A new chapter of technical virtuosity: reinterpreting the idea of rotating case design, the Jazzmaster Face-2-Face III limited edition brings flair and sophistication to the namesake series. Pushing watchmaking expertise and design creativity to the fore, this new two-faced timekeeper adds an understated twist to one of the most prominent of Hamilton’s complication watches.
Upon its release in 2013, the Jazzmaster Face 2 Face has been considered a pioneer of the new watchmaking ground for Hamilton: the concept of a double-sided dial, essentially giving two distinct personalities to the single horological creation. Establishing itself as a combination of avant-garde and classic aesthetics, the collection welcomes the Jazzmaster Face 2 Face III, the third edition limited to 999 pieces.
Equipped with a round rotating 44mm case, the inventive Jazzmaster Face 2 Face III boasts two dials – one a time-telling face comprising chronograph functions, the other featuring measurement scales and an exhibition movement. Built within a multi-layered architecture, the main watch’s dial has a complexity matching its inner mechanics. While the time is displayed on the outer ring, the three chronograph counters keep track of elapsed hours, minutes and seconds. These overlapping sub-dials are placed on the top of the exposed date wheel, forming a three-dimensional structure. Reinforcing the concept of duality, the anthracite dial elements are complemented by blue accents of the hour counter and passing through seconds hand.
Flipping the case over, the second dial features the tachymeter and pulsometer scales, allowing active lifestyle enthusiasts to measure speed and keep track of their pulse.
Hamilton’s watchmaking know-how comes into the spotlight thanks to the skeletonized dial design offering a glimpse of its H-41 automatic chronograph movement with 60 hours of power reserve.
Blending the unconventional and the classic, the Jazzmaster Face-2-Face III is paired with a patina-look brown leather strap accentuated by blue stitching on both sides for a striking contrast and sporty feel.
Marked by complex dial aesthetic and versatile look, the Jazzmaster Face 2 Face III rewrites the rules by fitting out of the box innovation into a more traditional watch case. A true conversation starter, this dual personality timepiece is made for watch extroverts.
ABOUT HAMILTON
Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892, Hamilton creates watches with a unique balance of authenticity and innovation. Its timepieces synchronized the first railroads and kept time for aviation pioneers and U.S. soldiers. The watchmaker of filmmakers, Hamilton watches have appeared in more than 500 movies and TV shows, with custom pieces playing a pivotal role in several Hollywood blockbusters. Striving to shape authentic characters and storylines through its timepieces, Hamilton designed the first branded watch to be featured in a video game. With a continued commitment to craftsmanship and accuracy, Hamilton launched the world’s first electric watch in 1957 and the first LED digital watch in 1970. A member of the Swatch Group, the global leader in watch manufacturing and distribution, Hamilton’s current collections combine its American spirit with true Swiss precision.
ZENITH THE DEFY REVIVAL A3691 MARKS THE RETURN OF THE FIRST DEFY MODEL WITH A VIVIDLY COLOURED DIAL
After revisiting the very first DEFY wristwatch last year, ZENITH is unveiling the second model in its collection of faithfully reproduced iconic DEFY pieces with theDEFY Revival A3691 Revival, an important 1971 reference that took the audacious design a step further by initiating the collection’s historically extensive use of striking colours.
Returning to the essence of the DEFY collection and the historical references that continue to serve as a source of inspiration for the contemporary collection of the same name, ZENITH is unveiling the second DEFY Revival model with a remake of the A3691, based on the 1971 reference. With its vibrant red gradient-effect dial and rugged geometric case, the DEFY Revival A3691 becomes the first DEFY Revival model in the permanent collection.
1969 will forever be remembered as a major turning point for ZENITH. Not only did the Manufacture unveil the venerable El Primero calibre, but it also debuted the DEFY collection of wristwatches. Taking a firm stance against the onset of quartz watches that threatened to put traditional Swiss watchmaking in peril, ZENITH stood its ground by creating a timepiece with a singularly edgy design and ensured robustness that mass-produced electronic watches of the time simply could not rival.
One of the first models of this DEFY collection was the A3642, fittingly nicknamed the coffre-fort in French, which translates to “bank vault” or “safe-deposit box”. About two years later, ZENITH built on this daring design and introduced new colourful dials with a marked “vignette” effect that darkens towards the edges, including the A3691 with a deep red dial.
