black celebration
P U R S U I T S • HOR OL O G Y
BLACK CELEBRATION
It’s been a decade since Hublot’s revolutionary All Black model first made its official debut in the world of haute horlogerie. The watchmaker’s CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe reveals to The Peak the significance of this iconic model plus a couple of other surprises in store in the near future. TEXT MAYA MICHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK CHAN
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T H E P E A K
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22/11/2016 3:20 PM
Few brands can rival watchmaker Hublot’s speedily successful rise to the top. Since its founding in 1980, this infant among Swiss giants has swiftly evolved into a genuine success story. Under the leadership of its Chairman Jean-Claude Biver and CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, the brand has become a force to be reckoned with, following the release of iconic models such as the Big Bang, Classic Fusion and Grandes Complications. It was in 2006, however, that Hublot would raise the bar to even greater heights with the reveal of the Big Bang All Black. This limited edition chronograph set the world of haute horlogerie ablaze, with its invisible take on time-telling that utilised a black dial with matching blackened hands, indices, dial and date. Ten years on, the All Black continues to defy naysayers with the numerous mind-boggling timepieces in shades of elegant black, including this year’s electrifying Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black. Revealed at this year’s Baselworld, this limited edition timepiece features a 45mm case that was crafted using blocks of scratchresistant sapphire, a notoriously hardy material that can only be carved by diamonds. The true the beauty of this transparent creation, however, lies within the sapphire crystal itself, which has been imbued with metal, resulting in a smoky appearance that allows the timepiece to be both invisible yet visible, while fully enabling its user to appreciate the various intricate details of its Unico HUB 1242 self-winding chronograph movement. For Guadalupe, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently to celebrate the launch of the new All Black Pop-Up store at Suria KLCC, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black is more than just the latest evolution of the All Black collection but also represents the beginning to boundless possibilities. “We are only just beginning to explore the properties of sapphire and we’ll be working with this material for at least the next five years. We might even do a ladies’ watch in sapphire or coloured sapphire. And to be able to create a watch that is black yet transparent was also quite an achievement, since the colour naturally absorbs light but the watch remains luminous. The
“THE COLOUR BLACK WILL ALWAYS REFERENCE HUBLOT BECAUSE IT IS BOTH TIMELESS AND FASHIONABLE.” colour black will always reference Hublot because it is both timeless and fashionable. There are so many ways that we can reinterpret this colour, either through the use of embroidery, coming up with a tattoo version or playing with different shades of black... and this is why we will always have black watches in our new collections.” Still, time is always of the essence when it comes to the world of watchmaking, especially when it involves the reveal of new developments, as Guadalupe explains: “It’s one thing to discover the material and another to industrialise it to produce the right components. This is because the materials that we work with are not only extremely robust but also very light. Unlike conventional materials such as gold or steel, the manufacturing process is much more complicated and requires the use of new high-tech machines – and you can’t invent these machines overnight.” For now, Guadalupe wants the brand to focus on ensuring the idea behind the All Black remains prominent in haute horlogerie. “The celebrations for the All Black anniversary have been launched in many key cities across the globe – Tokyo, Bangkok, London, Paris, New York and Kuala Lumpur. For us, the All Black is not only iconic for Hublot but also represents a major milestone for the watch industry itself. Back then, the colour wasn’t fully utilised in the high-end luxury watch segment until we decided to do it. And now, every brand has at least one black watch in its collection. It is because of this that we decided it was important to celebrate the legacy of the All Black, and what better way than to share it with our fans.” Asked how Hublot manages to maintain such high standards despite the slowdown currently affecting the watch industry, Guadalupe says: “I believe it is important to constantly reinvent ourselves, every day. We must always find a way to stay relevant,
whether it be a product or an event. It’s also important to remain active, dynamic and energetic at all times, while continuing to invest more than the competition in order to increase market share. There’s no doubt that times are hard, but Hublot is doing much better compared to other brands as we are still growing in single digits, so it’s crucial that we continue on this trajectory. It will take some time before the industry finds a solution to this crisis but, by then, we’ll already be able to come back stronger.”
DARK BEAUTY The Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black features a studry sapphire crystal case.
The official launch of Hublot’s All Black PopUp store at KLCC.
