Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic: Hublot celebrates the joy life

It has to be said: Hublot is abrand that does it all. We are of course referring to ceramics, which is probably the favourite of the many materials that the Nyon-based atelier treats with almost alchemic skills. One more proof of this is the Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic, presented by the brand in April at Watches and Wonders Geneva. Yet another chapter in the saga of coloured ceramics – this time orange – whose pages written by Hublot always hold surprises in store. Because working with ceramics in itself is already complex; mastering it to create a material free of imperfections and with stable colours is not for everyone.

HUBLOT AND THE ART OF CERAMICS

Instead, Hublot took it as a personal challenge from the start, trying to go beyond the classic ceramic colours, black and white, mastered by other watch brands. Simple colours, because the chemical and industrial process to obtain them is relatively simple. Hublot has tried to invent and explore new shades, using the Big Bang collection as a ‘training ground’ for its experiments. Eclectic, versatile, contemporary, it is the line with the right cards to experiment with new coloured ceramics.

After gradually paving the way for different shades of green, blue and grey, the turning point came in 2019, with the world premiere presentation of a bright red ceramic watch with the Big Bang Unico Red Magic. An achievement by the Hublot R&D department and the brand’s Metallurgy and Materials laboratory. A journey that took four years of development, from the initial idea to the industrial process that led to this result. A 100% patented savoir-faire which creates super-strong ceramics whose density increases resistance to wear, with a hardness of 1500 HV1 compared to the 1200 HV2 of traditional ceramics.

To obtain this material, in orange in the case of Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic, the main innovation involves a combination of pressure and heat that sinter the ceramics without burning the pigments. Indeed, while coloured ceramics seem simple to produce, the process that allows for a highly resistant material in vibrant colours has to overcome a long series of challenges, starting with extreme heat. Because of it, many types of dyes and pigments usually used to obtain certain colours burn out during the production process, creating a material with dull, sometimes even mottled colours instead of vibrant, uniform and saturated colours. 

An inevitable process, because ceramics’ hardness dictates that the desired colour should be embedded in the material itself rather than derived from chemical treatments or surface coatings. These, in fact, would only allow a very limited range of colour options, or would result in a material without the right strength and with a tendency to fade over time. None of this happens with the Hublot Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic.

HUBLOT’S UNIQUE BIG BANG DNA  

It is basically a classic Big Bang Unico with its well-known characteristics. The case is 42 mm in diameter by 14.5 mm thick and water-resistant to 10 bar. The coloured bezel is secured to the case middle by 6 functional titanium H-head screws. The vibrant orange of the mirror-polished ceramics is interrupted by a micro-sandblasted black ceramic case middle with four protrusions. Two rather discreet ones, at 6 and 12 o’clock, serve to fasten the strap, which is easily replaceable thanks to Hublot’s patented ‘One Click’ system; the protrusion at three o’clock, which is well pronounced, serves to protect the crown and chronograph pushers, while the one at nine o’clock helps preserve the symmetry of the Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic.

The skeleton dial consists of a sapphire crystal disc on which touches of orange abound. We find them on the applied hour-markers, on the alternating Arabic numerals on even numbers and batons and on odd ones; on the hands with skeleton hour and minute hands; on the 60-minute (at 3 o’clock, not skeletonised) and small seconds (at 9 o’clock) counters; on the minute circle on the flange; on the Hublot logo which, printed on the underside of the sapphire crystal, appears to float in a vacuum. The date disc, visible along the flange through the skeleton and the date window as on the other Big Bang Unico watches, is classically positioned at 3 o’clock.

BIG BANG UNIQUE ORANGE CERAMIC: CALIBRE AND LIMITED EDITION

A few words about the movement as well: the reliable automatic calibre HUB1280 is the beating heart of the Big Bang Unico collection that we find in dozens of references. It is one of Hublot’s workhorses, developed and built in-house and visible through the sapphire crystal back, screwed in through a black ceramic recessed ring. It is a chronograph movement with flyback function, developed on the basis of the HUB1240 calibre but slimmer.

The main features of the HUB1280 are its 352 components and 43 jewels, silicon lever escapement, and tungsten oscillating weight. For the calibre, which works at 28,800 vibrations per hour, Hublot claims 72 hours of power reserve. The double vertical clutch mechanism and column wheel are visible from the dial’s side and are primarily responsible for the docility and precision of the chronograph clutches, a top feature of this movement.

We have already written above about the ‘One Click’ system for quick release of the strap, but it is worth emphasising the work done by Hublot on the strap itself, which, in terms of aesthetics, is the classic black lined and structured one. What should be pointed out is once again the colour, because it is not a trivial task to make it in the same orange shade as the ceramic case and to ensure that it too does not fade or deteriorate over time. The result would in fact be disastrous in terms of overall aesthetics for Hublot’s Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic.

Given the complexity of the production process and the rarity of orange ceramics, it is not surprising that the watch is produced in a limited edition of 250 pieces. The price is commensurate with that of a prestige limited edition: 30,800 euros. The question that perhaps some enthusiasts will now ask themselves is: ‘What colour will be next?’ For it is clear that, as Hublot continues to push forward its experimentation with materials and colours, these will  sooner or later join major collections such as the Big Bang. And the question is not just ‘What colour?’, but ‘When will we see it?’ The way Hublot has accustomed us, it is only a matter of (little) time.

By Davide Passoni