Reproduced in stunningly accurate detail using the historical production plans, the DEFY Revival A3691 brings back all the details and singular design elements that made the first-ever DEFY wristwatch model such an outstanding reference of its era; one which established the codes that continues to inspire the DEFY collection today. This includes a faceted octagonal case paired with a fourteen-sided bezel, a deep glossy red dial with a prominent vignette effect that darkens towards the edges, unusual applied square hour markers feature horizontal grooves, and the now-iconic Gay Frères steel “ladder” bracelet, which has now been updated with a more modern and ergonomic folding clasp.
In fact, the only cosmetic differences between the Revival and its progenitor are the sapphire crystal, the display case back and the type of luminescent pigments. The water-resistance of 30ATM (300 metres) has also been maintained from the original, even with the addition of a display back.
The other main difference beats away inside. Instead of the original’s solid case back emblazoned with a four-pointed star that became one of the brand’s logos and recurring design element for years, the DEFY Revival A3691 features a sapphire display back showing the automatic Elite 670 manufacture movement, operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 VpH) and providing an autonomy of 50 hours.
To the delight of collectors and unlike the DEFY Revival A3642, which was produced as a numbered limited edition, the DEFY Revival A3691 version is joining the permanent DEFY collection and will be available from ZENITH boutiques and authorised retailers around the world.
DEFY REVIVAL A3691
Reference: 03.A3642.670/3691.M3642
Key points: Original Revival of the Reference A3691.Octogonal case with iconic 14-sided bezel
Movement: ELITE 670 automatic
Frequency 28 800 VpH (4 Hz)
Powerreserve approx. 50 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. Central seconds hand. Date indication at 4:30
Finishes: New star-shaped oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price 6900 CHF
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 30 ATM
Case: 37 mm
Dial: Ruby gradient dial
Hour markers: Rhodium-plated and faceted
Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
In order to mark the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, Hublot collaborated with Chinese Artist Wen Na in creating a unique painting for the dial of the Spirit of Big Bang Black Ceramic Rabbit
As the Lunar New Year is approaching, Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot has invited Wen Na to craft a new Year of the Rabbit painting and present the Spirit of Big Bang Black Ceramic Rabbit. The fusion of traditional Chinese culture with Contemporary Haute Horlogerie has given rise to new ideas: Wen visualised 12 double-hours from the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches and combined them with traditional elements of the Lunar New Year. We therefore can find festive lanterns, firecrackers and lion dance in the artwork, to create an intriguing world to usher into the new year. The time is brimming with wonder and excitement at each double-hours, giving full expression to Hublot’s Art of Fusion spirit.
In traditional Chinese culture, the rabbit is considered sacred and auspicious, and thus the Year of the Rabbit 2023 is recognized as “the lucky year”. Hublot wanted to give green light to an artist in order to celebrate this Lunar New Year. Wen Na created a New Year-themed painting in her vibrant artistic language, using unbridled imagination to visualise 12 double-hours in a unique way. A group of charmingly naive rabbits, which are having fun with a lion dance, or holding firecrackers or indulging themselves in other traditional Chinese activities, marking the wonderful moments as time goes by. This scene depicts a vigorous and prosperous Year of the Rabbit and also conveys the atmosphere of the Lunar New Year, an occasion for family reunion.
Enlighted by Hublot’s Art of Fusion brand concept, Wen drew inspiration from the ancient calendar of Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, an old and mysterious Chinese cultural treasure. The 12 double-hours are fused with the images of rabbits to deliver a sense of joy and reunion. Meanwhile, she believes that refined arts in our world come in diverse forms, of which the essence lies in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In her painting, a group of quick-witted rabbits bring to life the traditional customs associated with the Lunar New Year, including performing dragon and lion dances, putting up or changing door gods, hanging up festive lanterns, and giving and receiving red packets (a Year of Rabbit gift with money stuffed into red envelopes). There always is something to enjoy at each double-hours – from the Zi Hour to the Hai Hour. The twelve Earthly Branches are also used to record the year and the month, thus implying that every day and every month is a good time in the world of Hublot time.
Moreover, in Wen’s mind, rabbits are not just gentle and cute. She gave rabbits a more modern look by presenting them in a slightly playful style. While in keeping with the theme of the Year of the Rabbit and the quintessence of traditional Chinese culture, she changed the usual image of the gentle rabbits and recreated amusing rabbits that are energetic at different double-hours in an artistic way, injecting fresh vitality into the new year and aptly interpreting Hublot’s innovative and pioneering spirit of “be different”. A contemporary reinterpretation of the classics.
