbillon at 6 o’clock position. The transparent sapphire bridges are also exclusive to this new Big Bang model. The HUB6035 has a frequency of 21, 600 VpH and gives out a power reserve of approximately 72 hours.
The bracelet is an amazing feat in watch manufacturing as it presented a unique and complex challenge. The bracelet alone comprises 165 components, 22 of which are made from sapphire. The design required the bracelet to be in matching with the transparency of the case, while also offering flexibility to wear comfortably.
With a case and bracelet made from sapphire, all of the secrets to the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire are on full show. An incredibly highly technical feat in watchmaking, Hublot has not only mastered the art of sapphire watchmaking but are also pushing their limits even further!
