Comments:
Hublot - King Power Review
I spent a while on here reading all about Hublot and now I have purchased one & worn it for a while I thought I would write a little review in case it helped others decide. I I wouldn’t normally bother writing a
review but I thought this watch was sufficiently different & impressive to merit
some words and pictures, so here goes…
This rather large (OK huge) 48mm King Power case dictates the agenda for the whole watch and just putting it on is an occasion, the sheer scale of it (even if it wasn’t made by Hublot) means the wach is certain to polarise opinion. The 48 mm measurement does not include the crown so in reality it is a fair bit larger, it is also 18mm thick, so I certainly don’t feel is suitable as an only watch. After getting over the initial shock of the size I was pleasantly surprised by its weight, 161 grams, or about the same as a SS Rolex – demonstrating firstly just how much metal is still in the watch (the strap is rubber after all) but also the good job they have made of using lightweight materials where possible. The strap & clasp work really well & the watch sits nicely on the wrist & doesn’t actually feel top heavy or try to move about when worn.
Fans of Douglas Adams may recall Hotblack Desiato’s all black space ship “Every time you try to operate one of these weird black controls that are labelled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up black to let you know you've done it”. Well the makers (predecessors ?) of Hotblack’s ship are alive & well and working at Hublot. To me this is the reason I bought the watch, the attention to detail, which to some extent has forsaken function for form. Whilst many loathe Hublot I have always liked them – perhaps because I don’t see them as being in competition with other brands but as watches to complement a collection.
Back to the watch – it certainly manages the Hublot “fusion” concept well – the case is composed of black composite resin sandwiched between black ceramic plates. The bezel is a thick black rubber ring with a (black) titanium disc over the top of it. The crown & chrono pushers are black titanium & rubber. The entire watch is held together by black-PVD-coated titanium “H” screws. Curiously the randomness of the orientation doesn’t bother me (or even notice) in real life. The folding clasp is of course a black combination of titanium & ceramic – it is easily adjusted, and feels very secure & clips open & closed just as you would expect it to.
The real details start when you look at the dial more closely – it is only upon close inspection you can realise just how difficult it must be to make a watch like this with every piece just about being bespoke and meticulously finished. The hands are the only element that aren’t black, but a sort of shiny brown – they reflect the light wonderfully well making the time very easy to see even in very low light.
However it is a crime to keep the watch in low light as it rewards a close examination of the detailing that has gone into its dial. The dial itself is actually a transparent form of carbon fibre with perfectly applied print markings that allows you to see much of the movement underneath. The dial is surrounded by a rehaut engraved with minutes, the hours markers are stuck onto the glass individually and again are black. The hands and hours are filled with (black) super luminova which barely glows at all – pointless but to my mind a great detail where the designer has refused to compromise unnecessarily. The highlight of the dial for me is the date ring, which again must have been very difficult to make. It snaps round at midnight with the current day being indicated by a white disc – I guess a black disc was just too much even for Hublot !
The chrono pushers work very smoothly – far better than the Hublot Big Bangs or also my El Primero – you can see the gears that drive the running seconds & also the chrono reset through the dial. The Flyback chrono only measures an hour and curiously the elapsed minutes are driven like a regular minute hand so doesn’t snap each minute like an El Primero – coupled with the black markings it makes reading the elapsed time fairly tricky despite the actual use being a pleasure.
The display back allows you to admire the mostly black movement – which is very industrial looking. The “decoration” suits the overall style of the watch perfectly and it is a very unique looking movement and clearly something a bit special. Much of it is ceramic so hopefully won’t need as much servicing as older movements as clearly this will be a return to Hublot event.
I am delighted with the watch and the movement – I know it certainly isn’t for everyone but critics should look at the detailing & craftsmanship and not consider why they prefer a Rolex or JLC but how it would add to their collection & enjoyment. I know many disliked Hublot for the Big Bang’s movement being based on a 7750, this Unico definitely addresses this concern, and looking at the new range of 45mm Big Bangs that will contain Unico movements I would say Hublot’s future is certainly very dark !