The whole visual is thus captured in her mind, which is then realised in the canvas, with powerful images interpreting the rhythm of minutes and seconds, and conveying joyful emotions in a new year. The creation is the result of a fusion between Haute Horlogerie know-how and traditional art and culture, between the essence of Eastern and Western cultures, and between the past and the present.
Coming from China, Wen Na is acclaimed as one of the leading young contemporary Chinese artists for her distinctive artistic style. She graduated with a major in printmaking and developed an indissoluble bond with “fusion of arts” during her university years. From mural paintings to sculpture and from art to music, Wen has constantly experimented with the fusion of various art forms, leveraging unique aesthetic concepts to inspire new thinking about modern art. The “fusion of arts”, which Wen believes is the driving force behind inspiration and imagination and also is in line with Hublot’s Art of Fusion brand concept. With its ingenuity and craftsmanship, Hublot has combined seemingly diametrically opposed materials and joined hands with the most talented practitioners in alternate fields to push the boundaries of what is technically and aesthetically possible to set new trends for watchmaking.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with a young artist like Wen Na who is a master of traditional Chinese culture to craft a new Lunar New Year painting and present the Spirit of Big Bang Black Ceramic Rabbit. Everyone who saw Wen Na’s mural work was shocked as she has fused her strong imagination with rich colors and lines. More interestingly, these images are not replicas of existing traditional symbols, but a combination of her use of the place where the murals are located, history, and her strong imagination. Her unique artistic style perfectly embodies the bold creative vision that we have at Hublot. Meanwhile, Hublot loves Art has been demonstrating through various forms of expression and creations how the brand loves to fuse different artistic inspirations and styles. Hublot Loves Art!” – RICARDO GUADALUPEHUBLOT CEO
“The partnership with Hublot is a very pleasant surprise. It is also an interesting combination to integrate the ancient representation of time in traditional Chinese culture, the sexagenary cycle, with Hublot and its pioneering watch. More importantly, Hublot’s presentation of the animation also amazed me, and the whole creative process made me feel very smooth and happy as well.” –WEN NACONTEMPORARY ARTIST
Inspired by Hublot’s Art of Fusion brand concept, Wen Na interpreted the twelve Earthly Branches, a symbol from the traditional Chinese calendar, with artistic imagination to depict the distinctive 12 double-hours. A group of charming rabbits having fun with a lion dance, holding firecrackers or indulging in other activities, mark the wonderful moments of each of the double-hours. This timepiece represents a fusion of the essence of Chinese culture and innovative watchmaking concepts, while demonstrating the connection between Eastern and Western cultures with a unique artistic language.
A Year of the Rabbit-themed painting is vividly rendered into a festive scene on the dial with playful rabbits at different double-hours, thanks to the brand’s exquisite craftsmanship. Hublot artisans use a variety of brushes to paint the dial, with some details presented in hair-thin fine strokes. Each hand-painted dial is created through a complicated process that takes over 40 hours. Each dial of the 12 pieces is different from the others, therefore all are unique artworks that showcase the brand’s exceptional watchmaking expertise. In addition, the representation of hour markers has adopted an artistic expression that derives from the traditional twelve Earthly Branches, representing a tribute to profound Chinese culture and Hublot’s efforts of taking its pioneering philosophy of fusion to a new height.
This timepiece adopts the tonneau-shaped case, a signature design code of the Spirit of Big Bang collection, and incorporates all the classic design elements of Big Bang watches: the six H-shaped screws on the bezel, the lugs either side of the case, the over-moulded rubber screw-down crown decorated with the iconic H, and the sandwich type construction. Additionally, the Spirit of Big Bang Black Ceramic Rabbit is made of black ceramic to provide a perfect contrast with the gorgeous image on the dial where rabbits are celebrating the Lunar New Year. Housed within the 42mm-diameter case is the HUB1710 self-winding movement with a 50-hour power reserve.
