For Hublot, the possibilities when it comes to materials seem limitless. Founded in 1980, the watch manufacturer is known for its creativity in this department, from tirelessly tinkering with new gold alloys to refining other innovative composite materials. Now the Swiss manufacture has done it again and launched a new case material, at least within the watch industry: Damascus steel.
The material itself is not new; this particularly hard steel is often used for cutlery and these days, it’s held in high regard by chefs worldwide. What’s more, in appreciation of Hublot’s close culinary liaison with some of the world’s best chefs, from Andreas Caminada and Anne-Sophie Pic to Yannick Alléno, the manufacture has now used a patented Damascus steel case and bezel for its latest Big Bang creation.
Historically, the use of Damascus steel dates back to around 300 BC, when a steel called ‘Wootz’ was used in the Damascus region of Syria to make particularly resistant, sharp swords. Through constant folding, hammering and bending, the steel becomes very hard and robust, with a distinctive texture. Today, this technique is often used to produce high-quality kitchen knives, which now probably make up a part of pretty much every star chef’s toolkit.
For the 42 mm case and bezel of the new Big Bang Unico Gourmet, limited to 200 pieces, Swedish company Damasteel developed a patented metal composite called Damasteel. The manufactore, based in Söderfors (Uppsala country), has been making Damascus knives since 1876. With Damasteel, two types of steel, 304L stainless steel and 316L stainless steel are forged then folded several times like a puff pastry, then pressed and the surface corroded. This creates a unique moiré pattern for each watch: a special texture that is created by the constant layering of the steel.
Powering the Big Bang Unico Gourmet is the in-house manufacture chronograph movement HUB1280 Unico with flyback function and column wheel. It is the latest generation of the original Big Bang calibre Unico HUB1240 and is slightly flatter at 6.75 mm, as opposed to 8.05 mm, resulting in a case height of 14.5 mm for the chrono watch. The calibre HUB1280 Unico runs at a frequency of 4 Hz and has a decent power reserve of 72 hours.
The new Big Bang Unico Gourmet can be worn on one of two strap options. This includes a black textile strap, made of the same fabric as that used for kitchen aprons, which can be secured with Velcro. Alternatively, the second option is a black lined rubber strap. The folding clasp is made of titanium, while the sturdy buckle uses micro-blasted ceramic. The new Big Bang Unico Gourmet costs 23,800 euros and is limited to 200 pieces.
