Hublot Collecting for Movement Snobs

Given the depth and breadth of their current offerings, one of the more appealing things about Hublot is that regardless of your interests in the watch world, they’ve effectively got something for everyone. Flashy statement pieces aside, the brand has spent a ton of money on R&D over the years, and have cooked up an impressive number of in-house manufacture calibers that can hold their own against some of the biggest contenders in the market.

The best part is the fact that the brand’s more creative offerings aren’t all exorbitantly-priced six figure creations crafted of unobtanium, but rather fall in a range of prices scattered throughout the its collections.

Unique Hublot Calibers & Movements

Often overshadowed by their numerous limited edition releases in the Big Bang and Classic Fusion lines, which are quite interesting in their own right, you might be surprised to see how many unique calibers are lurking in Hublot’s archives. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to take a closer look at a handful of these gems that will impress even the fussiest of watch snobs.

Big Bang Meca-10 Full Magic Gold

The original Big Bang Meca-10, first launched in all black and titanium finishes in 2016, was an immediate fan-favorite for Hublot fanatics and general watch enthusiasts across the board. Its caliber design takes cues from the beloved Meccano erector sets that have been around since way back in 1901. While enthralling from a design standpoint, the caliber is so much more than visually appealing, as Hublot movement engineers designed the piece with an impressive power reserve delivered by a pair of large stacked mainspring barrels.

Indication is oddly provided in two different locations on the dial—one digital display disc located at six o’clock that counts down from 10, and a second low power indication that appears in red as part of a geared mechanism linked to the mainspring barrel itself. The original titanium variant retails for a relatively modest $19,900, whereas this unique Magic Gold variant that launched in 2017 commands a slight premium at $34,600.

MP-07 40 Days Power Reserve

Out on the other end of the spectrum, and also (oddly) a 2016 release, the MP-07 is a true exercise in “why the heck not” watchmaking. Rather than going the route of grand complications, the MP-07 is one of the brand’s attempts at answering the question of how much mechanical power reserve can be obtained all while maintaining accuracy. Technically the caliber is an evolution of the MP-05 LaFerrari, which turned up in 2013 with a 50-day power reserve, though the MP-07 ditches the Ferrari connection and modifies the caliber slightly (most notably dropping the number of series-coupled mainspring barrels from 11 to 9).

Though hidden from direct line of sight, 60-second flying tourbillon is visible on the right side of the case, and also provides the rotational drive for the digital running seconds indication visible in the upper right corner of its unique box-like case. Though you wouldn’t expect it based on the piece’s significant 51mm wide, 42.95mm tall, and 24mm thick dimensions, the hefty slab of horology is quite comfortable on-wrist. This is in part due to its thoughtfully form-fitted rubber strap—one that takes the weight of of this unique watch in stride.

Acquiring this kind of Hublot horological hotness doesn’t come cheap, though given its technical complexity and combined 487 parts that make up its inner workings, its retail price of $276,000 doesn’t seem out of line.

Big Bang Unico GMT

Surprisingly, the Big Bang Unico GMT is the first dual-timezone watch to land back in the brands collection since the comings and goings of the obscure King Power Unico GMT came and went in 2012. This 2017 release arrived in a much more practical form, using a traditional 2nd time zone hand running on a 12-hour scale with a Day/Night indicator ring that makes the piece very practical for the frequent traveler.

Now, we know just about every watch brand under the sun is making a GMT watch these days, but one of the things that sets this model apart from the pack is its very practical push-button quickset function. You’ll notice a pair of pushers located where you’d typically see the push pieces for chronograph start/stop and reset functions. In the case of the Big Bang Unico GMT, those pushers advance and set back the local time hand by one-hour increments, saving its wearer from having to fuss around with multi-position crown settings in order to adjust their watch to a new time zone.

Of course this new caliber is also an in-house Hublot creation, and much like the majority of their modern repertoire, it boasts a healthy power reserve of 72 hours. Pricing of the titanium variant matches that of the titanium Meca-10, coming in at $19,900.

Classic Fusion Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater Carbon

Finally we have the most mechanically complicated, expensive, and longly named Hublot that will no doubt appeal to those mighty movement snobs in the room, Hublot’s unique skeletonized minute repeater tourbillon is especially unique as until just recently (when Bulgari entered the ring), it was one of if not THE only minute repeater in the marketplace to come in a carbon fiber case.

You might be quick to think that putting a repeater into carbon is a bit of a gimmick, but you’d be dead wrong. Generally speaking, the softer the metal/material, the more resonance from the repeater gongs that get absorbed rather than transmitting outside the watch case. Given the significant rigidity of carbon, it is actually one of those materials that makes for a very impressively sounding chime that has to be heard alongside a gold or platinum repeater to be truly appreciated.

While Hublot does also make this Classic Fusion Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater in Titanium and King Gold as well, the Carbon variant—priced at $276,000—is the champion of the pack in our eyes.

Author: Justin Mastine-Frost