LVMH Watch Week has kicked off for 2021, and with it comes a strong new slate of releases for Hublot. The brand’s stable of 2021 novelties includes everything from simple three-handers to intricate tourbillon models, but few members of the brand’s collection are as technically impressive as the Big Bang MP-11 line. With an immense 14-day power reserve and technology adapted from the Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari, the Big Bang MP-11 packages several of the brand’s top-level innovations into a more conventional and wearable package.
For 2021, Hublot returns to the Big Bang MP-11 with two new limited-edition variants, housing this mechanical showcase in two unique materials. First up is the limited-edition Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold, which adds the durability and luster of the brand’s proprietary gold alloy to the mix, while the limited-edition Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire offers a colorful and unimpeded view of the entire movement.
Both models share the Big Bang’s signature 45mm faceted integrated case design, but the use of diverse materials affects the character of this form dramatically. The durable and luxurious Magic Gold alloy used in the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold lends this familiar shape a sense of imposing scale and presence while balancing themes of opulence and utility. The translucent sapphire case of the Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire, on the other hand, looks in images to take full advantage of the many angles and chamfers in the case to reflect light like a cut jewel. The combination of its translucence and the sky-blue tone help to inject the design with a lighter, more playful feel than its counterpart. Both models, however, suffer from an underwhelming water-resistance rating of only 30 meters.
The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and the Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire both follow the same skeleton dial pattern as previous entries in the MP-11 line. Timekeeping is relegated to the 12 o’clock subdial, which carries through traditional Big Bang cues like the skeleton ladder hands. The gear train pokes through this floating ring of a subdial, adding bits of flash suspended on futuristic black bridges. Fully half of the dial, however, is dedicated to the massive sequential array of seven mainspring barrels. Stacked end-to-end, these form a continuous line from one end of the case to the other, capped by an 8 o’clock power reserve indicator flanked by oversized aggressive stencil text. The only real difference between the MP-11 Magic Gold and MP-11 Blue Sapphire, on this front, is the choice of accent color, with hands, indices, and dial text matching the cases in gold and blue, respectively.
While the manufacture MP-11 hand-wound movement inside both the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire is far from new, the engineering behind the powerplant remains impressive. Of course, the seven linked mainspring barrels and the resulting 14-day power reserve are the stars of the show, but the rest of the movement also displays advanced components like a silicon lever escapement. In Hublot fashion, movement decoration is aggressive and avant-garde, with black-plated skeleton bridges and a balance in dark ruthenium. Beat rate for the MP-11 movement stands at 28,800 bph.
Hublot pairs both the Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and the Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire with its integrated structured rubber straps, featuring a diagonal striped pattern for added texture. For the MP-11 Magic Gold, this strap is in simple black, echoing the black accents of the case and allowing the gold tones to take the visual spotlight. For a holistic look, the MP-11 Blue Sapphire’s rubber strap matches both the color and the translucency of its case. Both straps are fitted with a black-plated titanium and ceramic deployant clasp.
Amidst a field of new releases from the brand for 2021, the limited-edition Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire show new facets for one of Hublot’s most enduringly impressive technical achievements. Both the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire are limited to 50 units each, available now for order through authorized dealers. MSRPs for the MP-11 Magic Gold and MP-11 Blue Sapphire start at $89,500 and $132,000, respectively. For more information, visit the brand’s website.
