MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE, HUBLOT CREATES THE FIRST VIBRANTLY COLOURED CERAMIC
“There is a quote which perfectly illustrates our ongoing desire to push watchmaking, materials, and fusion to the limit. A conviction that nothing is impossible. In the words of Charlie Chaplin: “Let us strive for the impossible. The great achievements throughout history have been the conquest of what seemed the impossible”. Today, with the world’s first vibrantly coloured ceramic, Hublot has once again demonstrated that the impossible really is possible!”
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot
After Hublot’s invention in 2011, Magic Gold, the world’s most scratch resistant 18K carat Gold, thanks to an alloy between boron carbide (ceramic) and 24K carat Gold, the Swiss watchmaking brand has devoted its innovative approach to ceramic. By creating a new material – the first vibrantly coloured ceramic –
Hublot has once again used its limitless imagination to achieve a world’s first. Exclusively designed and produced in-house, in the Hublot Research &
Development (R&D) department, this invention has been patented. A triple tour de force, the coloured ceramic invented by Hublot is innovative both in terms of the material itself, and the manufacturing process. In addition to the vibrant colour it is also harder than conventional ceramics.
Hublot brings depths of colour to ceramic
The Hublot R&D department and Metallurgy & Materials laboratory have succeeded in inventing a magic formula that allows the creation of vibrantly coloured ceramics. This has previously not been done in industries using technical and aesthetic ceramics. In addition, Hublot has refined all the procedures necessary to produce every component of the watch case from this special material. In total, it took Hublot four years to master this discovery and develop it from initial idea to its industrialisation. The invention is 100% Hublot and the expertise has been patented. Hublot continues to make strides in the research into materials.
This newly developed ceramic is incredibly dense, boasting a hardness of 1500 HVI compared to 1200 HV2 of conventional ceramics. This results in an extremely resilient material. The colour is achieved through a major innovation whereby a fusion of pressure and heat sinters the ceramic without burning the pigments. Having mastered the basic hues with this method Hublot is now ready to introduce a whole new world of coloured ceramics to its watch collections.
The first vibrant colour release is vibrant red, which also increases the hardness of the Hublot ceramic.
The power of red
For this first coloured ceramic, Hublot has chosen a vivid red, which symbolises power, passion and glory. The Big Bang Unico Red Magic is undoubtedly an ultra-resilient ceramic watch full of fire.
With just 500 pieces released, its 45 mm case and bezel are made from Hublot’s patented red ceramic, boasting a polished finish. The flange, indexes, minute and seconds counters, Arabic numerals and hands all match this hue, adorned in the same red to highlight the contrast with the mechanism of the Unico HUB1242 manufacture movement and its column wheel, visible on the dial side through the sapphire crystal. This theme encompasses the entire watch, matched with a lined structured red rubber strap.
Drawing attention from every angle, and captivating all who see it, the red ceramic is set to be a showstopper. A major invention which once again demonstrates that Hublot is continuously pushing its Art of Fusion further, and that, under its impetus, the world of materials and alloys will never cease to be reinvented. This is a material true to the Hublot motto: “be the first, be unique, be different!”
UNICO movement
Designed, developed, machined and assembled by the micro-mechanics, engineers and watchmakers at Hublot. Flyback chronograph (can be reset at any time – unique in the watchmaking industry), two push-pieces, with date indicator, mechanism with dual coupling and “column wheel” visible on the dial side. The hour counter is driven directly by the barrel and there is no jumper in the chronograph mechanism: this boosts reliability and robustness. Its pallet fork and escapement wheel are fixed to a removable platform and made from silicon, whose lightness provides a guarantee of performance. 330 components. Frequency 4 Hz (28,800 Vib/h), 72-hour power reserve.
BIG BANG UNICO Red Magic
Reference: 411.CF.8513.RX
Diameter: 45 mm
Thickness:15.45 mm
Water Resistant: 10 ATM (100m)
Case: Polished red ceramic
Bezel: Polished red ceramic
Bezel Lug: Black composite resin
Screws: « H » Polished titanium black PVD
Glass: Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment
Case back: Black ceramic engraved “LIMITED EDITON”, “N° XXX/500”
Dial: Skeleton mat red, red appliques with black luminescent
Hands: Red hands with black luminescent
Movement: Hublot HUB1242
UNICO Manufacture self-winding chronograph
flyback movement with column wheel
N° of Components: 330 // Jewels: 38 // Frequency (Hz): 4 (28’800 A/h)
Power Reserve: 72 Hours
Strap: Black and red lined structured rubber strap
Buckle: Black PVD Titanium with black ceramic insert deployant buckle clasp
