The oldest Automobile club in the world is opening its doors to the Swiss watchmaking company Hublot for the first partnership in its history . Hugues de Rouret and Jean-Claude Biver are explaining the reasons which encouraged them to join forces in Paris. The main fruit of this alliance will be the creation of a watch in the AFC colors, a percentage of the royalties from which will be donated to the Fondation ICM (Institute for Cerebral and Medullar y Disorders).

Since its very beginnings in 1895, this members’ club has brought together pioneers, inventors and entrepreneurs driven by the development potential the automobile can offer, both in terms of technological advances and the notions of freedom and fantasy that it represents. These gentlemen drivers have never formed a partnership with a major brand name, until now. Under the aegis of their management company (S.G.A.C.F.), they have accepted this challenge.

Hublot’s CEO, Jean-Claude Biver, a trailblazing, impassioned entrepreneur, was captivated by the potential synergies between his watchmaking brand and the Club Automobile. These synergies do not just relate to the values that they share: a respect for tradition, expertise, technological advances, but also, and above all, they provide an opportunity to support the Fondation ICM (Institute for Cerebral and Medullary Disorders), one of the founding members of which is none other than Jean Todt, a distinguished name in the automotive world, member of the ACF, and President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile … which is headquartered at the Automobile Club de France!

Jean-Claude Biver, along with Hublot, has always been involved in projects to support and champion disadvantaged children. Today, through this first association with the ACF, he is lending his support to the ICM project. This international research centre was set up to prevent, treat and compensate for the consequences of spinal cord injuries caused by sports and road accidents, and to find treatments for brain pathologies.

Hublot has created a limited edition men’s and women’s watch, a “drive” chronograph in the ACF colours. A black ceramic case and bezel surround the skeleton dial which reveals a section of the movement. A contribution from each watch sold will be donated to the fundamental and clinical research carried out by the ICM.

Hublot Aero Bang Drive ACF luxury watch case, in micro blasted black ceramic, measures 44.5mm. It has an AR-coated sapphire crystal and is water resistant to 100 meters.

The case also features titanium and resin composites. The dial features a micro-blasted black skeleton open-worked layout with luminous blue rhodium-plated satin-finished applique indexes.

Movement is the automatic Hublot caliber HUB4200 with 27 jewels and a power reserve of 42 hours. The main plate is sandblasted and rhodium-plated, and the barrel has a reinforced spring (Glucydur). The rotor is tungsten carbide with black PVD treatment.

Shades of invisible visibility comes to life on this giant watch with midnight blue reflections. The elegant combination of matt black and dark blue, sending out electric bursts in the light, lends the biggest Big Bang piece an “haute couture” look. The Fusion of colors and materials can also be found in its blue alligator strap, injected with black rubber on its inner surface. The numerals, carved into the black ceramic, stand out in relief against the rotating unidirectional bezel.

It is now a few months since Hublot’s workshops and offices were brought together under the roof of a brand new manufacture, and the time has come to officially celebrate the success o of this momentous step forward in the brand’s burgeoning development.

Hublot’s CEO Jean Jean-Claude Biver has invited LVMH Group Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault to oversee the inauguration ceremony, accompanied by Philippe Pascal, President of the LVMH Timepiece Timepieces and Jewelery division. Various celebrities, friends of the brand, partners, as well as representatives from local authorities and the press will attend the celebrations.

Two years after the building’s first stone was laid, Jean-Claude Biver is proud to present the new 6,000 square meter Hublot Manufacture, already running at full capacity.

In fact, although the first machines have been operational since March 2009, the entire workforce actually began work in April. After the August break, the “Hublotins” creche welcomed its first youngsters. Although this is a time for celebration rather than evaluation, we can still assert that the Hublot project has already been a great success.

Jean-Claude Biver and his team realised their ambitions by beginning construction of a 6,000 square meter building in 2007, designed in the medium term to house 300 employees. When workers return after the August break in 2010, the company will also serve as a training centre, welcoming apprentice watchmakers into its workshops.

