The philosophy of the visible and the invisibleBASELWORLD 2016: BIG BANG UNICO SAPPHIRE - In complete transparency

Ten years after the launch of the All Black concept, and to mark the anniversary of this current "must-have" trend, Hublot is subverting the natural order. With its iconic watch, the brand is presenting a new dialectic of the visible and the invisible – transparency. The exterior of its watch is now invisible, so that the construction and movement of the timepiece are now fully visible.

"Black absorbs all visible radiation and does not reflect any light; so it is with the All Black. In contrast, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire is transparent; it does not absorb any light, this simply passes through it. However, both evoke the same duality: simultaneous visibility and invisibility, the co-existence of the seen and the unseen." Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman, Hublot

A decade ago, with its All Black collection, Hublot launched a brand-new and pioneering concept: "Invisible visibility". A philosophy symbolising the very essence of the brand. A timepiece whose invisible take on telling the time propelled it to the rank of iconic object. A powerful, emblematic design which became the height of fashion. Today, Hublot is still a pioneering figure in this monochrome, all black style.

Following the art of suggestion of its skeleton movements, Hublot is now revealing all. A transparent case which unveils the case middle, the movement and the heart of the watch. A cutting-edge concept that takes transparency right up to its now invisible strap. Beyond the symbolism and wordplay, the Big Bang is laid bare. The finishes, textures and materials fuse together into one indivisible whole.

Visible invisibility
 

"The All Black is visible yet makes the time display invisible. The Big Bang Unico Sapphire is invisible yet makes the time display visible. It makes our proprietary Unico movement fully and completely visible. A watch which has nothing to hide, which fully reveals its construction and its movement." Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot

The case middle, bezel and back of the Big Bang Unico Sapphire are cut from blocks of sapphire. A material which is almost as hard and scratch-resistant as diamond (9 on the Mohs scale as opposed to 10 for diamond). Hublot has called on the expertise of a Swiss specialist as part of an exclusive partnership. Only a few pieces forming the spine of the watch are made from titanium: the screws, the crown which is overmoulded with silicon and the deployant buckle.

Its skeleton dial, made from transparent resin, reveals all the gears of the proprietary Unico HUB1242 movement and its finishes. Complementing its ethereal silhouette, its strap – transparent – is invisible so that the skin can be seen through it. Available as a 500-piece limited edition, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire is still water-resistant to 100 metres.