Simply Abu Dhabi XI

B ig, bold and dynamic, Hublot is a watch brand that demands attention. Named after the French word for ‘porthole’, Hublot’s oversized watches, with fitting names such as ‘Big ang’, are a huge success all around the world. This top tier manufacturer is a relative newcomer to the watch business, having been founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco, a scion of the famous Binda Group dynasty who manufactured Breil watches. Hublot is nevertheless a leader in the watch world, a trailblazing brand that cannot be overlooked. Crocco is the first man to introduce a watch with a natural rubber strap, unprecedented in 1980. Despite recording no sales at all in the Basel watch fair of that year, watch fans loved the model and it proved to be the first commercial success of many for Hublot. Moving forward to 2003, this was the year that Croccomet the larger- than-life figure that is Jean-Claude Biver, former president of Swatch Group's Omega division. Crocco appointed Biver to CEO of Hublot in 2004 and the company’s winning streak became even greater. One of the first strategic moves Biver made was the establishment of a brand new flagship collection, the aforementioned ‘Big Bang’ chronograph – which was launched at the Basel fair in 2005. An 8 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I