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Hublot Lights Up a New Fuente Limited Edition

Hublot continues its long-running affiliation with the Dominican Republic-based Arturo Fuente cigar empire with a new limited-edition watch that celebrates Carlos A. Fuente Sr., the son of the company’s namesake founder.

The new Big Bang Unico Arturo Fuente Ceramic is the first ceramic model in the series, which debuted in 2012. Echoing earlier Fuente models, Hublot has laser-engraved the new watch’s 44-mm black ceramic case with a tobacco leaf pattern. Within the case Hublot fits its excellent UNICO caliber HUB1242 movement, a flyback column-wheel chronograph offering a 72-hour power reserve.

The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Arturo Fuente Ceramic.

Hublot adds a host of details to the watch to underscore its rich partnership with the Fuente family. For example, the watchmaker places Roman numerals on the dial instead of the traditional Arabic numerals found on most other Big Bang Unico models.

This gesture, according to Hublot, adds “a remarkable note of authenticity to the timepiece” because the Roman numerals are also seen on a clock that has historically appeared on the family crest. The numerals reference the Fuente motto: “We will never rush the hands of time.”

The crowned lion that appears at 9 o’clock on the watch’s skeletonized dial references the fact that Fuente supplied cigars to the Spanish court.

Furthermore, Hublot places Fuente’s historic logo appears in the center of the caseback along with “CF” in reference to Carlos Fuente Sr. and the words “Edición de homenaje” (which is Spanish for “edition in homage”). A dedication by Carlito Fuente Jr. reads: “Our Father, Our Friend, Our Hero.”

Finally, the back of the watch is engraved with “Big Bang Limited Edition” along with the number of the piece in the limited edition run of 100 pieces.

Hublot places its new Big Bang Unico Arturo Fuente Ceramic in a lacquered wooden gift box that also serves as a cigar humidor.

Price: $28,300.

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The Watches

Rado Sows a Ceramic Garden

Rado’s high-tech ceramic True Thinline Collection, first seen in 2011, this month debuts the Great Gardens of the World collection with three models featuring dial designs meant to recall natural beauty.

The idea for the collection took root in 2017 when Rado partnered with Grandi Giardini Italiani, an association of 300 Italian and Maltese gardens. At that time Rado debuted a trio of True Thinline quartz watches with beautifully colored and patterned dials meant to represent earth, water and leaves.

Rado True Thinline Great Gardens of the World, Chapter 1.

Rado now extends that idea with three more of the sleek 40mm ceramic and titanium watches, each sporting an artisanal dial and powered by an automatic movement.

One model, called Chapter 1, sports a turquoise-colored ceramic case and bracelet and offers a matching mother-of-pearl dial. Rado decorates the dial with filigree and cloisonné-style organic elements and nature-inspired themes, including jasmine flowers. Diamonds mark each hour, while on the back you’ll find the phrase “Great Gardens of the World,” printed on a smoky sapphire and titanium caseback.

Rado True Thinline Great Gardens of the World, Chapter 2.

The second model, called Chapter 2, offers a similar pattern but on a black ceramic case with a dark, matching mother-of-pearl dial. Again, diamonds mark the hours.

Rado True Thinline Great Gardens of the World, Chapter 3.

The Chapter 3 watch presents a more sophisticated small central dial framed by an engraved oak leaf pattern in its mother-of-pearl and a ring of additional diamonds.

All this natural beauty arrives alongside Rado’s pioneering mastery of the ceramic case and bracelet technology, here all sporting richly colored and polished high-tech finishes. Rado builds each watch with a ceramic case, ceramic bracelet and crown, a titanium caseback (framing a sapphire center) and a titanium tri-fold clasp.

Each watch offers a titanium case back with black smoked sapphire and a printed phrase.

As noted, these Rado True Thinline models sport automatic movements. Inside Rado places the ETA-based Rado caliber R763 automatic movement with an impressive 80-hour power reserve and an anti-magnetic Nivachron hairspring, which Rado says exceeds standard test requirements from three to five positions.

Prices: $2,450 (Chapters 1 and 2), and $2,660 (Chapter 3).