UNICO Movement
The integration of the various production stages should give the Manufacture even greater autonomy. The UNICO movement, a chronograph developed entirely by Hublot’s Research & Development department, is now in its “functional prototype”
stage until the end of 2009. It will eventually be housed inside the case of the King Power, the latest model to be launched by the brand this year. The workshop is currently producing bridges, main plates and assorted steel components, which will be
assembled by fifteen or so new employees to be specially appointed in January for production of the UNICO. The aim is to produce 2,000 UNICO movements in 2010, and close to 20,000 in the medium term.

A special feature of this flyback chronograph is the position of its mechanism and the famous “column wheel” on the side of the dial. However, one of its main innovations is the removable platform escapement, on which the watch owner’s initials can be
engraved by special request!

A clever yet subtle feature allowing easier servicing and maintenance, and offering the owner the option to personalise the timepiece. The escapement (escape wheel and pallet fork) is made from silicon, a light, durable and technologically advanced material which resists wear and guarantees more accurate operation.

The Building
Situated close to the motorway, the classic, restrained building faces Lake Geneva and the Alps. Its light, spacious interior is home to the entire Hublot world. The machine and assembly shops occupy the first two floors, along with the after-sales service,
technical departments and purchasing divisions. The 3rd floor is set aside for management, marketing, sales, accounts and a large showroom, as well as the Hublot TV studios. The creche has its own separate entrance, and the children have access to
a secure wooded garden.

Viewing the completed site as a promising sign for the future of Hublot, a thrilled Jean-Claude Biver exclaimed: “It’s fantastic. In 5 years we’ve gone from a small, outdated and ill-equipped building to this magnificent, ultra-modern and high-tech enterprise! We launched the Big Bang collection, which was a phenomenal success, and we’ve now even produced our own movement! I am so very proud to be here today, and also
proud of my team, which has helped us meet this challenge and will ensure we continue our innovation into the future.”

Technical Specifications of Hublot Caliber HUB1240
Developed and manufactured by Hublot. Movement with column-wheel chronograph mechanism integrated on the dial side, bicompax, 2 push-pieces, flyback, double horizontal clutch, no jumper in the chronograph mechanism, semi-instant calendar, removable platform escapement, second stop device. Display Hours, minutes, seconds at 9 o’clock and 60-second and 60-minute chronograph – Date aperture

Total diameter 30.4 mm, height 8.05 mm. 36 jewels with a power reserve of 70 hours. Comprised of 330 parts. 4 Hz Swiss lever escapement – Silicon pallet fork and escape wheel – Cross-through balance bridge, height adjustable – Fine rate adjustment with self-winding Ceramic ball bearing (2-way winding) Pellaton type.

Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez, Nicknamed “A-Rod” is the proud owner of a Hublot Big Bang Ceramic. Our superstar baseball player surely knows how to hit a home run in and out of the park!

This is the perfect timepiece for our MVP – the watch is just classic beauty with the rose gold lugs, the black ceramic bezel and carbon dial on the sporty rubber band.This watch was a real home-run!

Since 1980, Hublot has advanced the concept of watch making, and their rubber straps have really become a hallmark look of the brand. While it may seem an unusual fusion of materials to some, A-Rod manages to make it look like an MVP!

This Big Bang buzzes around like a bunch of honey bees. The Big Bang Black lemon will be sure to add some zest to our summer.

The summer Big Bang comes in a bright acid yellow, adorned with baguette sapphires around the black dial, the tone on tone of which evokes invisible visibility. The alligator strap gives it a refined look, but remains flexible and comfortable thanks to its rubber inner surface. With the ceramic of its case, all of Hublot’s Art of Fusion can be found in this lemon peel style watch.
TECHNICAL DETAILS