This message has been edited by KIH on 2013-07-25 17:22:35
This rather large (OK huge) 48mm King Power case dictates the agenda for the whole watch and just putting it on is an occasion, the sheer scale of it (even if it wasn’t made by Hublot) means the wach is certain to polarise opinion. The 48 mm measurement does not include the crown so in reality it is a fair bit larger, it is also 18mm thick, so I certainly don’t feel is suitable as an only watch. After getting over the initial shock of the size I was pleasantly surprised by its weight, 161 grams, or about the same as a SS Rolex – demonstrating firstly just how much metal is still in the watch (the strap is rubber after all) but also the good job they have made of using lightweight materials where possible. The strap & clasp work really well & the watch sits nicely on the wrist & doesn’t actually feel top heavy or try to move about when worn.
Fans of Douglas Adams may recall Hotblack Desiato’s all black space ship “Every time you try to operate one of these weird black controls that are labelled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up black to let you know you've done it”. Well the makers (predecessors ?) of Hotblack’s ship are alive & well and working at Hublot. To me this is the reason I bought the watch, the attention to detail, which to some extent has forsaken function for form. Whilst many loathe Hublot I have always liked them – perhaps because I don’t see them as being in competition with other brands but as watches to complement a collection.
Back to the watch – it certainly manages the Hublot “fusion” concept well – the case is composed of black composite resin sandwiched between black ceramic plates. The bezel is a thick black rubber ring with a (black) titanium disc over the top of it. The crown & chrono pushers are black titanium & rubber. The entire watch is held together by black-PVD-coated titanium “H” screws. Curiously the randomness of the orientation doesn’t bother me (or even notice) in real life. The folding clasp is of course a black combination of titanium & ceramic – it is easily adjusted, and feels very secure & clips open & closed just as you would expect it to.
The real details start when you look at the dial more closely – it is only upon close inspection you can realise just how difficult it must be to make a watch like this with every piece just about being bespoke and meticulously finished. The hands are the only element that aren’t black, but a sort of shiny brown – they reflect the light wonderfully well making the time very easy to see even in very low light.
However it is a crime to keep the watch in low light as it rewards a close examination of the detailing that has gone into its dial. The dial itself is actually a transparent form of carbon fibre with perfectly applied print markings that allows you to see much of the movement underneath. The dial is surrounded by a rehaut engraved with minutes, the hours markers are stuck onto the glass individually and again are black. The hands and hours are filled with (black) super luminova which barely glows at all – pointless but to my mind a great detail where the designer has refused to compromise unnecessarily. The highlight of the dial for me is the date ring, which again must have been very difficult to make. It snaps round at midnight with the current day being indicated by a white disc – I guess a black disc was just too much even for Hublot !
The chrono pushers work very smoothly – far better than the Hublot Big Bangs or also my El Primero – you can see the gears that drive the running seconds & also the chrono reset through the dial. The Flyback chrono only measures an hour and curiously the elapsed minutes are driven like a regular minute hand so doesn’t snap each minute like an El Primero – coupled with the black markings it makes reading the elapsed time fairly tricky despite the actual use being a pleasure.
The display back allows you to admire the mostly black movement – which is very industrial looking. The “decoration” suits the overall style of the watch perfectly and it is a very unique looking movement and clearly something a bit special. Much of it is ceramic so hopefully won’t need as much servicing as older movements as clearly this will be a return to Hublot event.
I am delighted with the watch and the movement – I know it certainly isn’t for everyone but critics should look at the detailing & craftsmanship and not consider why they prefer a Rolex or JLC but how it would add to their collection & enjoyment. I know many disliked Hublot for the Big Bang’s movement being based on a 7750, this Unico definitely addresses this concern, and looking at the new range of 45mm Big Bangs that will contain Unico movements I would say Hublot’s future is certainly very dark !
This message has been edited by KIH on 2013-07-25 17:22:35
Excellent wriet-up!
