Simply Abu Dhabi XIII

S tarting 2014 with a big bang, Hublot unveils one of the great new pieces announced for the year. It is the aptly named ‘Spirit of the Big Bang’ heralding a new universe of tonneau-case timepieces. And indeed, it embodies the spirit of Hublot’s Big Bang portfolio. It features the Big Bang codes with its six H- shaped titanium screws through the watch bezel, the lugs on either side, the two strap attachments, Hublot's famous hands and the SuperLuminova™-filled baton indices offering superb legibility, and the overmoulded rubber screw-down crown with the iconic letter H adorning its profile. It is a Big Bang which has been designed with a unique case construction employing an intelligent "sandwich" principle which – playing with materials and colours – enables an unlimited number of combinations; the design of the case middle with its satin-finished sides and micro-blasted areas gives the timepiece a sophisticated look, making it one of a kind in the Big Bang range. It also employs the same principle of the fusion of materials with titanium, ceramic, King Gold (18 K gold with 5% platinum which gives it a deeper red colour, and which is, in fact, more precious), along with rubber and alligator skin. Here we find Hublot's pure DNA, but in a different, brand new form. This is the aptly named Spirit Of Big Bang: Hublot has unveiled a brand-new Big Bang with a tonneau case, previously used only for its special- edition ‘Masterpiece’ collection. The beating heart of the piece is the new Hublot HUB4700 movement, redesigned through close collaboration between Hublot and Zénith teams; based on a Zénith El Primero chronograph "chassis" with date (frequency 5 Hz, 36,000 beats per hour, 278 components, 31 jewels), this movement has historically been regarded by purists as one of the best Swiss chronographs ever developed. Given the full Hublot makeover in terms of its architecture and finishes, this automatic skeleton movement with a 50-hour power reserve can be appreciated thanks to its sapphire dial, which reveals the full beauty of the skeleton mechanism including its date disc. It also provides greater assurance against counterfeiting. The watch features a date window positioned at 4.30, a central chrono seconds hand and three timers at 9 o'clock (seconds), at 3 o'clock (30 minutes) and a small one at 6 o'clock (hours); the whole piece is completed by an alligator strap stitched onto rubber for comfort, flexibility and improved durability. The timepiece is available in black or brown, depending on the version (there are 4 different versions in total). The watch is water resistant to 100 metres. In short, this is a timepiece with a new shape and a new movement, but it is still 100% true to its Hublot DNA. Spirit of the Big Bang 1 1 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I