REFERENCE
CASE
CASE BACK
BEZEL
646.CI.0610.NR.WNA23
Limited to 12 pieces
Microblasted and Polished Black ceramic
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 13.85 mm
Water Resistant: 10 ATM
Microblasted and Polished Black Ceramic
Microblasted and Polished Black ceramic
DIAL
MOVEMENT
STRAP AND BUCKLE
PRICE
Sapphire Crystal, hand painted
HUB1710 Self-winding Movement
Frequency (Hz): 4 (28’800 A/h)
Power reserve: Approx. 50 hours
Number of components: 185
Jewels: 27
Black Fabric Strap with Black Ceramic Buckle Clasp
Black and Red Lined Structured Rubber Strap
Black Ceramic and Black-plated Titanium Deployant Buckle Clasp
For the fourth time, Hublot celebrates its special relationship with Zermatt, the iconic Swiss Alpine resort town nestled at the base of the Matterhorn. Two original new creations were released to mark this special occasion.
“The connection between Hublot and Zermatt is more than symbolic. We share the same terroir and, the same roots, and we carry these qualities far beyond our borders. But I believe the quality that best defines Hublot is loyalty. The Big Bang Zermatt models that we have released since 2017 are a mark of the friendship and authenticity that we share with our fans and collectors.” – RICARDO GUADALUPE HUBLOT CEO
Matterhorn, carved out in rock over hundreds of millions of years. On the other, the mastery of perfect, modern lines by a contemporary manufacture. Yet, once again, Hublot has fused the elements and brought to life a creation that glorifies the silhouette of Switzerland’s most famous mountain within its legendary Big Bang.
However, this is not just any representation of the Matterhorn. It is depicted as it appears from Zermatt, because the Matterhorn has been the main witness to the union between Hublot and the iconic Alpine resort. For the last five years, the two entities have joined forces to celebrate their “Swissness”. For example, Hublot has set up the most traditional of its boutiques at the heart of the resort, made entirely from wood in the purest respect for local architectural traditions. The Hublot boutique has since become an integral part of the charm and the magic of the area.
Of course, Hublot, as an advocate for emotions and meaningful connections, was always going to take it to the next level! To reach the summit of the Zermatt ski resort, visitors now take the Hublot-Express (Gant-Blauherd), one of the resort’s most modern cable cars, built in 2016, and reaching an altitude of 2600 metres. The goal? To carve through fresh snow, or powder for more accomplished skiers, and arrive at Chez Vrony, the century-old family restaurant for whom Hublot is also the “Official Timekeeper”.
The new Big Bang Zermatt is part of this local dynamic, combining the best of Swiss tradition with modern watchmaking. The latest pieces in a collection created in 2017, the two new Big Bangs explore the two faces of watchmaking, like a climber scaling the two iconic faces of the Matterhorn.
Each version is available in a steel case – a return to the basics that has not been used by Hublot in a Zermatt special edition since 2018. The material, which features alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces, echoes the unique reflection of schist, the typical Swiss stone similar to slate which forms a large part of the Matterhorn. The sunray finished dial will illuminate this with an ever-changing light, like the faces of the Matterhorn under the continuously shifting sun.
These two editions both boast the special Big Bang Zermatt feature of which collectors are so fond: the Matterhorn at 9 o’clock on the men’ model, and at 3 o’clock on the ladies’ model. The latter boasts a bezel set with 36 diamonds which also punctuate the hour indices. Each bezel is equipped with screws made from titanium, a material inspired by the needs of mountaineers, whose equipment must be both light and strong. Once again, Hublot has mastered the fusion of substance and shape, colour and material, Alpine and watchmaking symbols.
Both versions are powered by a self-winding chronograph and complimented by two nubuck straps: the first in slate grey, the second in snow white, in a dual tribute to the iconic colours of Zermatt.
The Latest Version of the Iconic De Bethune Titan Hawk
The dramatic contrast between black and gold gives the new DB27 Titan Hawk JPS a clean but subtly elegant technical feel, echoing the influence and heritage of competitive motorsports, as well as the advanced features of the caliber AUTOV2.
The DB27 Titan Hawk JPS is the newest member of the Titan Hawk family and continues the line’s combination of advanced technical features, practicality and wearability, and clean, distinctive styling in a timepiece that pays homage to the golden age of competitive motorsports of the 1970s.
The heart of the DB27 Titan Hawk JPS is the caliber AUTOV2. Like the engines found in the most cutting-edge racing cars, the AUTOV2 has been optimized for strength, precision, and performance and takes advantage of the most modern materials and methods to create a movement intended to be the last word in performance watchmaking.
