Hublot's design-first watchmaking

By using cutting techniques to manufacture cases, Hublot has accelerated the creation of one-of-a-kind watches with unique designs, movements, and materials. Their watches, which combine cases made of new materials such as sapphire crystal and SAXEM with movements incorporating unique mechanisms, are unparalleled. Let's take a look at some of the unique models that represent this company.

New materials and cutting technology expand the possibilities of case construction

　Manufacturing methods and materials have changed dramatically since the 2000s. Hublot is undoubtedly the brand that has benefited the most from this. Founded in 1980, the company manufactured its cases using cold forging for a long time. A striking feature of the company's catalog from that time is the multiple presses installed in its factory in Nyon. This manufacturing method gave Hublot watches the same strength as sports watches, but on the other hand, the shapes they produced were not as diverse as they are today.

　A major change came in 2005, when Hublot decided to create cases by cutting instead of forging. They came up with the idea of ​​creating a single watch case by stacking separately manufactured case parts like a sandwich. This would allow them to house a variety of movements without being limited by size, and to use multiple materials, expressing the distinctive Hublot style. The company named this watch, which combined the multi-layered case structure created by cutting and the various materials it made possible, the "Big Bang."

　In the 2000s, not only Hublot but many other manufacturers and suppliers began to use cutting to manufacture cases. However, most of these simply replaced forging with cutting, and the only benefit was that it made it easier to produce a wide variety of watches in small quantities. Hublot, on the other hand, aimed to accelerate the creation of one-of-a-kind watches by further customizing the design, movement, and materials.

　The method of carving cases allows for more complex shapes. As machinery advances and cutting know-how accumulates, it becomes possible to process materials other than metal, which was previously impossible with cold forging. Hublot was one of the first to focus on cutting, so it was only natural that they would then turn to materials that could not be processed by forging, such as sapphire crystal. This direction further inclined Hublot towards design.

　Perhaps the most iconic example of Hublot is the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire, a collaboration with Maxime Plescia-Buchi, the renowned tattoo artist and founder of Sang Bleu. Hublot's ongoing endeavor to combine geometric motifs with timepieces since 16 has finally resulted in the creation of a faceted sapphire crystal, a difficult craft to create. It's no wonder that then-CEO Ricardo Guadalupe declared, "This endeavor has become a driving force for us to improve ourselves."

　However, Hublot's uniqueness doesn't end there. The MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium is a unique tourbillon watch that uses a linear weight that moves up and down to wind the movement. To highlight this movement, a novel case structure was developed. Normally, in such cases, the case is made to resemble an existing model. However, with the know-how it has accumulated in case manufacturing, Hublot is now able to create watches that fully express its own unique concept.

The same can be said for the Big Bang MP-11 14-Day Power Reserve Water Blue Sapphire. To ensure long-lasting operation, the multiple barrels are arranged vertically on the same axis. Their presence has been transformed into a design element, greatly enhancing the sapphire crystal case. It's unique, yet the cohesiveness of its design is nothing short of extraordinary. While there are many manufacturers today who can simultaneously develop the interior and exterior, there are few others who can produce such a wide variety of models.

　The Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM, featuring the extremely rare green SAXEM, features a highly integrated interior and exterior. To emphasize the transparency and vivid color of the SAXEM, the tourbillon movement's barrel and rotor are coaxially positioned, and the hand-setting mechanism is also compactly integrated. Organizing mechanisms for aesthetic reasons is a challenge that many manufacturers are currently grappling with. However, as this model demonstrates, Hublot's level of perfection is head and shoulders above the rest.

　The MP-13 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Retrograde Black Carbon is a masterpiece that perfectly combines mechanism, design, and materials. To highlight the two-axis tourbillon at 6 o'clock, the case, made of Texalium and carbon, features a large cutout. The time display has been changed to a retrograde style, allowing the viewer to appreciate the two-axis tourbillon through the cutout.

　Hublot pioneered the use of new materials by pioneering cutting, but the company did not stop there. Having achieved a sophisticated fusion of interior and exterior, Hublot is now fundamentally changing the way watchmaking is done through the uniqueness of its design, materials, and movements.