First, welcome to PPro, MB2MB2. I hope you enjoy lurking and communicating with other watch lovers.
And, thank you so much for this write up. I took liberty to resurrect your photos from your photo bucket. Please try to use this site's photo uploading function as it is much easier (except videos).
I am glad that you like your KP. Welcome to the club! I hope to see the wrist shot next. Please feel free to stop by anytime. I try to show the new models or unique models which I encounter at the boutique nearby.
Again, please enjoy PPro as well as Hublot forum. Welcome!
Best,
Ken
Hublot forum moderator.
And, thank you so much for this write up. I took liberty to resurrect your photos from your photo bucket. Please try to use this site's photo uploading function as it is much easier (except videos).
I am glad that you like your KP. Welcome to the club! I hope to see the wrist shot next. Please feel free to stop by anytime. I try to show the new models or unique models which I encounter at the boutique nearby.
Again, please enjoy PPro as well as Hublot forum. Welcome!
Best,
Ken
Hublot forum moderator.
Thanks
Hi Ken,
Thanks very much for the warm welcome & for sorting my photos for me. I tried using the uploader as well as pasting the links but had no luck.
I am very pleased with the watch & the more I look at it the more I see - people who dismiss Hublot have probably never admired one close up. I still find the brand fairly obscure in the UK apart from in central London which means it is unlikely I will see another in the wild - whilst the exclusivity is nice, I also feel it is a pity as many people are missing out on great watches.
Thanks very much for the warm welcome & for sorting my photos for me. I tried using the uploader as well as pasting the links but had no luck.
I am very pleased with the watch & the more I look at it the more I see - people who dismiss Hublot have probably never admired one close up. I still find the brand fairly obscure in the UK apart from in central London which means it is unlikely I will see another in the wild - whilst the exclusivity is nice, I also feel it is a pity as many people are missing out on great watches.
No, thank YOU!
We need more like YOU here 
I am with you about "missing something" but "dismissing Hublot". They are innovative bunch and really worth taking seriously.
Again, thank you for your nice write-up and review. Please come visit often and share more with us!
Best,
Ken
I am with you about "missing something" but "dismissing Hublot". They are innovative bunch and really worth taking seriously.
Again, thank you for your nice write-up and review. Please come visit often and share more with us!
Best,
Ken
Nice review!
And welcome, what a way to arrive! Very well written review and of course of one of my favourite Hublots.
I find I am seeing more and more in the UK, I find it quite nice that you don't see them everywhere.... There is Rolex for that!
Cheers
Andrew
Welcome to the forum MB2MB2 and thanks for the an owner's perspective on the King Power
I really like how you stressed that this Hublot King Power is a great compliment to your collection and that it's not the ideal watch for someone who only has 1 watch in total. I think many Hublot owners would agree completely with this.
I for one have never owned a Hublot watch but do have my eyes on the brand for an acquisition later in the future when budget permits. A Hublot Big Bang would fit in real well with my collection, so I look forward to the day when I can call myself a proud Hublot owner.
And btw, thanks for coming out of the lurker world and finally posting in the forum We need to get all lurkers to come out and post, and reviews like yours definitely help!
Cheers,
Anthony
Your Hublot King Power review helped me
MB2MB2,
Thanks for the very personal perspective and real experience of the Hublot King Power Black watch.
Please feel encouraged to submit more reviews and of other brands too.
I have been hesitating about a Hublot watch since 2000.
Hey! Hublot is in good company as I have also hesitated on Breguet and Vacheron & Constantin since then.
I gave in and got some Patek Philippe some time back......
At first, it was the fear of a rubber strap (Hublot Classic) that had to be CUT to fit the wrist. Since the current Mrs MTF and I share watches, a cut rubber strap is an immediate deal-breaker.
Then, it was a period of puzzled contemplation after Mr Biver took over the management.
Followed by an appreciation of the design potential when they bought/re-built the Manufacture and started making Unico movements.
