If you are looking for exquisite watches in Hamburg, there is no way around Neuer Wall, the most exclusive shopping street in the Hanseatic city centre. Next to luxury watch brands like Patek Philippe, Omega, Wempe, the recently opened AP House, and many others, the Swiss watchmaker Hublot is now also represented there with its own boutique. To every watch lover’s delight, the shopping mile is increasingly developing into a luxury watch mile. Even without a widely announced opening ceremony, fans of the brand were already patiently waiting outside the door to be the first to enter the boutique on its opening day at the beginning of May. As Hamburg is considered the ‘gateway to the world’ and also a popular shopping destination, particularly for Scandinavian customers, the metropolis in the north of Germany is a strategically exciting location for many luxury brands.
The new boutique is located in the historic Hildebrand Haus, which was erected by the architects Leon Frejtag and Hermann Wurzbach in 1907 and is one of Hamburg’s many office buildings with beautifully decorated mosaic tiles covering the floor and ceiling. With 80 square metres of retail space, this Hublot boutique is the second largest in Germany, following the Munich boutique with its 101 square metres, which opened back in 2013. In addition to other boutiques in Berlin (opened in 2011) and Frankfurt (opened in 2015), the Hamburg site is Hublot’s fourth in Germany. Hublot operates over 135 boutiques worldwide.
The premises of the new boutique are strikingly bright and inviting, not least thanks to the latest room concept. It features numerous mirrors, glass elements, and light installations such as the large, bright chandelier in the boutique’s entrance area. Fine materials such as Alcantara leather, ebony, and brushed and polished metal are symbolic for the luxurious timepieces that Hublot sells. As the layout is quite narrow but extends quite far into the back, the boutique appears to be smaller from the outside than it really is. During their visit, guests can relax at the bar or make themselves comfortable with drinks and watches in the lounge corner.
Fans of the brand and watch enthusiasts can choose from models ranging from the Big Bang to the Classic Fusion and Shaped Collection (Spirit of Big Bang and Square Bang) to the very exclusive Manufacture Pieces which are showcased in elegant glass displays. Naturally, we had to try on a few of our personal highlights during our visit, including the new Big Bang Integrated Time Only models in 38 mm. They had just been revealed at Watches & Wonders in Geneva and are now available for sale. Previously, this product line had only been available in a 40 mm edition. With six new Big Bang Integrated Time Only 38 mm models, Hublot returns to the original from 1980. Two models have a satin-finished titanium case and bracelet, two versions appear in King Gold, Hublot’s own gold alloy, and two versions are made of ceramic, one of which is in ‘Black Magic’. The versions with a blue sun-brushed dial are particularly appealing.
Moreover, the new Big Bang Unico ceramic models in orange and dark green are already available in the Hamburg boutique. They are equipped with the in-house UNICO 2 calibre, a flyback chronograph with column wheel, and a 72-hour power reserve. The two new Big Bang Unico watches are worn on matching textured rubber straps in corresponding orange or dark green colours. Both chronograph models are limited to 250 pieces each and cost 30,800 euros.
In addition to ceramics, Hublot is also a master in the processing of sapphire crystal. Their latest creation is the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire. It was created in collaboration with the artist Maxime Plescia-Buchi and can now be admired, tried on, and purchased in the new boutique. It runs on a skeletonised version of Zenith’s famous El Primero chronograph movement (calibre HUB4700) and is available exclusively in Hublot boutiques or online for 149,000 euros. Limited to 200 pieces, the Big Bang Integrated Time Only Sky Blue Ceramic in 40 mm is not entirely new, but still an eye-catcher.
From Monday to Friday from 10 to 7 o’clock and on Saturdays from 10 to 6 o’clock, store manager Stefanie Carstens and her team of experts offer a personalised consultation to customers at Neuer Wall 18. No appointment is needed to visit the boutique.