T H E P E A K
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P U R S U I T S • HOR OL O G Y
WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE A brief roundup on Hublot’s All Black collection.
2006
BIG BANG ALL BLACK A limited edition of 250 pieces, the first Big Bang All Black stirred up plenty of controversy within the watchmaking community with its barely legible face.
2009
BIG BANG ALL BLACK II Released as a homage to the first All Black model, this watch came with a completely ceramic bracelet and black PVD-coated screws.
2013
BIG BANG FERRARI ALL BLACK Powered by the HUB 1241 inhouse chronograph movement, this sporty model was released in honour of Hublot’s partnership with Ferrari.
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2010
KING POWER ALINGHI Housed inside a 48mm case made of micro-blasted ceramic, this watch was presented in honour of Hublot’s partnership with two-time America’s Cup winner, Alinghi. The logo of the Swiss sailing team is visible at 9 o’clock.
2014
BIG BANG UNICO ALL BLACK Sleek yet stylish, this model was equipped with the Calibre Unico 1242 that was entirely developed and manufactured by Hublot.
2007
BIGGER BANG ALL BLACK Housed inside a black ceramic case, this was the world’s first column-wheel chronograph with a tourbillon. Limited to 50 pieces.
2011
CLASSIC FUSION CHRONOGRAPH ALL BLACK Limited to 500 pieces, this model from the Classic Fusion collection stands out with its all black ceramic case.
2015
MP-05 LAFERRARI ALL BLACK Impressive in every way, this version of the LaFerrari was fitted with a case made from scratchresistant black ceramic.
2008
BIG BANG AERO BANG ALL BLACK Limited to 500 pieces, this iteration was fitted with a skeleton-like cutout dial to reveal the black HUB 4200 chronograph movement.
2012
CLASSIC FUSION ALL BLACK BLUE This subtle model from 2012 comes alive with pops of blue on the indices, hands, subdials and leather strap.
2016
BIG BANG UNICO SAPPHIRE ALL BLACK Limited to just 500 pieces, the Unico HUB 1242 shines through its transparent case carved from black sapphire.
T H E P E A K
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22/11/2016 3:21 PM
BLACK CELEBRATION
It’s been a decade since Hublot’s revolutionary All Black model first made its official debut in the world of haute horlogerie. The watchmaker’s CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe reveals to The Peak the significance of this iconic model plus a couple of other surprises in store in the near future. TEXT MAYA MICHAEL PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK CHAN
6 6
T H E P E A K
PK_265973_Horology-Hublot-V3_M4cc.indd 1
22/11/2016 3:20 PM
Few brands can rival watchmaker Hublot’s speedily successful rise to the top. Since its founding in 1980, this infant among Swiss giants has swiftly evolved into a genuine success story. Under the leadership of its Chairman Jean-Claude Biver and CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, the brand has become a force to be reckoned with, following the release of iconic models such as the Big Bang, Classic Fusion and Grandes Complications. It was in 2006, however, that Hublot would raise the bar to even greater heights with the reveal of the Big Bang All Black. This limited edition chronograph set the world of haute horlogerie ablaze, with its invisible take on time-telling that utilised a black dial with matching blackened hands, indices, dial and date. Ten years on, the All Black continues to defy naysayers with the numerous mind-boggling timepieces in shades of elegant black, including this year’s electrifying Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black. Revealed at this year’s Baselworld, this limited edition timepiece features a 45mm case that was crafted using blocks of scratchresistant sapphire, a notoriously hardy material that can only be carved by diamonds. The true the beauty of this transparent creation, however, lies within the sapphire crystal itself, which has been imbued with metal, resulting in a smoky appearance that allows the timepiece to be both invisible yet visible, while fully enabling its user to appreciate the various intricate details of its Unico HUB 1242 self-winding chronograph movement. For Guadalupe, who was in Kuala Lumpur recently to celebrate the launch of the new All Black Pop-Up store at Suria KLCC, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black is more than just the latest evolution of the All Black collection but also represents the beginning to boundless possibilities. “We are only just beginning to explore the properties of sapphire and we’ll be working with this material for at least the next five years. We might even do a ladies’ watch in sapphire or coloured sapphire. And to be able to create a watch that is black yet transparent was also quite an achievement, since the colour naturally absorbs light but the watch remains luminous. The
