If you know Hublot Spirit of Big Bang, you know the best Bang. The top, octagonal sports watch has come to define the brand. But Hublot is greater than a one trick pony, as demonstrated by the unusual and appealing Nature of Big Boom.
The Soul, first introduced in 2014 is an evolution of the Big Bang - one that sits alongside the regular collection, possessing all the familiar elements of the traditional Big Beat, but in a wholly new form.
Hublot excel in their casework, and nowhere is this more evident than on the large and complicated Hublot Heart of Big Hammer. The 51mm by 45mm case is crafted from King Gold -- Hublot’s proprietary red gold, which contains a dash of platinum therefore the colour remains true over the years. But even before that, the first thing you notice about the Spirit is the tonneau case shape. Named for the barrels they look like, tonneau watches are less common compared to crowd-pleasing round cases, they wear large and have tonnes of wrist-presence - ideal for Hublot.
Design-wise the essence of the Big Fuck is clearly present, with the ‘H’ shaped screws, sandwiched case construction using high tech materials as well as cut-away elements. Combining all this with the elongated tonneau creates an entirely new watch, the curving lines presenting a softer, additional stylish version from the Big Have sex with.
As with the case, the switch of the Energy is classic Big Screw. The blue dial exposes the movement architecture, giving it a stripped-back, industrial aesthetic honestly, that is in stark contrast using the luxurious cleaned gold situation. Thankfully this dial doesn’t compromise on legibility, with all the broad gold-plated hands and also indices easily visible day or night, thanks to the actual liberal putting on luminous material. The only exception to this may be the date; it can take a moment or two to find the red-bordered date aperture on the exposed and skeletonised date wheel. Touches associated with red on the chapter ring, subdials along with tip in the chronograph hand add detail and even more depth to the already multi-layered call.
breitling superocean heritage replica
TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 replica
You might expect this watch to be powered by one of Hublot’s Eccezionale movements, but it’s not. Instead you get the HUB 4700, which is actually the skeletonised El nuevo Primero (Zenith and Hublot are both owned by LVMH), the storied automatic chronograph movement first released in 1969. Using the reworked and rebranded El Primero in the Character of Big Éclatement is a nice easter egg, offering a piece of horological history inside the futuristic shell on the Hublot Style of Big Bang.
The Mindset has a thick rubber strap, covered with alligator and very much in keeping with the brand’s philosophy regarding fusion. The strap balances the heavy Hublot well, and indeed anything slimmer would leave the watch feeling top heavy. As it is, the tapering band continues the curve of the case, creating a cohesive, comfortable whole.
Gold watches dominate the wrists, and not just creatively. A heavy precious metal watch can be unbalanced in addition to ungainly to wear. The Spirit of Big Boom suffers from nothing of these complaints, the curved case hugs the band wrist. Well-balanced plus secure, it’s a real joy to wear. It’s also an unmissable view that makes any bold statement with a whole lot of solid gold real estate.