VIDEO: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic watch is horological sorcery on the wrist
Hublot is a brand that does not always get its horological due. The movements that the brand does not produce in-house are horological footnotes compared to the movements that they do. At their core, Hublot are a bold, brave and forward-thinking manufacturer, and an excellent example of this temerity is the Meca-10 movement. As its name suggests, the caliber provides a long-lasting 10 days of power reserve and offers a distinctly Hublot aesthetic in form and finish. It’s quite the marvel in the metal, and a feast for the eyes for even the most seasoned gearheads. This is why it is proudly displayed front, back and centre of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Black Magic. Measuring 45mm in diameter and 14.5mm thick, the black ceramic case is horological sorcery on the wrist. A sizeable watch, with the industrial feel of the Empire’s Death Star, this is surprisingly one of the more tame designs from Hublot. While they are more than capable of injecting colour into their ceramic creations, here they have elected for stealth appeal through an almost entirely black aesthetic. The only deviations from black can be found in four aspects of the watch. The H-shaped screws,…
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If you missed Part 1 of this series looking at some of the best titanium watches, you can take a look right here. While for some the notion of titanium is beholden to large divers and the cutting-edge of the tool watch spectrum, Part 2 might surprise you with a lesser known and far dressier side to the story. Brace yourself for some exquisite Haute Horlogerie and James Bond references dressed up in the armoured finery of titanium. Laurent Ferrier Opaline 40mm The last place you would expect to find titanium is in a beautifully simple, haute horlogerie dress watch from the ex-Patek Philippe master Laurent Ferrier. Like the rest of his perfectionist portfolio, the Classic Origin Opaline is pebble-smooth, and though you might do a second take wondering why the exposure in the shot made the case look a bit dark for steel, titanium still does not present itself as an immediate answer. I will stress again the fact that titanium is not easy to work with in making mirror-like round polished surfaces, but clearly Mr Ferrier took it on as a challenge, lending a flyweight air to what is consummate elegance embodied in a round case. The silvery white…
Editor’s note: This year at Hublot has focused heavily on celebrating the 40th anniversary of the brand, but there was another important new chapter in the history book of the masters of fusion. The in-house Meca-10 movement, a caliber that has been restricted to the classically round Big Bang case, was set free into the tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang case for the first time this year. With a truly remarkable 10 days of power reserve, it’s no surprise that Hublot have pulled out all the stops in these new watches, producing them in several materials, including King Gold. Let’s take a closer look at the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 King Gold. The advent of Hublot’s Big Bang essentially put the provocative, innovative and disruptive brand firmly on the horological map. The brainchild of horological mega-doyen Jean-Claude Biver, the Big Bang arrived on the scene way back in 2004, and since then, it has not only reinvigorated but redefined what Hublot stands for. The evocatively named, plus-sized timepiece has been the wrist-worn proving ground for myriad material and technical revolutions that have broken boundaries and exceeded expectation time and time again. Not all Big Bangs are equal though,…
Titanium: the strong, ultralight metal of the future. Once exclusive to F1 parts and featherweight bike parts, the material is almost divisively light. Some people actually tell you that the light weight puts them off, as if a heavy watch is a sign of intrinsic value and quality. In the case (pun intended) of precious metals, yes, the heavy weight of a Submariner in solid gold does imbue it with an extra level of quality. But on an everyday watch or, even better, a diver’s watch? All positives in my book. How would sir like the intense legibility and strength of a 44mm+ diver’s tool with the lightness of a resin Casio? I’m exaggerating to make a point, but it’s still almost true, and from bargain microbrand to elegant dress watch in a Zaratsu suit, we have lined up a few of the best titanium watches for you right here. Grand Seiko SLGA001 Okay, let’s just say it is huge and be done with it. Unashamedly so. A dark blue threatening behemoth. Nothing can hide the fact, except the raison d’être of this very story: titanium! In our video review here, Nick started by describing it as almost daunting, and…
Hublot don’t do things by half. If they do something, they do it full throttle, and you can see that in the in-house movements they produce. You won’t find a simple three-handed caliber; no, instead you’ll find chronographs, tourbillons and some of the most impressive power reserves in the game. Of their in-house movements, this year the famed Meca-10 movement has been adapted to fit into the new home of the tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang case. This has required a movement architecture redesign to fit like a glove into the curved case of the SOBB, and it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t look good. In particular, the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium shows off the movement with an attractively industrial contrast against the blackened bridges and darker metal of the case. The 45mm case is beautifully curved to meet the contour of your wrist, not sacrificing any comfort despite the uncompromising design. Thanks to the skeletonisation of the movement, you are able to see entirely through the watch, with the dial side showing off the power reserve indicator and time, while the winding barrels are engagingly visible through the caseback. It is a technical tour de…
Editor’s note: Posting stories about Rolex watches you can buy now is like trying to hold a live fish down to get the hook out. A very slippery business. We have had to re-write this post twice already, as the models we’re nominating are slipping away as quickly as we write about them. So, if you see anything you like, move fast, or forever hold your peace. And apologies in advance if – once again – they’ve disappeared before you snap them up. Entry-level Rolex. Words that don’t necessarily sit in the same sentence, but you still want to ask the question. What are the best affordable entry-level Rolex pieces, comparatively? We’ve scoured the inventory of Bob’s Watches and found the new truth. Yes, there are still good Rolex references to be found and no, there are no exaggeration here, this is reality. New and unworn Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref.126000 36mm Yes, you are seeing straight, this is a brand new silver dial Oyster Perpetual in the slender 36mm case for less than $7000 US. With its new case, with the familiar razor-sharp bevels on the balanced case sides, this is the most classic of the new OPs, a watch…
It isn’t an uncommon occurrence for old watch brands to be revived. But for a brand to be resuscitated by the great-great-grandson of the founder is a rarer event. With Eugen Wegner, that’s exactly what happened. The brand was founded way back in 1897 in Gdańsk, Poland, and became successful selling pocket watches and marine chronometers to satiate the demands of those working in the shipping and docking industries nearby. In 2017, the name Eugen Wegner returned to watch dials, thanks to the work of Jonas Bley (the great-great-grandson), who has since gone on to produce a number of heritage-inspired watches including the Eugen Wegner One. The case is inspired by a pocket watch that the brand produced in 1909, but adapted slightly to be worn on the wrist. Measuring 43mm in diameter and 13.6mm thick, with heavily polished case sides, it isn’t a small watch, but it certainly isn’t uncomfortable. The dial is white lacquer, which offers a stunning canvas against the heat-blued steel hands contrast, delivering a pop of colour to the dial. Inside, meanwhile, a Valjoux 7750 caliber powers the timepiece to demonstrate this certainly isn’t a case of style over substance. It all adds up to…
Even after such a strong year for Hublot, and after getting up close and personal with the Black Magic version here, the new Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium still intrigues me with its intricately woven industrial micro-architecture. Even as the Big Bang series is getting close to becoming an industry standard for large, open-worked luxury sports watches, there is always something new to discover, and for me the tonneau-shape is king. A case for the renaissance of titanium? With the arcing tidal movements of fashion, titanium seems to be enjoying a new rise in popularity, even in slim, polished dress watches. But the strong Hublot language of wrist-worn engines still feels like the material’s true sweet spot. The lightness is still every bit as surprising as the ceramic-cased Black Magic version of the Spirit of BB, but even more so with the heavy industrial tool sensation I get from the texture of metal. As soon as I try it on with the soft-striated rubber strap, the sensation is surprising: the combination of lightness and an air of indestructibility is tangible. I’m not pretending it is a slim watch, but that’s exactly why we love these big machines from…