The caliber AUTOV2 offers a sixty-hour power reserve from a single mainspring barrel, and features De Bethune’s signature titanium balance, with white gold inserts. The balance, as the element which regulates the precision of the entire watch, must possess certain technical features including optimum mass at the periphery as well as low mass elsewhere – a goal which De Bethune has explored and mastered over two decades of refining the design of this most essential element. Combined with the patented De Bethune balance spring, and a balance bridge fixed at two points on the movement plate for maximum strength and stability, the AUTOV2 is a sophisticated expression of both striking aesthetics and precision engineering.
The case of the De Bethune Titan Hawk JPS is in black zirconium, a high-tech, high-strength, hypoallergenic and lightweight material offering superior technical advantages in comparison to standard sports watch stainless steels. The wearability of the watch is further improved by the signature De Bethune articulated “floating lugs” with their ogival tips, which allow the watch to conform perfectly to the owner’s wrist whether large or small. Finally, the design of the case and dial expresses De Bethune’s long-standing commitment to both technical and aesthetic excellence, with yellow titanium accents contrasting with the black zirconium case body, in an echo of the John Player Special Formula One livery used by the F1 Lotus team.
The Origin of the DB27
It was in March 2018 that De Bethune’s manufacture introduced the latest in-house self-winding caliber; the AUTOV2, the beating heart of a timepiece with a modern twist. Indeed, the DB27 Titan Hawk JPS draws its inspiration from the design and technology of its predecessors while adding an innovative touch. Slim lines, a black microlight dial, sandblasted titanium minute hands with hand-polished tips, a microlight case middle, and brushed lugs and tinted open back are all key elements of the design – making for a watch that stands out not only for its sleek design but also for its entirely in-house movement.
If the inspiration of the original DB27 Titan Hawk model is very quickly perceived, each detail is rethought and reworked to find the elegance and readability of an object above all designed for maximum functionality. Juxtaposing Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minute track, the reading of the time is given around rings located at the periphery of the dial.
AUTOV2
Focusing on the essentials, the DB27 Titan Hawk JPS is equipped with the AUTOV2 caliber, hour, minute, second, which features a single barrel providing 60 hours of power reserve. The last titanium balance with white gold inserts remains visible on the back of the watch.
Thanks to the technique still developed in-house, the movement is equipped with an optimized oscillating weight for the automatic winding system, made of titanium and white gold allowing it to power with maximum efficiency, and with the visual elegance so characteristic of De Bethune’s watchmaking – combining a deep celestial blue with the cool gleam of white metal, a signature De Bethune design code for many years.
A Tribute to an Iconic Color Scheme in the World of Motorsports
Constantly refining the structural nuances hovering between dark grey and deep black, while sparingly adding golden accents that are in fact yellow titanium – was a new opportunity to demonstrate De Bethune’s expertise in working with the oxidation of titanium and its color palette.
De Bethune blue, the brand’s historic and pioneering signature, is now succeeded by a golden yellow color, for which the creative process required new assembly techniques and new texturing skills – all of which Denis Flageollet and his team have developed to bring the project to fruition and thus pay tribute to this formidable era of high-tech discoveries.
Ergonomics and Comfort
Finally, the DB27 Titan Hawk JPS meets De Bethune’s sporting, technical, and aesthetic aspirations. All the aesthetic codes of the Manufacture can be found in this model: the patented floating lug system with its famous cone-shaped tips that are more prominent than ever, comprising polished yellow grade 5 titanium inserts recalling the side of the case, the 12 o’clock position of its crown, a microlight decoration on the case middle, and the black microlight dial (microlight is a form of decoration unique to De Bethune, which improves on traditional guilloche to produce unique visual and optical effects).
Machined in a 43 mm case in black zirconium with a microlight decoration on the middle, accompanied by a black canvas strap, the DB27 Titan Hawk JPS is also an exception expression of the De Bethune rule of wearer comfort.
The result is a construction that adapts particularly well to the size of each wrist and the way it moves.
The DB27 Titan Hawk JPS is available as a limited series sold exclusively through De Bethune.
In the battle against extinction, time is everything and every second counts.
Hublot has been supporting SORAI Save Our Rhinos Africa India since 2019. An organisation founded by Hublot ambassador and former international cricket star Kevin Pietersen. His work helps keep rhinos threatened with extinction safe from poachers. As with the two previous limited editions, part of the proceeds from the sale of the 100 Big Bang Unico SORAI will be donated to the organisation. The colours chosen for the third limited edition are those of sunset recalling the heightened danger faced by rhinos as night falls. Here, the sun is a symbol of hope of a new dawn.
