Among the more utilitarian new super luxury watches from Hublot debuting for 2015 is the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator that comes in either titanium or 18k King Gold. Why utilitarian, you ask? Well, in the most strict of senses, this ain’t no tool watch, and at around $100,000, I wouldn’t dare refer to it as practical. But with that said, it is straight-forward with a more-or-less clear definition of what it is supposed to be and a clear purpose in mind. What you have is a large-diameter tourbillon on the dial, a useful power reserve indicator – rendered in a new way for the brand – which makes sense with a manually-wound movement, and an impressive skeletonized movement designed for your viewing pleasure. You don’t have to love the watch, but you have to admit this is an Hublot tourbillon that is very comfortable in its own skin.
The other new Hublot tourbillon for 2015 is a slightly more exotic, even esoteric model that is the (more expensive) Hublot Classic Fusion Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater Carbon (hands-on here). It is a watch that combines a range of sporty and classic elements for an extremely niche audience. The Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator is all Hublot, and all contemporary, with its modern Big Bang 45mm wide case and movement that combines classic elements of horology with bold, masculine looks designed to impress convey a sense of status and strength.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, if you aren’t a fan of Hublot (or whatever brand) this model isn’t going to make you a convert. But what Hublot does here is offer a deeply Hublot DNA-branded experience that includes a lot of what their core customer base is looking for. Inside the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator is a new in-house made calibre HUB6016 movement whose bridge design work revolves around the round shapes of the tourbillon. At 13.6mm wide, the tourbillon case has an interesting black-colored bridge that includes an interesting arch-style design new for the brand. Emanating from the tourbillon are a series of concentric circle motifs in the movement that are echoed both on the dial side of the watch as well as on the movement visible on the rear of the case (the latter of which is, in my opinion, a very cool detail).
The HUB6016 is manually wound with 115 hours of power reserve (about 4.8 days, which Hublot rounds up to 5 days). There is a new style of power reserve indicator on the dial near 9 o’clock. It isn’t meant to be the world’s most covert power reserve indicator, but it uses a turning disc versus a hand. I do like it when a manually wound movement has a power reserve indicator, especially when they have a longer time in between winding periods. The movement operates at 3Hz (21.600 bph) and is produced from 175 parts.
At 45mm wide, the newer Big Bang case (originally released in 2013) offers that bold Hublot style with a lot more comfort than the King Power case (that you may have noticed Hublot hasn’t been using all that much). I continue to love the pushers that offer a quick release for each of the straps that allows you to mix up the look of most Big Bang 45 cases. Of course, there is a proprietary lug connector system, but when you are spending these prices it probably won’t irritate you too much to go to Hublot for new strap options.
Legibility for a timepiece like this is surprisingly good. On paper, if I would describe the make up of the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator watch it would not speak to legibility. Nevertheless, the applied brushed out indicators filled with black-colored luminant and matching hands offer enough contrast to read them clearly against the open dial backed with a skeletonized view of the movement.
Water resistant to 30 meters, this isn’t a watch you can go swimming with or wear while engaging in sports – but what tourbillon really is? What you are getting is a distinctive sporty lifestyle watch meant to evoke a sense of wealth and success with its tourbillon-based movement – yet a youthful, active lifestyle. Hublot does that very well, which is why it has gathered so many fans as well as poignant critics.
The Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator watch will be produced as two limited edition models – each produced as a set of 99 pieces. There is the reference 405.NX.0137.LR which is $97,700 in titanium and the reference 405.OX.0138.LR which is $115,000 in 18k King Gold. hublot.com
