Hublot Wraps the Big Bang Original In Velvet-Textured Rubber

Hublot built its name, at least a large part of it, on the idea that rubber could sit next to precious metals on a luxury watch. There's a lot of people who don't agree with this, and there's been a lot of criticism levied against Hublot, some justified and some not, but I always liked the idea. Which means that I also like this new release. The Big Bang Original Soft Touch, while not using precious metals, is now completely covered in a new textured rubber compound meant to feel like velvet: case, bezel, crown, pushers, dial and strap. It comes in All Black, which nods to the 2006 monochrome Big Bang, and All Red, which references the 2018 red ceramic model.

Underneath the rubber is a titanium case, 43mm wide and 13.2mm thick. Hublot overmoulds the compound directly onto the metal, so this is a textured layer built into the case rather than a spray-on that flakes off in a year. The familiar Big Bang architecture is intact, down to the lateral bumpers and six H-shaped titanium screws in the bezel. Sapphire crystals are found front and back, a screw-down crown is on the right side, and you get 100 meters of water resistance. The real question is how a velvet surface handles dust, lint and sunscreen after six months of wear.

The dial is rubber too, but not velvet. Instead it's stamped with a raised checkerboard pattern that imitates carbon fiber. Printing fake carbon onto rubber is a very Hublot move. The stencil-style applied Arabic numerals come straight from the original 2005 Big Bang and are lumed, as are the hands, tinted to match each color. Small seconds sit at 9 o'clock, a 60-minute chronograph counter at 3 o'clock, both snailed and framed, with the date at 4:30.

Inside is the Hublot calibre HUB1280 Unico, an in-house automatic flyback chronograph with a column wheel and silicon escapement. It beats at 4Hz with a 72-hour power reserve. The strap uses the same velvet compound in the classic lozenge pattern, closes with a titanium deployant clasp, and swaps out via Hublot's One-Click system built into the case.

The Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch All Black and All Red join the permanent collection, priced at €24,400. See more on the Hublot website.