Hublot Dives Into Summer With New Turquoise Anodized Aluminum Big Bang Unico

If the traditional, self-aggrandizing watch enthusiast were in charge, we would all be awash in sober, 39mm no-date references with colorless matte dials, integrated stainless steel bracelets, and nonsensical hand-wound movements. And because of this, not a day goes by that I dont thank the powers upstairs that the peanut gallery holds no such power, that we have brands like Hublot, which has built its entire brand ethos around ignoring the traditionalists and going against the grain. The latest release to breathe a little life into the dog days of summer is this new Big Bang Unico carved from a brightly anodized turquoise aluminum - a colorful, clever twist on a classic reference that Hublot usually renders in ceramic or titanium.
After all, whats more summer than a bright turquoise tile fresco at the edge of a pool, or the cool teal waters of the Caribbean lapping the warm sands of the Mexican Riviera? Tapping into this inspiration is the Unico Summer, a Hublot e-commerce exclusive thats limited to 200 pieces. Personally, I think a sunburst anodized teal dial would have really helped bring home the colorful summer vibes with this particular release, but Hublot seems pretty set on the Big Bang Unico having skeletonized dials (apparently most Hublot collectors prefer skeletonized dials, so Hublot is content to give the people what they want, so to speak), offering the wearer a partially unobstructed view into the HUB1280 movement - a column wheel-actuated flyback chronograph built in-house by Hublot. The movement is also visible in greater relief through the caseback, where its brushed and matte gray finishes offer a pretty neat contrast to the cool blue exterior of the surrounding case. That said, its an impressive modern chronograph movement used exclusively across Hublots Unico line, and one that the brand routinely does not get enough credit for having produced.
Specifications:Brand: HublotModel: Big Bang Unico SummerDimensions: 42mmWater Resistance: 100?metersCase Material: Satin-brushed polished anodized turquoise aluminum with titanium mid-caseCrystal/Lens: SapphireMovement: Hublot HUB1280 UNICO (in-house manufactured automatic flyback chronograph with column-wheel actuation)Frequency: 4HzPower Reserve: 72 hoursStrap/Bracelet: Integrated turquoise nylon with hook loop closure anodized aluminum buckle; also includes integrated turquoise rubberPrice Availability: $20,900 USD (Online exclusive), limited to 200 pieces
As a whole, aluminum is quite an interesting metal from which to create watches. Its roughly one-third the weight of stainless steel, making it dramatically lighter than even titanium, which is only around half the weight of steel. However, all that lightness does come at a price - it is quite a bit less dense than both of the aforementioned, making it a bit more susceptible to heavy impacts, so maybe just do your best to keep it away from the speedboat handrails if youve got some open-ocean joyriding plans in the future. But the Big Bang Unico is built around a modular case design, sporting a titanium mid-case to maintain lightness while adding strength where needed. Its finished with Hublots One Click interchangeable strap system that makes swapping out the look as easy as pressing the oversized button between each of the screws at 12 oclock and 6 oclock, respectively. This reference includes two straps: a teal, leather-backed nylon affair with Velcro closure and a matching anodized aluminum buckle, as well as a traditional integrated rubber strap that should fare much better if you intend on putting the watchs 100 meters of water resistance to the test.
Unlike last summers equally bright Big Bang Unico white and Sky Blue ceramic, Hublot has opted for the smaller 42mm Unico case on this new Summer Edition, which implies this particular colorway option is intended as more of an unambiguous unisex release compared to the former, which was rendered in a 45mm case. Sure, due to the Unicos relatively short lug-to-lug footprint, its a case that wears quite comfortably even at the larger size, but its quite a treat at 42mm, so this should come as great news for Hublot collectors.The price of the Big Bang Unico Summer Edition in turquoise aluminum starts at $20,900 USD, and its available exclusively from Hublots own e-commerce shop. You can learn what its like to order directly from Hublot in our exclusive e-commerce buying guide here, then get to know?the Big Bang Unico and other Hublot watches at hublot.com.