• Case “Big Bang” diameter 41 mm, in black ceramic
• Bezel PVD white gold with 6 titanium H-shaped countersunk, polished & locked screws, set with 48 yellow baguette sapphires (appr. total 2.23 ct)
• Crystal Sapphire with interior anti-reflective treatment
• Bezel Lug Black composite resin
• Lateral Inserts Yellow composite resin
• Case-back Titanium with sapphire crystal, interior anti-reflective treatment
• Crown Titanium with yellow rubber insert
• Push-pieces Titanium, rectangular with yellow rubber insert
• Screws Titanium
• Water resistance 100 m or 10 ATM
• Dial Matt black with black numerals and appliques
• Hands Faceted & diamond polished, black nickel without luminescent coating
• Movement Mechanical chronograph with automatic winding, Hublot Calibre HUB4300
• No. of components 278
• Jewels 37
• Bridges Satin-finished, bevelled & polished
• Screws Black PVD
• Date Trapezoid window at 4.30
• Oscillating Weight Tungsten carbide with black PVD treated dimpled surface
• Main plate Sand-blasted & rhodium-plated
• Barrel With reinforced spring
• Escapement Glucydur hairspring
• Power Reserve 42 hours
• Strap Adjustable, in yellow alligator skin with rubber inner
• Clasp Black PVD steel, with black PVD deployant buckle

Hublot’s Big bang comes in many shapes and sizes. Each year hublot dazzles us with new combination’s (fusion’s in the world of hublot) of the big bang. This year we were gifted to see many at BaselWorld 2009. In this tradition hublot introduced to us the Hublot Earl Gray.

A Big Bang in a soft but intense matt gray finish, enhanced by the diamonds surrounding the dial. Novelty comes in the form of the subtle, gray alligator strap, made supple by the rubber stitched on the inside. With a silvered elegance that contrasts the matt with the brilliant, the Big Bang Earl Gray can also be worn with an articulated steel strap, whose side is covered with gray composite resin. The gray shades of the steel, the tantalum-coloured dial, the leather and the resin are in harmony, evoking the fusion of materials, a key concept for Hublot.

TECHNICAL DATA
Case “Big Bang” diameter 41 mm in satin-polished steel, with brushed-finish end pieces
Bezel Steel with 6 titanium H-shaped screws – sunken, polished and blocked, or set with:
- 114 diamonds (approx. 1.22 cts)
- 48 baguette diamonds (approx. 2.23 cts)
Crystal Sapphire crystal with interior anti-reflection treatment
Bezel lug Gray composite resin
Lateral inserts Gray composite resin
Back Steel with sapphire crystal; interior anti-reflection treatment
Crown Steel with gray rubber insert
Push-pieces Steel, rectangular with gray rubber insert
Screws Titanium
Water-resistance 100 m or 10 ATM (Standard atmosphere)
Dial Gray tantalum-coloured with satin-finish rhodium-plated figures and appliqué index markers
Hands Faceted, diamond-polished, rhodium-plated, with white luminescent feature
Movement Mechanical chronograph with automatic winding, HUB1145 calibre
No. of components 278
Rubies 37
Bridges Polished, satin-finish with chamfered edges
Screws Black PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition)
Calendar Trapezoid aperture at 4:30
Oscillating weight Tungsten carbide with dimpled surface coated with black PVD
Bottom plate Sand-blasted; rhodium-plated
Barrel With reinforced spring
Escapement Glucydur balance spring
Power reserve 42 hours

Strap

• - Gray “Gummy-alligator”: rubber on the inside, alligator on the outside
• - Articulated steel, with gray composite resin inserts on the side

Clasp Steel, with steel deployant

One of the biggest threats facing the luxury watch world these days is counterfeit goods. This year at BaselWorld 2009 Hublot Watches partnered with WiseKey to create a new revolutionary way to make sure your watch is authentic. However until the WiseKey system comes out, Hublot has prepared a guide to help you spot “Replica Hublot Watch”. Like many fake counterfeit watches, there are the “cheap” ones and the “expensive” ones.

The article goes through a few basic checks everyone should make when purchasing a hublot watch.

1. Make sure that it has the Hublot “h” screws
2. Check the movement.. The Hublot Geneve engraving should be thin and not bold, the rotor should not look like a saw and the watch should have a fine adjuster.

For the full article please look here:
Identifying Hublot Replica Watches

Remember the best way to prevent piracy is not to buy from these people and to discourage your friends!

This article was written by James at JewelersLounge.com if you have any questions please email him at James@jewelerslounge.com

Here are some screenshots of the new Hublot WiseKey system in action. Also we have a first glance at the new Watch social network.

Enjoy!