“If purchasing a watch can buy time, then it is a small gesture with huge implications. Saving the rhino is an urgent matter for both the planet and future generations. When brand ambassador and former international cricketer Kevin Pietersen launched SORAI in 2018, we felt it was entirely natural to join forces with him in his race against time to beat the poachers. We have used our limited editions to help him gain access to more state of the art technologies on the ground, put together more surveillance teams, as well as rescue injured or orphaned rhinos, with the single shared aim of shielding this endangered species.” – RICARDO GUADALUPE HUBLOT CEO
A watch made to support rhinos.
Because the rhino’s only predators are humans.
Because every day, every minute and every second counts.
Because each Big Bang Unico SORAI will buy time for endangered rhinos.
Because, on the ground, we need to be faster than the poachers.
Because poaching is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and risk for species extinction, second only to the destruction of natural habitats.
One of the “BIG FIVE” and the second largest mammal after the elephant, the rhino has seen its numbers drop by 90% over the last ten years. On average, three wild rhinos are killed every day, leaving fewer than 30,000 rhinos currently alive across the world. And while trade in rhino horn has been banned internationally since 1977 by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), poachers continue to hunt and kill rhinos for their horns, whose price is worth more per kilo than gold.
Since 2018, SORAI has supported projects to protect endangered animals, identify new technologies to combat poaching (thermal cameras, GPS tracking of animals) and raise awareness of the need to protect these endangered species. In line with its motto, “BE THE CHANGE”, SORAI is pushing change and working to prevent poaching and hunting. There are many ways to combat poaching (raising public awareness, education, law enforcement, transmitters for tracking animals, increasing ranger numbers and creating sanctuaries for injured or orphaned animals). However, prevention and active rangers on the ground remain the most effective tools Proceeds from the sale of the Big Bang Unico SORAI will go directly to projects supported by SORAI to equip helicopters with cameras, raise awareness in schools about the consequences of poaching and to provide backup to rangers on the ground. These strategies are implemented where the need is biggest and most pressing South Africa. South Africa is home to more than 80% of the world’s total population of rhinos, with the majority of poaching taking place in Kruger National Park as it has the largest population of wild white rhinos left on earth.
Our actions on the ground (surveillance teams and equipment to prevent poaching, rhino sanctuaries and refuges) are vital. However, in order to act, we first need to raise public awareness, increase publicity and make this a visible cause. Hublot is helping us on the ground by donating proceeds from the sale of the Big Bang Unico SORAI and by lending the brand’s voice to our cause to bring it to global attention. In the three years since we began this joint venture, it has yielded concrete results.
KEVIN PIETERSEN FOUNDER OF SORAI, HUBLOT AMBASSADOR FORMER INTERNATIONAL CRICKETER
HUBLOT
Hublot is a Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 1980 and based in Nyon. For its first ever timepiece, this fundamentally disruptive company combined gold with a rubber strap in a case with a design inspired by a ship’s porthole (hublot in French). Thus, the Art of Fusion was born, blending tradition, innovation, craftsmanship, worlds and talents. It became the brand’s aesthetic and technical signature.
This identity was strengthened in 2005 with the Big Bang, which attested to an unrivalled know-how in terms of complications, manufacture movements and state-of-the-art materials. Carbon, titanium, ceramic and sapphire have been developed on this model to technical extremes.
This ground-breaking, high-quality approach to watchmaking is summed up in its philosophy ‘Be First, Unique and Different.’ It gradually led to other collections with innovative designs: Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang, Square Bang and Manufacture Pieces. These draw on high levels of craftsmanship, both in terms of the materials so dear to Hublot (such as Magic Gold, brightly-coloured ceramics and sapphires) and its manufacture movements (Unico chronograph, Meca-10 and large complications such as the Tourbillon, the Cathedral Minute Repeater and the specific Manufacture Pieces movements).
Hublot’s world extends to powerful partnerships including football. ‘Hublot Loves Football’ has become the slogan at the world’s biggest sporting events (such as the FIFA World CupTM, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA EUROTM) and through its ambassadors. This love of football continues in art, design, music, sport, fine dining and sailing. Lastly, Hublot’s implication in joint environmental projects with SORAI and Polar Pod reflects its concern for the issues of the day. Almost 130 boutiques around the world share Hublot’s fervour and values, alongside the Hublot.com e-commerce site.
