The Executive Selection: Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang Essential Grey With its variations in style (in luminous grey) and distribution method (online only), Essential Grey is a unique approach to watchmaking, reserved for those rare collectors who claim each vintage as their own.
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Colors are like limited editions: if you use a lot of them, they lose their singularity. Hublot's Essential Grey collection was born of this premise: a single color, a single model, once a year, through a single channel. It's an approach that appeals both to the most discerning collectors, who buy each vintage, one after the other, to form a collection that is as consistent as it is complete, and to the more occasional fans of the Essential Grey line, who are aware of its recurrence and patiently await the arrival of the model that suits them perfectly.
Will it be the Spirit of Big Bang Essential Grey? Everyone will make up their own mind, but they shouldn't wait too long. Like all Essential Greys, it will be the first- and the last of its kind. Furthermore, only 100 copies will be created. And these extremely rare pieces will only be available online at hublot.com.
Image courtesy Hublot.
This is an exceptional procedure for Hublot, but it reflects the company's desire to offer everyone an equal opportunity to acquire this unusual model. The aim is to ensure that all collectors are treated equally, whether or not they live near to one of the brand's 130 sales outlets. Last but not least, this 2023 version will be twice as rare as the previous one in 2022 (100 copies compared with 200).
This year, it's Spirit of Big Bang's turn to be Essentially Grey. This historic collection, the only one in Hublot's barrel format, is draped in 100% titanium: including the case, bezel, screws, crown, push-pieces, case-back and folding clasp. The idea is to use the chromatic properties of titanium, the soft, radiant grey that the Watchmaker wished to sandblast and grind, as a natural and obvious base for the Essential Grey version. For the occasion, the rubber strap has been matched, lined with black thread on the outer edge to mark the vanishing line.
Image courtesy Hublot.
When it comes to the movement, Hublot has taken care to treat all the components in the same way. However, to preserve the timepiece's legibility, the Watchmaker has introduced very subtle variations to this Essential Grey, notably on the date disc (window at half-past four), on the chronograph counters (minutes at 3 o'clock, hours at 6 o'clock), while playing with the multiple finishes: mirror polished, drawn lines, graining, luminescent hour markers, rhodium-plated hands and a play on the different levels of depth.
This approach ensures that all the indications on the dial are perfectly legible, while enhancing the skeleton architecture of the HUB4700 Calibre. This automatic chronograph movement is cadenced at a high frequency (5 Hz, or 36,000 vibrations per hour). It has a 50-hour power reserve. In this new iteration, the 42-mm case offers the Spirit of Big Bang a vast field of expression. The watch retains its two lateral push-pieces, and its crown provides water-resistance to 100 meters (10 ATM). And, as usual, the Spirit of Big Bang Essential Grey features the One-Click system. This allows you to change bracelets in a fraction of a second, without any tools. Available in two variations: grey grooved rubber, and grey with Velcro buckle and ceramic.
Image courtesy Hublot.
Only 100 copies will be available, exclusively online at hublot.com. As with certain Hublot models sold online, this digital opportunity will be coupled with the Full Hublot Service. It is activated at the very moment of sale when the watch is registered with Hublot and entitles you to have your watch fully serviced free of charge once your warranty has expired. From recovering the original finish, renewing the water-resistance, overhauling the movement and controlling the quality, the new Spirit of Big Bang Essential Grey is automatically eligible for a rejuvenating treatment as part of Hublot's Full Service.