Regards,
MTF
Strap doesn't need cutting on KP
Glad you liked the review - I hesitated for a while too but am glad I went for it in the end. Sadly I don't expect a KP would work for your wife (although maybe a good thing ?) but the good news is the strap doesn't have to be cut so is much more flexible - also useful as can tighten of loosen a notch easily.
Hopefully the new BB will share the strap adjustment with the KP and you can get a Hublot soon - am sure will be very different and a great change from the PP !
Hopefully the new BB will share the strap adjustment with the KP and you can get a Hublot soon - am sure will be very different and a great change from the PP !
Just Like Marmite
Excellent Review. Yes, the King Power 48mm pieces are quite large but not as heavy as they look. Even when worn it doesn't feel so big especially if you have a good size wrist for it. The thing with the 'King Power' line is you either love it or hate it and that could be said about the brand as well. I don't own the King Power Unico but I tried it on at the store and it just looks fascinating and a pleasure to look at . I also like the attention to detail like you pointed out.
I noticed a few scratches on your King Power Unico. Not sure you're aware but an easy way I tried to get scratches of the ceramic caseback/case or bezel is to use the eraser at the end of your normal office desk pencil to rub off the scratch and it looks as good as new, you could try that haha.
Enjoy that amazing piece ..... Regards
Thanks but...
Thanks for the suggestion re the pencil eraser - unfortunately I am pretty sure the bezel is Ti not ceramic. Although I will pop into the Hublot Botique in London later this week so will
ask them about the rubber to see if anything can be done with the bezel
as I only had a plastic eraser at work which didn't have much effect. If I could get a screwdriver I would see if I could reverse it as the scratches do annoy me although of course are more noticeable in the photos.
I am glad you enjoyed the review, it is a terrific watch which surprisingly still passes under the radar more that I thought it would - the only improvement I can think of would be some sort of micro-adjustment in the clasp to fine tune the fitting of the strap.
I am glad you enjoyed the review, it is a terrific watch which surprisingly still passes under the radar more that I thought it would - the only improvement I can think of would be some sort of micro-adjustment in the clasp to fine tune the fitting of the strap.
Now hunting for an eraser !
Thanks again for the eraser suggestion - the Hublot Boutique in London confirmed the bezel is ceramic so should dress back with an eraser, they also said at some point they would have some in the store ! The hunt is now on for an eraser that works - I was advised to use a biro eraser so have ordered a "bath eraser" or "plumber's eraser" as these are for removing marks from ceramic baths - will post back with my results.
Googlng found this amazing (as well as very brave !) demonstration of a BigBang Bezel vs a Key vs a Polising Cloth
www.luxury4play.com
Googlng found this amazing (as well as very brave !) demonstration of a BigBang Bezel vs a Key vs a Polising Cloth
www.luxury4play.com
You're Welcome
Oh, you're welcome .... Yes it an all full ceramic case and bezel, besides the clasp which is titanium I think. Good luck finding one
Marks now gone !
Well thanks for the advice, I first tried an ink rubber (eraser) which didn't have any effect but finally managed to get hold of a "bath rubber" diybathrepair.com
which did the trick although there is still one very feint mark left the rest have all gone !
The only snag was the rubbing action loosened the bezel screws (although this wasn't a terrible thing as it allowed me to clean the watch & bezel thoroughly by removing the bezel). I now just need to get it into the Boutique to tighten the screws up for me before I wear it again as they are just finger tight (literally as I used a finger nail to tighten them !)
Thanks for your advice the watch looks great now - will post some more pics once I have the screws tightened up.
BTW if anyone else removes their bezel the 2 screws near to the crown are shorter than the rest.
The only snag was the rubbing action loosened the bezel screws (although this wasn't a terrible thing as it allowed me to clean the watch & bezel thoroughly by removing the bezel). I now just need to get it into the Boutique to tighten the screws up for me before I wear it again as they are just finger tight (literally as I used a finger nail to tighten them !)
Thanks for your advice the watch looks great now - will post some more pics once I have the screws tightened up.
BTW if anyone else removes their bezel the 2 screws near to the crown are shorter than the rest.