SORAI
SORAI is a socially conscious enterprise that collaborates with the world’s most progressive brands and their audiences to support the conservation of key endangered species. In short, our Purpose is that we exist to bring people and business together to ensure that Africa & India’s keystone species survive and thrive in the wild. Forever
Founded in 2018 by former international cricketer and conservationist Kevin Pietersen, SORAI has supported grassroots organisations that rescue abandoned, injured, and orphaned endangered species and rehabilitate them where possible.
Alongside its network of global partners, SORAI is also committed to bringing attention to the plight of these animals through award-winning television and digital content.Together with our partners we work to connect with communities around the world to raise awareness of the importance of these animals and their value for future generations
The SORAI emblem is a symbol for change. It informs, it empowers, it unites people through conservation.
Hublot continues its exploration of SAXEM – a material often used in satellites and some lasers – allowing the Manufacture to obtain unprecedented translucent colours, of which neon yellow. A first for Hublot and for watchmaking.
“It has taken us almost three years of research, after the MP-11 Emerald Green, to develop a new colour fit for our Big Bang and that would be totally transparent and completely resistant. Once again, Hublot is pushing the possibilities of technology and aesthetics and fuses them to create a unique neon yellow manufacturer piece. – RICARDO GUADALUPE (HUBLOT CEO)”
Reproducing a translucent case in a bright, fluorescent shade of neon yellow may seem like a simple idea. But, in fact, it was incredibly complex to achieve. The yellow is a powerful, bright neon colour which almost seems to glow from the inside, like a fluorescent material. An intense fluorescent shade of acid yellow, citrus-like in its quality. To meet this highly technical challenge, Hublot had to search for a solution in space technology. In fact, SAXEM was developed in the field of satellite technology. A unique material that had also been used in 2019 for the Big Bang MP-11.
At the time, Hublot had crafted it in emerald green. This time, the goal was to achieve a brand-new neon yellow colour. It also had to meet the strict requirements of the Nyon Manufacture for its sapphire watches: complete transparency and incredible resistance. After three years of research and development, the challenge was met and overcome with the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM.
What is SAXEM? It stands for “Sapphire Aluminium oXide and rare Earth Mineral”. It is an alloy of aluminium oxide, the basic component of sapphire, with rare earth elements like thulium and holmium as well as chromium. The resulting material is ultra-resistant and endowed with a brilliance that is greater than that of sapphire. The absence of tension within the material ensures greater stability in terms of shaping, whereas the cubic crystalline structure guarantees the same shade and intensity of colour, regardless of the angle from which the case is viewed. The fully polished neon yellow SAXEM offers a bold contrast with the bezel’s six H-shaped screws and with the crown, all in polished and micro-blasted titanium.
In terms of movement, the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM is powered by the HUB6035 self-winding Manufacture calibre. Hublot has chosen the most difficult technical route, self-winding using a micro-rotor, the only way to avoid concealing the back of the movement as a conventional rotor would have done. On top of that, the Manufacture has chosen to skeletonise the entire calibre. This is a stratospheric feat of watchmaking which pushes open-worked materials to the limits of their functional resistance, almost nothing remains that would conceal the calibre. Entirely visible and fully laid bare, even its bridges are made from sapphire so that only the beating heart and soul of the watch remain. This heart is the tourbillon, which appears to be suspended in mid-air. This architecture serves to free the piece from any visual clutter. Positioned at 6 o’clock, it offers the technical and hypnotic spectacle of a high-precision Haute Horlogerie piece, designed as a 21st-century interpretation: modern, disruptive, dazzling.
Finally, to make it suitable for daily use, the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon SAXEM offers a guaranteed 72-hour power reserve – making the piece perfectly weekend-proof.
This timepiece, which will be exclusively available as a limited edition of 50 pieces, comes with a neon yellow textured rubber strap, tailor-made for this watch, complete with a titanium deployant buckle and equipped with the One Click system so that it can be changed immediately with no need for tools.
ZENITH UNVEILS THE DEFY SKYLINE SKELETON AT LVMH WATCH WEEK AS THE WORLD’S FIRST SKELETON WATCH FEATURING A 1/10TH OF A SECOND INDICATOR
One year after the launch of the acclaimed DEFY Skyline collection, ZENITH is presenting its most elaborate skeleton watch to date and the only one in the world to feature a 1/10th of a second indicator at the annual LVMH Watch Week, which is taking place in Singapore for the first time.
