Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue And The Art of Transparency

At Hublot, the choice of materials has always been an integral part of the design philosophy. It is not only about the physical properties of a material, but also its aesthetic qualities. Among the brand’s signature materials is synthetic sapphire. With the Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue, Hublot once again demonstrates its exceptional expertise in working with synthetic sapphire. Limited to 100 pieces, the timepiece pairs a sapphire case with Hublot’s proven MECA-10 in-house movement.

The Material

Synthetic sapphire is a highly pure single crystal of aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃). In nature, aluminium oxide occurs as the mineral corundum, whose best-known varieties are sapphire and ruby. Hublot uses synthetic sapphire to ensure consistently high quality and employs the material not only for watch crystals but also for complete cases. With a Mohs hardness of 9, synthetic sapphire ranks among the hardest transparent materials available—only moissanite and diamond are harder. In addition, it offers exceptional resistance to heat, pressure, tensile stress and scratches, making it ideally suited to high-end watchmaking.

Hublot is regarded as one of the industry’s leading specialists in the development and machining of this transparent material. Although the brand was not the first to produce watch cases from synthetic sapphire, it is widely recognised as a pioneer in the industrial production of sapphire cases. The journey began in 2016 with the Big Bang Unico Sapphire. In the years that followed, Hublot developed coloured sapphire cases in blue, yellow, red and other shades, building extensive expertise in materials research and manufacturing.

Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue

The seemingly innocent sky-blue hue – the defining colour of the new Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue – belies the watch’s technical sophistication and material complexity. Its transparent sapphire case, skeletonised movement and dial reveal the mechanics in striking detail.

The Case

Water-resistant to 5 bar, the generously proportioned 44 mm case is crafted entirely from polished synthetic sapphire. The bezel, also crafted from synthetic sapphire, is secured by six titanium screws featuring Hublot’s signature H-shaped screw heads. The transparent caseback likewise reveals the movement within.

The Manufacture Calibre HUB1201

The HUB1201 calibre marked the debut of Hublot’s MECA-10 movement concept in 2016 and also powers the new Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue. From the outset, it was conceived for a watch with a skeletonised, or virtually dial-free, display. As a result, an almost invisible outer ring replaces the large main plate, while the balance wheel was relocated from the back to the front of the movement so that it remains visible even when the watch is worn.

If you would like to find out more about Hublot’s MECA-10 movement, please read here

The hand-wound HUB1201 consists of 223 components. Its distinctive architecture draws inspiration from the historic Meccano construction system, placing the mechanics centre stage.

The movement delivers an impressive power reserve of ten days, supplied by two parallel-mounted barrels. A defining feature is its unusual rack-and-pinion mechanism for the power reserve display. This indication is presented through three elements: the moving racks at 12 o’clock, the numerical display at 6 o’clock and the warning indicator at 3 o’clock. During the final two days of the power reserve, a window gradually opens to reveal a red dot, signalling that the watch should soon be wound.

Dial and Strap

The skeletonised dial showcases almost all visible components, the bridges and the minute track in a matt sky-blue finish. The look is completed by a structured, lined rubber strap fitted with a titanium folding clasp, which can be exchanged quickly and without tools using Hublot’s One-Click system.

Price & Availability

The Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is available through selected Hublot boutiques, authorised retailers and online. It is covered by the brand’s 5+5 warranty programme and is priced at €82,700.

hublot.com