Happy Holidays everyone! Just wanted to share a quick pic and video of a rare piece, the Hublot Big Bang Minute Repeater Tourbillon.
The platinum version I
handled has alternating polished and satin finishing on the 950 platinum
case. The bezel diameter is 44mm and has vertical stain finishing
(similar to a Royal Oak but in my opinion not as defined) and is made of platinum
with 6 H shaped titanium screws. The strap is made of both
black rubber (on the inside) and alligator paired with a platinum
deployant clasp.
One of the coolest features is how the repeater is activated. The minute repeater
mechanism is cleverly designed with the bezel lug at the 9 o'clock
position as the lever. At first I couldn't find where the lever was and the Hublot rep showed me how to slide up the integrated bezel lug on the left hand side of the watch. Slide it upwards and the minute repeater is activated. Very nice!
The Hublot Big Bang Minute Repeater Tourbillon is produced in a l imited edition of 10 pieces in platinum and 20 pieces
in carbon fiber. I believe there was a limited edition of 10
pieces in rose gold as well.
The carbon fiber
version has a case made of carbon fiber with the typical carbon
pattern. The bezel is also carbon fiber with 6 H shaped black
PVD titanium screws. It has a skeleton grey ruthenium dial and
satin finished ruthenium plated skeletonized hands. It is
paired with a black rubber and horn back crocodile strap with a
deployant buckle in black PVD stainless steel. I like the
pairing of the two strap materials as the rubber backing makes it more
flexible and conforming to the wrist as opposed to an all horn back
which is rather stiff.
On both sides of
the watch the bezel lugs are microblasted black PVD titanium which also
is used as the lever to activate the minute repeater
mechanism. For more pics of the Hublot Big Bang Minute
Repeater Tourbillon Carbon Fiber, please see my fellow moderator KIH's review
that he posted in the middle of this
year: Please
click here
The caseback on all versions has a
transparent sapphire crystal and is screw in. Here's a pic from the backside of the Big Bang MR Tourbillon:
The movement used is the Hublot HUB9000
manual wind movement which is 30mm in diameter and 6.1mm thick. It features a
minute repeater mechanism and flying tourbillon. Overall it is made
of 300 components and has a 120 hour power reserve. This movement was developed under the
Hublot Confrerie Horlogerie (which was the former BNB Concept) run by Mathias Buttet.
Here's a video I made of the Big Bang Minute
Repeater. Even though the room was pretty crowded and noisy,
you can clearly hear how loud the minute repeater is. I really
liked being able to view the repeater mechanism from the front and back
and seeing the hammers move.
I think this is an interesting piece, much more than the typical Big Bang color tutti frutti variations. I like seeing these complications in their line and hope to see more from Hublot.
Regards, ED-209
This message has been edited by ED209 on 2012-12-31 00:20:35
Yes it strikes very well!I also had the chance to handle a Minute Repeater and I was very surprised by the sound quality: lound and pure at the same time. Thanks ED! I wish you a happy end of the year. Fx
I wish I had an opportunity to hear the PT version..... I did hear the carbon version and it sounded pretty well. Yes, loud enough, but the volume is not everything this model can boast. The sound itself is pretty good to my ears having heard many minute repeaters from PP to JLC to GP to AP..... I think Hub...
I agree about the design of the MR lever mechanismHappy New year Ken! I agree with you, the coolest feature was the design of the MR lever mechanism to have it integrated as part of the bezel flange. Regards, ED-209
Interview with Mathi a s Buttet, R&D Director of Hublot + actual Antikythera Mechanism Watch. M. Buttet came to Asia for a few days recently and kindly stop by Tokyo. I missed him in June when he came to Tokyo last time so I had been very excited to meet him.