Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe talks about his watchmaking philosophy behind the development of new materials

Hublot continues to lead the watch industry in adopting and developing new materials. One of the most impressive models released in recent years is the Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic, made of yellow ceramic, released in 2021. We spoke with Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe about the company's commitment to always being one step ahead in research and development.

Hublot continues to create new materials

"Three years ago, when we introduced our bright red ceramics, I said, 'Almost every Pantone color is possible with Hublot ceramics,'" Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe said with satisfaction in 2021 upon unveiling the bright yellow Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic, the result of two years of research and development. Far from the drab retro trend embraced by many other manufacturers, Hublot is redoubling its efforts to create products that exude radiant glamour.

　In addition to bright yellow ceramic, Hublot also offers models made entirely of sapphire crystal, including the bracelet, and models fully set with diamonds. Never content with simply reissuing icons from the past, the brand remains constantly innovative. This is exactly what I wanted to hear from Ricardo Guadalupe about today.

An interview with Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe

European Star:Will you continue to try new things like using materials like sapphire crystal and expanding the color variations of ceramics?

Ricardo Guadalupe:We started developing new materials at a very early stage. Ceramics was one of them, and the all-black model we released in 2006 caused a big stir. However, we are not alone in this field. Many brands, including major corporations, have followed the same path, and ceramics is already becoming established as a popular watch material. To further differentiate ourselves, we chose a new path with brightly colored ceramics, but there are still challenges ahead.

European Star:What were the main challenges in developing Bright Yellow ceramics?

Ricardo Guadalupe:Working with darker colors like navy blue or army green is not as challenging as working with lighter colors. Red Magic, which we launched in 2018, was the first vibrant color we achieved in ceramic, and it was also the most challenging color to date. At Hublot, we process the material at very high temperatures and pressures, so there is always a risk of burning the pigment. With this vibrant red, we learned a lot and were able to apply those lessons to our other vibrant colors, including Yellow Magic.

European Star:Do you have plans for other colors?

Ricardo Guadalupe:Other plans are in the works, including a bright orange. However, it's important to note that it takes an average of two years to develop a new colored ceramic. This industrialization process takes a very long time. Especially with bright colors, there's the possibility of small imperfections occurring at various stages of the manufacturing process. This is a constant challenge, but it's why Hublot is a leader in colored ceramics.

European Star:In collaboration with Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Büch, you have created a blue, white, and gray ceramic model for the Big Bang Sang Bleu II series.

Ricardo Guadalupe:To differentiate ourselves, we need to offer watches that stand out from other brands. That is our mission at Hublot. Whether it's the Big Bang Sang Bleu II or the Classic Fusion, inspired by Takashi Murakami's signature flower, we strive to achieve the perfect fusion of art and watchmaking, exploring the pinnacle of watchmaking. These collaborations are a long journey, starting with the concept. Ultimately, these models become works of art in their own right. And it's true that our customers demand such uncompromising designs. I myself am amazed at their commercial success.

European Star:Apart from these very specific models, Hublot is also involved in mass advertising through football. How do you reconcile these two different aspects?

Ricardo Guadalupe:It's about using both effectively. In the football world, it's about brand recognition rather than specific models. On the other hand, it can also reach new collectors, as with the collaboration with Takashi Murakami.

European Star:Vintage is hot right now. This trend is sweeping the watchmaking scene and attracting a younger generation. But is this not good news for Hublot?

Ricardo Guadalupe:Hublot will never jump on the vintage bandwagon. Even if we wanted to, our history would make it impossible. We can't keep repeating history, and it doesn't suit our brand. We've only had one reissue, the "Classic Fusion," in 2020, to celebrate the brand's 40th anniversary. And even that wasn't a faithful reproduction of the original, because we're not immersed in nostalgia. That wouldn't be the right approach for Hublot. Hublot is always challenging itself to create innovative watches, not only in terms of materials but also in terms of mechanisms, and is forging its own destiny.

European Star:The technical challenge presented alongside the bright yellow ceramic was that of sapphire crystal, a material that truly lives up to its name, as the case and bracelet of the Big Bang Integrated Tourbillon Full Sapphire are made of.

Ricardo Guadalupe:There were no compromises with this model; the material itself is the star of the show. In 2016, we achieved great success with the launch of our first sapphire crystal watch, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire. In this new development, the case of the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire has been completely redesigned to accommodate an automatic tourbillon movement. The case is made up of 37 components, five of which are made entirely of sapphire crystal.

"Our goal was to remove almost all visible screws and completely redesign the case to integrate it with the sapphire crystal bracelet. The bracelet itself was a major challenge, consisting of 165 components, 22 of which are made of sapphire crystal. Of particular note are the titanium inserts we developed, which are miniaturized so that they do not protrude from the sides of each bracelet link. It is a high-tech creation that has been completed through an extremely complex process."

European Star:As with ceramics, more and more brands are adopting sapphire crystal. Does this mean Hublot will be further accelerating its adoption of this material?

Ricardo Guadalupe:Hublot remains a leader in the industrialization of this material, thanks to its pioneering efforts and extensive experience. Like ceramics, sapphire crystal research is constantly evolving, even at the pinnacle of technological excellence. Hublot was the first to introduce orange sapphire crystal with the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire. Naturally, this has led to others following suit, but we have no intention of slowing down. Models like this demonstrate our R&D capabilities in design, materials, and mechanics.

And even if there is further demand, we are only able to produce a limited number of watches. For example, Takashi Murakami's Classic Fusion All Black was produced in 200 pieces. We could have sold nearly 10 times that number, but we wanted to maintain their rarity and recognition. All Classic Fusion models, which account for the majority of our sales, benefit commercially from this synergy.

European Star:How do you see the watch industry in a post-COVID future? It seems like buying a watch worth tens of thousands of francs online is no longer an issue.

Ricardo Guadalupe:Indeed, e-commerce is accelerating, given that 80% of physical distribution worldwide was blocked in 2020. Hublot launched its own e-commerce platform in July 2020, but online sales are currently limited. The goal was to stay in touch with customers. We are currently at a learning curve in creating a good online customer experience. Simply posting a picture of a watch with a price is not enough. Hublot also needs to develop its physical store network, especially in mainland China.