Hublot Big Bang Integral
Since its first launch in 2005, Big Bang has become Hublot’s iconic series. Fifteen years later, the brand welcomed the latest addition to the Big Bang Integral series. As the name suggests, this model especially uses an integrated bracelet design. At first, this felt like an unusual or at least unexpected choice. Since its establishment, Big Bang’s signature feature has always been the fusion of its rubber strap and unique materials.
However, I think the “Big Bang” points mark another decisive moment for Hublot. When Jean-Claude Biver helped Hublot develop the original “Big Bang”, the brand needed a completely original design that had an undeniable dominance . Since then, Hublot has come a long way. Their legacy is firmly rooted in the history of watchmaking, which gives them the freedom to create a less confident, less avant-garde design freedom, which is still clearly Hublot and the Big Bang. Enter the points.
Unconsciously, Carlo Crocco, the founder of Hublot, laid the foundation for the Big Bang series in the 1970s. He had a vision of a buy fake aaa watch with a porthole-shaped case and a rubber strap. Biver spent decades and gained some industry knowledge to help Crocco transform his ideas into the Big Bang series.
The original model fully embodies the brand’s “art of fusion” concept, combining a stainless steel or red gold case with Kevlar inserts, a ceramic bezel, a carbon fiber dial and a rubber strap. Inside is a brand new chronograph movement with black PVD treatment on the honeycomb surface of the tungsten carbide rotor, thus continuing this concept.
After each addition of a new Big Bang, Hublot has always been faithful to Crocco’s vision, while at the same time serving as an industry leader in the trials of new materials and new concepts. One year after the series debuted, it became one of the first copy watch manufacturers to launch an all-black watch, namely Big Bang All Black.
In 2013, Hublot launched the UNICO chronograph movement, which is the only chronograph movement with a column wheel and dual clutch. Just two years later, Big Bang launched a series of landmark models to celebrate its tenth anniversary, including the brand’s first hollow tourbillon, high-end jewelry version and the introduction of Magic Gold. This proprietary material is the world’s first and only 18k scratch-resistant gold alloy.
Hublot metallurgists make magic gold by injecting boron carbide into 24K gold alloyed with 3% molten liquid gold. In 2016, Hublot was the first in the industry with Big Bang UNICO sapphire. In sharp contrast with the all-black watch, the sapphire case, bezel and case back are made of sapphire crystal, composed of three parts, very clear. Two years later, they launched Big Bang UNICO Red Magic, which was the first watch to use red ceramic as the case material. Finally, in 2020, we will see the introduction of Big Bang points.
Hublot 451.CX.1140.CX Big Bang Unico Integral All Black 42mm Replica watch
Brand:Hublot watch
SERIES:Hublot Big Bang Unico Integral All Black 42mm
MODEL:451.CX.1140.CX
MOVEMENT:Automatic
CASE SIZE:42mm
Gender：Men
Case：Ceramic
Crystal:Sapphire Crystal
Dial Color: Gray Skeleton
Clasp Type：Folding
Bracelet Strap：Ceramic
Functions:Fly-back Chronograph / Minutes / Seconds / Hours / Date
Year：2020
Although the integrated bracelet is not part of the origin of Big Bang, it is an important part of the luxury sports watch series. Consider the original luxury sports watch: the Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet by Gerald Genta. Its feature is not the integrated bracelet. In recent years, with the rise of the high fashion movement and the increasing number of casual working environments, this category has multiplied. This is the era of luxury sports watches and subsequent straps.
The integrated bracelet is not a new product from Hublot. We saw this style in Classic Fusion, and in 2015, we saw an all-in-one bracelet in the Big Bang series.
The Big Bang UNICO bracelet is equipped with an interchangeable “One Click” bracelet fixing system that combines metal and ceramic links with rubber details on the back and edges of the bracelet. This is different from what we saw in the “Big Bang” integral.
Integral uses a more traditional one-piece bracelet, with the touch of the original Big Bang DNA and higher quality finishing and exquisite craftsmanship. Hublot has three links, one center and two sides, based on a standard bracelet design.
Then, they use the corners that echo the rectangular pusher of the model to add depth. These distinctive pushers can be traced back to the original “Big Bang” (Big Bang), a subtle nod to the 2005 model.
In addition, the bracelet combines polished and satin-finished surfaces. This, along with the chamfering and chamfering of the links, creates a contrast between the case and the lugs. Equipped with an unfolding buckle, the result gives the wrist a striking appearance.
The new integrated bracelet requires a redesign of the case. It retains the iconic sandwich structure, this time without composite resin inserts. In contrast, Hublot constructs each Integral entirely from one material, except for the black composite resin lugs on the bezel and overmolded rubber crown housing. The all-in-one watch uses a 42 mm case structure with a thickness of 13.45 mm and a water resistance of 100 meters.
In addition, the dial and bezel are almost the same as the existing Big Bang 42mm. However, instead of Arabic numerals, the points only have a bold, oversized bar index. Inside the all-in-one machine, you will find the automatic winding chronograph flyback movement manufactured by HUB1280 UNICO has a 72-hour power reserve. It has a horizontal dual-clutch timing device and a column wheel visible through the hollow dial. HUB1280 also has four unique patents, including swing seconds clutch, chronograph friction system with ball bearing adjustment function, ratchet holding system with one-way gear and fine adjustment system for indexing components.
In addition to the bracelet design, Integral also extracted three materials closely related to the brand’s history from the DNA of Hublot. These include lightweight titanium alloys, durable all-black ceramics and deep red king gold. Among these three, the gold ace is unique to Hublot. King Gold is manufactured in the brand foundry in Nyon, Switzerland. It is a hot metal, even redder than the traditional 18K gold 5N. In order to obtain a unique hue, Hublot metallurgists increased the percentage of copper from the typical 20.5%, while adding platinum to help neutralize oxidation and stabilize the color.
In the past anniversary, Hublot has been committed to breaking through the limitations of the watchmaking industry through bold technical achievements, gorgeous designs and innovative materials. In 2020, the 15th anniversary of Big Bang, the brand seems to have taken another but equally fascinating approach. Not only did they return to their origins, they also returned to the origins of luxury sports watches, adding more classic styles with integrated bracelets to maintain the unique Big Bang DNA.
Although some might regard it as another luxury sports watch, for me, Integral reiterated Hublot’s position in the watch industry. They no longer need to rely on the wow factor, but can stay in the timeless design, which makes luxury sports watches and Big Bang watches have such a lasting style.