Andrea Frigerio discusses his book on the Richard Mille Split-Seconds Chronograph and the technical significance of this complication.

Hublot dedicates an annual limited edition to the most beautiful time of the year, thereby showcasing summer as a distinct lifestyle theme within its range. The “Hublot Loves Summer” strategy began in 2017 with the Big Bang Blue in a vibrant shade of blue, which was launched to mark the reopening of the newly redesigned Hublot boutiques in Mykonos and Ibiza.
Eight years later, two pastel-coloured Big Bang models celebrate that summery zest for life. They are complemented by further versions in ‘sun-drenched’ colours. All of them highlight Hublot’s expertise in coloured ceramics.
Thanks to numerous patents and ongoing research, Hublot now has a ceramic that achieves a hardness up to 300 Vickers higher than conventional ceramics and is characterised by exceptional scratch resistance and a long-lasting lustre. The material is now available in a wide range of colours and can be mass-produced. Added to this are its light weight and high level of comfort, as the ceramic quickly adapts to body temperature and is also hypoallergenic.
The Big Bang Summer Six-Pack comprises two summer editions in multicoloured ceramic, three monochrome ceramic models and a titanium version with a peach-coloured ceramic bezel.
Two Big Bang models celebrate summer in this light, pastel colour combination. Whilst the glass-bead-blasted and polished cases are identical in colour, they differ in their internal mechanisms.
Housed in an airy, lightweight, pastel-coloured 42 x 14.5-millimetre ceramic case with a ceramic bezel, which is water-resistant to 10 bar, this Summer Big Bang – limited to 200 pieces – features the UNICO in-house chronograph movement HUB 1280 with flyback function, column wheel, automatic winding and a 72-hour power reserve.
The open-worked dial and the sapphire crystal case back offer a glimpse inside. The Big Bang Summer Multi-Coloured Ceramic 42 mm is worn on a sky-blue rubber strap with a white lining and a titanium folding clasp. A mint-green strap is available as an option. The strap can be easily changed using the One-Click system. The price is 33,700 euros.
The colour scheme of pink, mint green and sky blue also adorns the case and bezel here. However, the watch measures an impressive 44 x 14.4 millimetres in diameter and is water-resistant to 30 bar. Inside, the automatic in-house tourbillon calibre HUB 6035 with a micro-rotor and a 72-hour power reserve keeps the watch running. It is visible both through the sapphire crystal caseback and through the open architecture of the dial.
The Big Bang Summer Multi-Coloured Ceramic 44 mm is also secured to the wrist by a sky-blue rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp, which can be swapped for a mint-green one in the blink of an eye. Limited to ten pieces, the timepiece costs 116,000 euros.
The smallest model in Hublot’s current summer Big Bang collection is finished entirely in three different ceramic colours: petrol blue, mint and peach.
Water-resistant to 10 bar, this 33 x 10.55-millimetre Big Bang forgoes diamonds and coloured gemstones on its solid dial for the first time, allowing the monochrome aesthetic to take centre stage. This is powered with precision by the HUB 1120 three-hand automatic movement, which offers a power reserve of 40 hours. The watch is secured by a peach-coloured rubber strap with One-Click compatibility and a stainless steel folding clasp. The Big Bang Ceramic 33 mm costs 15,200 euros.
With its 42 x 14.5-millimetre titanium case, water-resistant to ten bar, the Big Bang Titanium Peach Ceramic 42 mm occupies a special place within the current Big Bang summer collection. However, it does not entirely dispense with ceramic; rather, its use is limited to the peach-coloured bezel, which matches the colour of the accents on the skeletonised dial and the hands.
Fitted with the UNICO Manufacture 1280 chronograph movement, this timepiece offers flyback functionality and a 72-hour power reserve. The chronograph is worn on a peach-coloured One-Click rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp. The price is 23,500 euros.
The summer models from the Big Bang Summer and Big Bang Ceramic collections are available at selected Hublot points of sale and online. They come with the Hublot 5+5 warranty, which extends international warranty cover to up to ten years.