foversta
[PuristSPro Moderator]
20814
Baselworld 2012: Hublot Report
Hublot strategy is clear: the biggest parts of the novelties are unveiled
twice per year (be sure that the remaining part will be presented
during the second half to fully occupy the stage): first batch during
the crazy week in Geneva, second one during Baselworld. 2012 is a very
busy year for Hublot with a very broad range of new models with
different styles and purposes. Actually, I had the same feeling that
last year after the presentation: I saw so many watches that I found it
quite difficult to organize the presentation. But this feeling of
confusion in my head is the proof of the energy of the brand. I will not
present you the watches I saw at Geneva which were displayed in my
January's
report:
hublot.watchprosite.com
Anyway,
we can highlight several important points:
- the partnership
with Ferrari which turns into reality
- the first watch with
Magic Gold
- the involvement in Football which doesn't slow
down
- the 5 millions watch which was created... mainly to
reinforce the communication strategy
- the new Masterpiece
watch which is based on the Antikythera
Mechanism
Let's browse now these
novelties.
1)
Partnership with Ferrari and Magic
Gold
So here it comes, the Ferrari watch
by Hublot. There is a kind of curse when a combined project between
Ferrari and a Watch Brand is launched. Will Hublot manage to avoid this
sad fate? I hope for them that the answer will be
yes.
The Ferrari timepieces are Big Bang watches with
a case diameter of 45,5mm. They feature the Unico movement (column
wheel is located dial side) and a see-through sapphire dial which gives a
technical touch. Ferrari horse is located left side of the dial and due
to the visible movement on the background, it remains quite discreet,
almost shy.
Date is inserted into the minutes
subdial and despite its yellow colour, it is not shocking on the global
picture. I have to confess that the watch is pretty convincing if you
like this Ferrari atmosphere and the Hublot offer because it contains
all that people like in a Big Bang, the fusion of materials, a comfort
on the wrist and an easy watch to live with. Chronograph is flyback, has
a 4hz frequency and a power reserve of around 3
days.
2 versions were unveiled: Titanium or Magic
Gold. I was much more seduced by the Titanium one. I didn't like the
Magic gold aspect: in fact, it is not because I was not under the charm
of its colour, it is because I found it too close to the Cermet colour
used with the Bullet Bang. Maybe I will need to see it again with true
outdoor lights to give a relevant comment. My feeling was: so much noise
for this? Hopefully, Titanium version is really nice and its neutral
colour fits better this motor context. Winding rotor looks like a wheel
rim. Unico finishings are very
clean.
Titanium version is a LE of 1000 watches while
the Magic Gold is limited to 500 watches.
2)
Football
We tend to forget it but there
is a big football competition which is coming after the end of the
European leagues: the European Championship will take place in Poland
and Ukrainia between the 8th of June and the 1st of July. Logically,
Hublot created two King Power watches to celebrate the event using the
colours of the two hosting nations. Don't expect surprises here: if you
know the latest ManU King Power, if you know the latest Maradona King
Power, it is the same recipe which is used. The targetted customers are
in my point of view local clients but maybe I'm wrong. The good point
about these watches is the central minute counter. If Ukrainia version
brings a new combo of colours (yellow and blue), the Poland
version is very close to the ManU watch... without the details which
made the Red Devils King Power so special.
3) 5 millions
Please find
below some pics of the 5 millions watch. Job was very well done by the
gems setters and I like the pattern drawn on the dial. But a set watch,
more than any other, has to express something poetic or something magic.
This 5 millions watch joins the group, sadly each day more and more
packed, of set timepieces which are more a gathering of gems than a
scenery, an atmosphere which highlights the beauty of the
gems.
4)
Antikythera Masterpiece
For the first
time, I was seduced by a Masterpiece. After the very disappointing
previous Masterpieces, this Antikythera gave me the feeling that Hublot
was progressing very well. Obviously, this watch which will not be sold
to customers is a demonstration of "know-how". But it is a coherent one
with an unusual background and mysterious complications. This
Antikythera watch is the crossroads between two worlds: the Antique one
and the Contemporary one. It is a bit the missing link between thousands
years of time measurement history.
To learn more about the
watch, please read Ken's article about
it:
hublot.watchprosite.com
5) Classic Fusion
chronographs
Several versions of the
Classic Fusion chronographs were presented including one with a metal
bracelet (very well made) and another with a ceramic bezel (not my cup
of tea, the combo blue & black being... strange?
Sad?).
6) Classic Fusion
The Classic
Fusion 45mm with its skeletonized handwind movement was presented
during the Geneva week and got a warm welcome by the people who saw it.
This watch was a bit a new style direction taken by Hublot exploring a
more elegant world. I had the opportunity to handle it again at
Baselworld and I was still positively impressed by the coherence between
the skeletonized aspect of the movement and the case. 45mm is a large
diameter but the watch looks smaller on the wrist. Maybe my fav
Jean-Claude Biver's Hublot so far.
Hublot decided to go
further in this direction with a Tourbillon version. And again, the
result is quite impressive. Of course, we are not talking here about
exceptional Tourbillon or finishings from an other planet. Again, it is
this feeling of coherence which seduces me: the watch is sportive and
elegant at the same time, not aggressive (which may sometimes occur with
Hublot) and the work on both sides of the movement combines perfectly
with the case.
Chronographs, Tourbillon,
Skeletonized handwind movements, the whole Classic Fusion is a great
achievement. Maybe because I find again in these watches the discreet
charm of the Hublot from Carlo Crocco's period. But they lack the little
something to reach the subtle elegance of the first years: case is a
bit too large. They would be perfect between 40 and 42mm.
7) Evolutions of existing
models
I saw a lot of evolutions of
existing models, please discover below some of
them.
Let's start with this Carbon Fiber
Oceanographic 4000 All Black Blue 48mm. I'm not a fan of Carbon Fiber
cases, I will not change my mind with this
watch.
The surprise was to discover a Chronograph
version of the Oceanographic. Sorry but I think I will never like any
watch from this line... too bulky for my
taste.
I already present you the Black Ceramic
Maradona, here are some pics of the King Gold
version.
A nice King Gold Pavé (it seems that the
pictured watch has an Aventurine dial):
Other
colours are available:
With these Ladies's watches, I
put an end to my report. How can I describe this 2012 offer in few
words? First of all, it was the first collection with Ricardo Guadalupe
as CEO of Hublot. And guess what? We didn't feel any change. Not a
surprise, we knew that this governance change was a kind of
clarification of a pre-existing situation. The 2012 offer is large,
maybe too large with a wide range of complications and styles. I was
convinced by some watches (Ferrari Titanium, Antikythera, Classic Fusion
Tourbillon) and some others missed the right target in my point of
view. Anyway, I believe that the most important is again to underline
the energy of the brand which is incomparable.
Thanks
a lot to the Hublot team for the warm
welcome.
Fr.Xavier