More structured, more open, more stellar: ZENITH is expanding the DEFY Skyline collection with a new skeleton line that goes far beyond openworked. Introduced last year as the latest chapter in the enduring DEFY legacy of sturdy and singularly futuristic timekeepers, the DEFY Skyline collection was conceived for an ever-fast-moving world where every fraction of a second can be a decisive one. Drawing inspiration from modern cityscapes where structures and light are bound in a constantly moving interplay, the DEFY Skyline Skeleton reaches even further towards the light on the horizon and opens a whole new world of possibilities to what a skeleton watch can be.
The previous generation of the DEFY Skeleton had quickly risen to become one of ZENITH’s most sought-after creations, outstanding with its star-shaped open dial and incredible symmetry. Pushing the resolutely contemporary openworked design further and housed within a new more angular case, the DEFY Skyline Skeleton seamlessly integrates the open dial with an openworked version of the El Primero automatic movement in a most striking manner. Harmoniously symmetrical, the open dial takes on the form of a four-pointed stars, in a nod to the ZENITH “double Z” logo of the 1960s. The chapter ring’s applied baton hour markers as well as the central hour and minute hands are filled with Super-LumiNova for easy legibility; something that is usually sacrificed in skeleton watches. A constantly running 1/10th of a second counter at 6 o’clock makes steady jumps in fixed increments, completing one revolution every 10 seconds, a feature that’s unique in watchmaking to the new generation of the El Primero automatic high-frequency calibre. The open dial comes in black or blue, with the skeleton movement finished in the same colour as the open dials for a cohesive and architectural look.
Drawing inspiration from the unique octagonal geometry of the early DEFY models of the 1960s, the angular steel case of the DEFY Skyline Skeleton retains the same DNA of robustness and durability as its predecessors while bringing an edgier and more architectural aesthetic, as well as a host of new functions to the metropolis-ready companion. Fixed atop the 41mm stainless steel case with sharply defined edges, the faceted bezel is inspired by those from early DEFY models, reimagined with twelve sides that are positioned as extensions to the hour markers. With an emphasis on performance in the largest possible range of activities and situations, the screw-down crown emblazoned with the star emblem provides a water-resistance of 10 ATM (100 metres).
Visible from the front as well as the sapphire display back is the openworked version of the high-frequency automatic El Primero calibre, the 3620 SK. Built with a similar architecture as the El Primero 3600 1/10th of a second chronograph, this automatic manufacture movement drives the 1/10th of a second hand directly from the escapement, which beats at 5Hz (36’000 VpH), thus making it a “natural” fraction-of-a-second indication. It is also endowed with a stop-second mechanism for precise time-setting. Efficient in its performance, the automatic winding mechanism with bi-directional rotor with a star motif delivers a power reserve of approximately 60 hours.
With versatility at its core, the DEFY Skyline Skeleton comes on a steel bracelet with a satin-brushed surface with chamfered and polished edges, seamlessly flowing with the sharply faceted lines of the case. It also comes with a rubber strap and steel folding buckle with a starry sky pattern in continuity with the dial, made in blue rubber for the blue dial version and black rubber for the black dial. The wearer can easily switch between the steel bracelet and rubber strap without any tools, using the DEFY case’s ingenious quick strap-change mechanism consisting of secure buttons on the back.
Bringing a new dimension to the DEFY line and reimagining the possibilities of skeleton watches in form as well as function, the DEFY Skyline Skeleton is available at ZENITH boutiques and authorized retailers around the world.
DEFY SKYLINE SKELETON
Reference: 03.9300.3620/79.I001
Key points: El Primero 3-hand watch. High frequency indication : 1/10th of a second subdial at 6 o’clock. Silicon escape-wheel and lever. Screwed-in crown. Full Interchangeable strap system.
Movement: El Primero 3620, automatic
Frequency 36,000 VpH (5 Hz)
Power reserve approx. 60 hours
Functions: Hours and minutes in the centre. 1/10th of a second counter at 6 o’clock.
Finishes: Special oscillating weight with satined finishings
Price 10900 CHF
Material: Stainless steel
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Case: 41mm
Dial: Blue-toned Openworked dial
Hour markers: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Hands: Rhodium-plated, faceted and coated with SuperLuminova SLN C1
Bracelet & Buckle: Stainless steel bracelet and folding clasp. Comes with a blue rubber strap with starry sky pattern and folding clasp.