The king of hublot fusion and evolution, the Gold King Power blazes forward. Reminiscent of the original fusion between rubber and gold of the first Hublot watches, its current lines, with a design pushed to the extreme, reflect the fusion between power and elegance. Traditional and avant-gardist, combining on its dial additional elements and cut-outs, the King Power also owes its name to the red gold from which it is made – a new alloy developed for Hublot and used by the brand for the first time. Redder, tougher and more intense. With its split seconds foudroyante chronograph movement, the King Power really looks the part. The absence of number represents the evolution of time being easier to read and therefore not needing numbers. Grab them while you can there will only be 500 made.

Luxury Watch Details:

• Case “King Power” diameter 48 mm in « King Gold »
• Bezel « King Gold » with black rubber moulding, with 6 black PVD-coated titanium raised H-shaped screws
• Crystal Sapphire crystal with interior/exterior anti-reflection treatment
• Bezel lug Black composite resin
• Lateral inserts Black composite resin
• Back « King Gold »
• Crown « King Gold » with black rubber insert
• Push-pieces « King Gold » with black rubber insert
• Water-resistance 100 m or 10 ATM
• Dial Multi pieces with matt black and gold plated microblasted additional counters and flange; applique gold plated markers; black SuperLuminova^TM transfers
• Hands Gold plated chronograph hand; Gold plated hours and minutes hands; Gold plated and brilliant black nickel with black SuperLuminova^TM split-seconds hand; Gold plated and brilliant black nickel with black SuperLuminova^TM foudroyante hand
• Movement Self-winding mechanical split-seconds foudroyante chronograph, Hublot HUB 4144 calibre developed with La Joux-Perret
• Bridges Polished, satin-finish with chamfered edges
• Screws Black PVD
• Oscillating weight Tungsten carbide with dimpled surface coated with black PVD
• Bottom plate Sand-blasted; rhodium-plated
• Barrel With reinforced spring
• Escapement Glucydur balance spring
• Power reserve 42 hours
• Strap Adjustable jointed black rubber
• Clasp « King Gold » and steel gold PVD deployment clasp
• Limited Edition 500 numbered pieces 01/500 – 500/500

Hublot Gold King Power

After we finished our interview on the Hublot WiseKey. We were then shown the latest Hublot Watches. The first one is the new Big Bang Apple. It comes in both a white and black dial it’s like a forbidden fruit; seductive, fresh and elegant! The Big Bang Apple, precious and luminous with its favorite-set bezel and its case in red gold or black ceramic, sports alligator strap lined with rubber. A fusion of emotions, materials and colors, the “Big Bang Apple” chronograph could be one you’d like to “get your teeth into”!

Luxury Watch Details:

• Case “Big Bang” 41 mm diameter in 5N gold (or black ceramic)
• Bezel 5N gold with 6 titanium H-shaped screws – sunken, polished and blocked,
  set with 48 favorite baguette
• Crystal Sapphire crystal with interior anti-reflection treatment
• Bezel lug Green (or black) composite resin
• Lateral inserts Green composite resin
• Back 5N gold (or titanium) with sapphire crystal, interior anti-reflection treatment
• Crown 5N gold (or titanium) with green rubber insert
• Push-pieces 5N gold (or titanium), rectangular with green rubber insert
• Screws Titanium
• Water-resistance 100 m or 10 ATM
• Dial White with satin-finished 5N gold-plated figures and appliqué index markers
  (or mat black with black figures and appliqué index markers)
• Hands Faceted, diamond-polished, 5N gold plated, with white luminescent
  feature (or black nickel without luminescent)
• Movement Mechanical chronograph with automatic winding, Hublot HUB4300 calibre
• No. of components 278
• Rubies 37
• Bridges Polished, satin-finish with chamfered edges
• Screws Black PVD
• Calendar Trapezoid aperture at 4:30
• Oscillating weight Tungsten carbide with dimpled surface coated with black PVD
• Bottom plate Sand-blasted; rhodium-plated
• Barrel With reinforced spring
• Escapement Glucydur balance spring
• Power reserve 42 hours
• Strap Adjustable green alligator with rubber lining
• Clasp 5N gold (or black PVD coated steel) and black PVD coated deployment clasp