Going beyond other brands, Hublot presents what we like to call a horological multifaceted wrist sculpture. The new Big Bang Sang Bleu II has gone above and beyond when it comes to the design of its case. A complex combination of satin-brushed finishes and highly polished chamfers throughout the case, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II is not necessarily the best watch to tell time but a fantastic object of desire to adorn your wrist. Designed in collaboration with tattoo studio Sang Bleu London —now also present in Zurich, Switzerland— and their creative director Maxime Plescia-Buchi, the second collaboration of this partnership is pure fire. Located in the heart of London’s East End, the Sang Bleu Tattoo Studio is the home to a wide array of tattoo artists as well as world renowned guest artists.
The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II is available in two limited editions, one in titanium ref. 418.NX.1107.RX.MXM19 in a 200-piece edition and the other in King Gold ref 418.OX.1108.RX.MXM19 in a 100-piece edition. Fitted with a generous 45 mm case and a hexagonal bezel with capricious angles, the Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II is a very futuristic looking watch that is somewhat reminiscent of the Hublot Orlinski with its polygonal and multifaceted case construction. On this watch even the sapphire crystal features a multifaceted construction following the form of the case.
One thing that is worth mentioning about the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II is that even the pusher that is utilized for the quick-release strap change system has been redesigned to seamlessly flow with the rest of the case design. Angle after angle, this watch is a symphony of light refraction and an object worth lusting after. Both watches are delivered on black rubber straps with Sang Bleu design deployant clasps matching the metal of the case accordingly.
While the watch is very nice as a whole, the dial and hands were designed after the Sang Bleu logo making it very challenging to tell time or to keep track of elapsed times on the chronograph. Featuring a running seconds indicator at 9 o’clock, a 60-minute chronograph register at 3, a small round date aperture between 4 and 5 and a visible column wheel at 6 o’clock, telling time should be the last of your worries as this watch is more an objet d’art than a time-keeping machine in full function. Another great touch on this watch is the signed screw-down crown with the Hublot and Sang Bleu’s superimposed logos.
Powering the Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II is the Hublot in-house chronograph movement HUB1240.MXM. This automatic movement derived from the HUB1240 features a beautifully designed round oscillating weight that covers the whole movement and allows for partial views through its geometrical skeletonized areas. The movement features a flyback chronograph with column wheel mechanism and when fully wound, it provides a power reserve of 72 hours.
On the wrist, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II wears slightly larger than its actual size but with fascinating wrist presence. As much of a sculpture as it is a watch, the watch almost feels like it could belong on the wrist of a superhero or sci-fi character. This watch is another excellent release by Hublot that goes above and beyond to get the best out of their creative partnerships with renowned artists. As far as case construction and case anglage, the new Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II takes the top prize, now, as far as reading the time at a glance, the watch fails to deliver on functionality. Nevertheless, one of the best releases by Hublot this year and one of our favorite watches from Baselworld 2019.
Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II
