HANDS-ON: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 King Gold is kingmaker on the wrist
The advent of Hublot’s Big Bang essentially launched the provocative, innovative and disruptive brand. 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, at least as far as recognition goes. The lesser-known, tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang has always been somewhat left in a shadow cast by its older, more traditional, rounder sibling. That’s a real shame, because there are a fair few enthusiasts out there, myself included, who reckon it’s one of Hublot’s best offerings. Now, though, Hublot is starting to give the angular timepiece the love it deserves, by equipping it with one of their most technical, flagship manufacture movements – the Meca-10. For those of you who don’t know about this new leviathan of haute horology, keep reading, because it’s one hell of a movement. As for the watches themselves, the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Meca-10 will be available…
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The Arctic is a tough environment with long dark winters, where the isolation breeds creativity and a certain strict code of design, whether they be the toughest tool watches or classic dress pieces in a Scandinavian pared-down aesthetic. Regardless of the style of watch, there is a design language that defines the Nordic region. Here are five of the best Scandinavian watch brands out there, and some of their best known models. 5 of the best Scandinavian watch brands Linde Werdelin Oktopus MoonLite – a tough tool with an astronomic twist The masters of Nordic tools, Linde Werdelin, originate from Denmark, the southernmost country in this group of sub-arctic horology, well known for watches always shaped by function – and with a sharp eye for cutting-edge design and material quality. Never a classic shape or a cream-coloured lume plot, and all the better for it. Their brutalist chunk of a diver, the Oktopus has here been reimagined in their own alloy, ALW, which is half the weight of titanium, yet twice the strength of steel, due to an innovative surface treatment, making it large but feeling svelte. It is no small watch, at 44mm x 46mm with a 15mm height,…
Collectively, a decent amount of people were shocked when Longines decided to revive the Spirit appellation earlier this year … and shocked in a good way. You see, as far as novelty unveilings go, the Saint-Imier watchmaker had already outdone themselves in 2020 (think Heritage Classic Chronograph 1946 or HydroConquest 41mm in Khaki Green), they could’ve just put their feet up, cracked themselves a crisp Swiss lager and called it a day. But they didn’t. Instead, Longines set its sights on the sky, creating a collection of timepieces that aimed to honour the mavericks of early 20th century aviation. After all, although most won’t know it, airborne rebels like Amelia Earhart, Elinor Smith, Howard Hughes and Paul-Émile Victor all relied on Longines timekeeping devices when embarking upon their respective pioneering endeavours. Now, that may well have been what the watchmaker set out to accomplish with the Spirit. Oddly, though, most of the new collection doesn’t feel particularly like a pilot’s watch. Sure, it possesses some stylistic traits characteristic of an aviation-themed timepiece, but to label it as such is almost too limiting. In essence, what Longines has actually done with its revived moniker is create one of the most compelling…
Cycling is a sport known for its speed and the dramatic risks that cyclists will take to win races. Every time the Tour de France is raced, there is almost guaranteed to be a handful of big crashes involving dozens of riders, leaving bikes and equipment often damaged beyond repair. That’s why it was a shock to see one of France’s top professional cyclists racing with a AUD$168,000 RM 67-02 on his wrist. Julian Alaphilippe was competing at the Critérium du Dauphiné in France last week when the watch was spotted by SBS Cycling. In a close-up shot taken by a race motorbike, the watch can be clearly seen on his wrist, on a bright red strap he looks to have picked up at a Richard Mille boutique in June. Since that visit to the Richard Mille boutique, the red-strapped RM 67-02 has been seen frequently on Alaphilippe’s wrist while training, and now racing after the professional cycling calendar restarted at the beginning of August. It’s unclear if Alaphilippe has an official relationship with the brand, though he has been keeping company with Richard Mille himself — they were spotted together at an event in September last year. The Tour…