THE SQUARE BANG THEORY
Hublot sets off the cosmic expansion of a whole new watch universe with the debut of its 2022 novelties
HAVING CREATED THE most resistant materials, set up the craziest of partnerships and developed extraordinary complications, Hublot is now focused on geometry. It has over the years mastered three shapes: a round watch, a barrel-shaped watch, and the MPs (Master Pieces that have broken free from all conventions).
Today, a fourth shape has been created: the square. Its geometry bewitched Hublot because of the challenges it sets. First, the movement. Since every calibre has the wheel as its basic component, it therefore needs a round movement. If you are to place a round movement harmoniously in a square case, this requires a very specific style. Most watchmakers hide their movement, to give the illusion of using a shaped movement, or because they have failed to find a consistent aesthetic style.
Ricardo Guadalupe, the CEO of Hublot, exclaimed, “The square watch is a very specific object that most watchmakers dare not tackle. This is a divisive, disruptive, and unconventional shape that no one has known how to rework for decades: it was just waiting for us! Hublot decided to get to grips with the shape in order to explore its power and create a totally unique timepiece. Like any Hublot, the Square Bang Unico has no equivalent!”
Hublot decided to take a radically different direction: it hides nothing of its own in-house Unico movement, the pride of the Nyon watchmakers and the beating heart of most of its designs for over 10 years. The chronograph has a column wheel visible at 6 o’clock, while its bi-compax display dispenses with a dial, to reveal its secret inner workings. These
new, original designs beat to the rhythm of the HUB1280 Unico Manufacture automatic movement.
The second challenge was the modular construction of the case, designed in line with Hublot’s DNA, with a central housing dressed with an upper and lower plate to enable a myriad of combinations and transformations. But this time, it is square in shape, and therefore much more difficult to make water resistant. Hublot pulls off the challenge with a guaranteed water resistance of up to 100m. The size of the case is also an important factor to ensure this model is perfectly ergonomic, providing comfort on the wrist very similar to that of the 42mm Big Bang. Its pedigree from the brand’s icon can be seen in countless details. As with the Big Bang, the Square Bang Unico’s dial makes extensive use of sapphire to give a clear view of the Unico movement.
Next, we find the six functional screws on the bezel, placed at the same places as on the Big Bang. On either side of the Square Bang, you find the “ears” from the Big Bang’s case, giving balance to the design while protecting the case. For the strap, in addition to the much appreciated One Click system of the Big Bang and its textured rubber, the two screws are fixed in the middle as an attachment. A new strap decorated with “chocolate squares” further emphasises the Square Bang’s identity. Thanks to its interchangeable One Click system you can change the look of your watch in one click with an impressive range of rubber, alligator and soon soft-touch leather straps.
Finally, the Square Bang uses the same materials as its predecessor, including titanium, ceramic and King Gold, not to mention the famous ‘All Black’ finish. Five 42mm models are already available. The first three are in solid titanium, black ceramic or King Gold. The last two blend titanium or King Gold with a black ceramic bezel. Each model comes with a black rubber strap and a folding clasp in the same material as the case.