The brand's latest collaboration boasts a new watch whose sculpted case gives its aesthetics a boost
Hublot is known for creating special, one-of-a-kind and exclusive watch designs in limited numbers. Among the numerous limited-edition creations in its stable, the Big Bang Sang Bleu stands out for its artistic and geometry‑inspired cool. While its design is expectedly over the top, the collection, introduced in 2016, has brought to the Big Bang special editions a kind of appeal that made even those who would not usually go for a Hublot watch stop and take notice. In fact, word has it that Hublot has courted new clients, many of whom were previously unfamiliar with the brand, because they were attracted to the artwork on the watch dial.
It is evident that the Big Bang Sang Bleu was a resounding success. Now, three years after its launch, Hublot has followed up with the new Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II, continuing its collaboration with the famed Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Buchi.
For the uninitiated, Plescia-Buchi is world-famous in the realm of tattooing. Known for his graphic style, he has inked celebrities such as Kanye West, Adam Lambert and FKA Twigs. He is also the founder of creative powerhouse Sang Bleu, a multidisciplinary design studio and brand consultancy that shares its name with his high-profile tattoo studios in London and Zurich. The collaboration was an ingenious move—tapping on the brains of a contemporary design icon was a sure-fire way to bring a fresh edge to Hublot.
BODY OF ART
While the Sang Bleu watches are inspired by tattoos, their geometric designs will not immediately reveal their origins unless you are already well-acquainted with Plescia‑Buchi’s unconventional body art creations. The first series referenced Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man with octagonal discs that replaced traditional watch hands. The Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II, on the other hand, explores polygonal shapes in a different way—two diamond-shaped discs that indicate the hours and minutes are topped by an arrow-shaped seconds hand.
Besides the differences in the design of the time indicators, there is something remarkably three‑dimensional about the Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu II’s 45mm-wide case that sets it apart from its predecessor. Study its profile and you can fully admire its superbly executed sculptural form—stacks, clean angles and bevels are combined in alternating brushed and polished finishes to create a dramatic, futuristic-looking case.