“THE COLOUR BLACK WILL ALWAYS REFERENCE HUBLOT BECAUSE IT IS BOTH TIMELESS AND FASHIONABLE.” colour black will always reference Hublot because it is both timeless and fashionable. There are so many ways that we can reinterpret this colour, either through the use of embroidery, coming up with a tattoo version or playing with different shades of black... and this is why we will always have black watches in our new collections.” Still, time is always of the essence when it comes to the world of watchmaking, especially when it involves the reveal of new developments, as Guadalupe explains: “It’s one thing to discover the material and another to industrialise it to produce the right components. This is because the materials that we work with are not only extremely robust but also very light. Unlike conventional materials such as gold or steel, the manufacturing process is much more complicated and requires the use of new high-tech machines – and you can’t invent these machines overnight.” For now, Guadalupe wants the brand to focus on ensuring the idea behind the All Black remains prominent in haute horlogerie. “The celebrations for the All Black anniversary have been launched in many key cities across the globe – Tokyo, Bangkok, London, Paris, New York and Kuala Lumpur. For us, the All Black is not only iconic for Hublot but also represents a major milestone for the watch industry itself. Back then, the colour wasn’t fully utilised in the high-end luxury watch segment until we decided to do it. And now, every brand has at least one black watch in its collection. It is because of this that we decided it was important to celebrate the legacy of the All Black, and what better way than to share it with our fans.” Asked how Hublot manages to maintain such high standards despite the slowdown currently affecting the watch industry, Guadalupe says: “I believe it is important to constantly reinvent ourselves, every day. We must always find a way to stay relevant,
whether it be a product or an event. It’s also important to remain active, dynamic and energetic at all times, while continuing to invest more than the competition in order to increase market share. There’s no doubt that times are hard, but Hublot is doing much better compared to other brands as we are still growing in single digits, so it’s crucial that we continue on this trajectory. It will take some time before the industry finds a solution to this crisis but, by then, we’ll already be able to come back stronger.”
DARK BEAUTY The Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black features a studry sapphire crystal case.
The official launch of Hublot’s All Black PopUp store at KLCC.
T H E P E A K
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22/11/2016 3:21 PM
P U R S U I T S • HOR OL O G Y
WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE A brief roundup on Hublot’s All Black collection.
2006
BIG BANG ALL BLACK A limited edition of 250 pieces, the first Big Bang All Black stirred up plenty of controversy within the watchmaking community with its barely legible face.
2009
BIG BANG ALL BLACK II Released as a homage to the first All Black model, this watch came with a completely ceramic bracelet and black PVD-coated screws.
2013
BIG BANG FERRARI ALL BLACK Powered by the HUB 1241 inhouse chronograph movement, this sporty model was released in honour of Hublot’s partnership with Ferrari.
6 8
2010
KING POWER ALINGHI Housed inside a 48mm case made of micro-blasted ceramic, this watch was presented in honour of Hublot’s partnership with two-time America’s Cup winner, Alinghi. The logo of the Swiss sailing team is visible at 9 o’clock.
2014
BIG BANG UNICO ALL BLACK Sleek yet stylish, this model was equipped with the Calibre Unico 1242 that was entirely developed and manufactured by Hublot.
2007
BIGGER BANG ALL BLACK Housed inside a black ceramic case, this was the world’s first column-wheel chronograph with a tourbillon. Limited to 50 pieces.
2011
CLASSIC FUSION CHRONOGRAPH ALL BLACK Limited to 500 pieces, this model from the Classic Fusion collection stands out with its all black ceramic case.
2015
MP-05 LAFERRARI ALL BLACK Impressive in every way, this version of the LaFerrari was fitted with a case made from scratchresistant black ceramic.
2008
BIG BANG AERO BANG ALL BLACK Limited to 500 pieces, this iteration was fitted with a skeleton-like cutout dial to reveal the black HUB 4200 chronograph movement.
2012
CLASSIC FUSION ALL BLACK BLUE This subtle model from 2012 comes alive with pops of blue on the indices, hands, subdials and leather strap.
2016
BIG BANG UNICO SAPPHIRE ALL BLACK Limited to just 500 pieces, the Unico HUB 1242 shines through its transparent case carved from black sapphire.
T H E P E A K
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