Hublot

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