An emotional event for the Formula 1 family500 numbered timepieces: Hublot King Power Ayrton Senna
Viviane Senna, Ayrton Senna's sister and president of the Instituto Ayrton Senna founded in 1994, has chosen the week of the Interlagos Grand Prix as the occasion to bring together only the closest of friends and family of Ayrton Senna to commemorate what would have been the 50th birthday of the driver, who tragically lost his life on the Imola circuit in 1994. To mark this special event, Paramount Pictures have offered Viviane Senna the opportunity to screen the new documentary-film "Senna" directed by Asif Kapadia, produced by Working Title and Universal.
Given Hublot’s long-standing relationship with the Instituto, Vivianne Senna did not hesitate in asking the Swiss brand to participate in this event by unveiling an exceptional collection of new timepieces dedicated to the driver and enabling Hublot to continue to support the Instituto: The King Power Ayrton Senna, a split second chronograph movement with power reserve indicator - a limited edition of 500 numbered pieces, stamped with Ayrton Senna's signature - made entirely from materials used in Formula 1, such as carbon fibre for the case (a first for Hublot), ceramic, Nomex…This series is Act 3 in the friendship between Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, and Viviane Senna which began in 2007. A friendship which has since raised more than 1 million US dollars for the Instituto Ayrton Senna. The King Power Tourbillon Ayrton Senna, 10 exceptional tourbillons manufactured entirely by Hublot, 10 unique commemorative pieces with a different engraving on the case-back of each watch, showing one of 10 highlights in the driver's career, chosen by his sister and mother.
The evening took place in the most luxurious of cinema complexes, located in South São Paulo: the Cinemark Bradesco Prime. 5 cinema screens simultaneously showed the film, followed by a dinner with entertainment from DJ Raul Boesel, a former racing driver who is now one of the most sought-after DJs in South America.
500 numbered timepieces in support of Instituto Ayrton Senna
After the phenomenal success of the first Big Bang Senna launched in 2007 and the Big Bang Senna Foudroyante presented in Tokyo in 2009, the week-end of the São Paulo Grand Prix, and in the year of what would have been the driver's 50th birthday - Viviane Senna and the Instituto Ayrton Senna hosted a special event on the 3rd of November,2010 which provided the backdrop for Hublot's unveiling of the King Power Ayrton Senna, a limited edition of just 500 numbered timepieces with a part of the proceeds going directly to the Instituto Ayrton Senna.
Refined and powerful, made from an array of high-tech materials used in Formula 1, some of which - like Nomex - have never before been used in watchmaking, the King Power Ayrton Senna is a split second chronograph with power reserve indicator. It is the first time that this piece has been created in an "Aero" version, which allows the watch's movement and motor to be admired through a skilfully open-worked dial. In addition to Ayrton Senna's signature, displayed as a yellow transfer on the sapphire crystal of the dial at 9 o'clock (the same yellow which dominates the Brazilian flag), the piece includes a wealth of high-tech details directly inspired by Formula 1.
The complex creation of a case made entirely from carbon fiber (a material widely used in Formula 1, a first for Hublot), a ceramic bezel with a circular-grained satin finish adorned with multiple holes to represent an F1, brake disk, also in ceramic, a strap made from Nomex, a synthetic fibre developed by Dupont De Nemours and used – thanks to its very low combustibility and thermostability - to make the suits worn by F1, drivers. The power reserve indicator at 6 o'clock in green, blue and red to evoke the timers used in Formula 1, the Start, Reset and Split push buttons, the latter for the split second function and a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock.
Finally, on the back of the piece, laser engraved with yellow infill for the engraved text, the transfer portrait of Ayrton Senna is emblazoned on the sapphire case-back. The watch comes in a special Hublot presentation case, made from black ebony with a sapphire glass window decorated with a transfer of Ayrton Senna's signature in yellow, matching the one on the sapphire crystal of the watch's dial.