pioneer when it comes to groundbreaking material innovations, Hublot and its manufacture’s Metallurgy & Materials laboratory have mastered the intricacies of transparent materials such as sapphire crystal. Always seeking new creative avenues, Hublot became the first and only watch brand to use SAXEM, a material that’s related to sapphire while offering more luminous and chromatic possibilities. Now, the manufacture presents the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM, combining an intense emerald-green transparent case with its self-winding tourbillon movement in a limited edition of just 18 pieces.

After having mastered the techniques of crafting its watches – both cases and movement components – in sapphire crystal and it the numerous colours it can take on, there are limits to the hues and colour intensities it can adopt. To produce an emerald-like green transparent material, Hublot and its teams of researchers and metallurgists had to look elsewhere. The answer came far from the world of watchmaking in the form of SAXEM (Sapphire Aluminium oXide and rare Earth Mineral), a material that was originally conceived for satellite technology. While it does boast many of the same properties to sapphire such as hardness and transparency, it’s different on a molecular level. While both are made of aluminium oxide, SAXEM is combined with rare earth elements. Its also structurally different, as sapphire is trigonal (three-sided) while SAXEM is cubic (four-sided). This subtle but significant distinction allows for SAXEM to take on intense colours and shine brilliantly, like a precious gemstone.

Within the vibrant and crystalline green SAXEM case beats Hublot’s MHUB6035 automatic tourbillon manufacture calibre, entirely developed and manufactured in-house. Built with a contemporary architecture, its 22-karat gold micro-rotor is positioned on the dial side of the movement. The winding is smooth and efficient with ceramic ball bearings, allowing the movement to reach a minimum chronometric power reserve of 72 hours. With an emphasis on openness and motion, the kinetics of the micro-rotor at 12 o’clock is complemented by the 60-second tourbillon carriage at 6 o’clock. The openness of the construction is accentuated by three functional sapphire elements for the barrel bridge, automatic winding gears bridge and tourbillon barrette. Specially for the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM, the dial is tinted darker.

The movement itself, visible through the open dial, is finished in black tones, providing more contrast to the SAXEM case and matching the crown. For added legibility, the Big Bang’s signature alternating Arabic numerals and baton markers feature a bright green paint with Super-LumiNova, as do the hands. A mix of sandblasted and hand-decorated elements with polished bevelling sunray-brushing elevates this modernistic and unique take on watchmaking into a true haute horlogerie creation. As the perfect finishing touch matching the case, the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM comes on a transparent green rubber strap and black folding clasp. The Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM is a limited edition of 18 pieces, available from Hublot boutiques and authorised retailers.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

REFERENCE 429.JG.0110.RT

Limited to 18 pieces

DIAL

• Smoked Black Sapphire Crystal

CASE

• Polished Green Saxem “One-Click” System
• Diameter: 44 MM
• Thickness: 14.40 mm
• Water resistance: 30 m

MOVEMENT

• MHUB6035 Manufacture Automatic Tourbillon Movement
• Frequency (Hz): 3 (21’600 A/h)
• Power reserve: Approx. 72 Hours
• Number of components : 293
• Jewels : 26

CASEBACK

• Polished Green Saxem and Sapphire Crystal with Anti- reflective Treatment

STRAP AND CLASP

• Black Lined Rubber
• Black Ceramic and Black-plated Titanium Deployant Buckle Claps

Additional Strap

• Green Transparent Lined Rubber and Black Velcro Fastener Fabric
  Microblasted Black Ceramic Sport Buckle

BEZEL

• Polished Green Saxem