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Featured News

Hublot Adds Color to Ceramic Big Bang Integral

One year after debuting the Big Bang Integral, Hublot this week announced three colorful ceramic additions to the multi-material collection.

The debut is just one of a broad set of Hublot debuts announced this week as part of LVMH Watch Week 2021. Other Hublot debuts include a first-ever orange-hued Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Sapphire, new Classic Fusion offerings in the Orlinski collection, a new size within the Big Bang One Click collection and two additions in the tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang collection.

We’ll show you many of these Hublot debuts in upcoming posts, but first let’s take a look at Hublot’s additions to its Big Bang Integral collection.

One of three new ceramic Hublot Big Bange Integral offerings.

Premiere bracelets   

As the first Hublot Big Bang model with an integrated bracelet, Integral in 2020 earned accolades for broadening Big Bang’s appeal to include collectors who prefer bracelet watches.

Hublot anticipated the demand and wisely launched with a wide-ranging 42mm debut to include titanium and King Gold cases, plus a single, limited-edition example with a black ceramic case. The Integral collection is also notable for reviving the rectangular pushers originally found on the Big Bang in 2005. More recent Big Bang models utilize round pushers.

The initial Hublot Big Bang Integral debut in 2020 included models in King Gold and in titanium.

With the 2021 debuts, Hublot adds white, dark blue and grey case options to the ceramic Big Bang Integral family tree. The newest ceramic models retain the 42mm case size of the initial black ceramic debut from 2020, but more clearly state their source material thanks to the new color options.

These watches are made entirely from ceramic except for the bezel lugs, which are in black, dark blue or grey composite, and the rubber elements on the crown and the pushers, which Hublot says its includes for “added user comfort.”

Lightweight, colorful

Because the Integral is defined by the inclusion (the integration) of a bracelet, these new ceramic models are particularly distinctively on the wrist. And their unique qualities are more than visual. High-tech ceramic is thirty percent lighter by weight than a comparable amount of steel, a factor instantly felt when the watch is worn. Similarly, ceramic feels somewhat smoother on the skin, which also differentiates the ceramic Big Bang Integral from its gold or steel brethren.

The Hublot Unico HUB1280 automatic flyback chronograph movement with column wheel and an impressive 72-hour power reserve.

Inside, Hublot fits its Unico HUB1280 automatic flyback chronograph movement with column wheel and an impressive 72-hour power reserve. Hublot reminds us that this caliber is a modified version of the earlier Unico HUB1242, with upgrades that include a thinner automatic winding system and four new and patented innovations: oscillating seconds clutch, chronograph friction system with ball-bearing adjustment, ratchet retaining system with unidirectional gears and index-assembly fine adjustment system.

Price: $23,100.

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Watch Of The Day

Junghans Adds Ceramics & Color to Force Mega Solar

Junghans cases new models in its Force Mega Solar collection with a dark matte or polished ‘premium grade’ ceramic material and a sapphire crystal. The watch is also now available with a choice of three rubber strap, hand and marker  hues: black, brown and khaki.

The new Junghans Force Mega Solar.

The watch, which boasts the latest generation of Junghans’ multi-frequency movement that accesses time-signal transmitters worldwide, features a fairly minimalistic dial set with hyper-efficient solar cells.

While a digital date appears at 6 o’clock, the analog hands belie decades of technological development within the moderately thin (8.2mm) case. Indeed, German-based Junghans first developed its own radio-controlled solar watch in 1993 and has updated them frequently in the decades since.

This latest-generation Junghans Mega Solar movement features a power reserve up to twenty-one months with an automatic sleep mode that kicks into effect if the watch has not been exposed to light within a consecutive seventy-two-hour period.

The new ceramic cases are either dark polished or matte-finished and arrive with lightweight rubber strap in contrasting black, brown or khaki to match the hands and markers. A PVD-coated titanium folding clasp secures the strap.

Price: On pictured rubber strap: $ 1,195. The model is also available with a ceramic bracelet, priced at $1,495.

 

Specifications: Junghans Force Mega Solar

Movement: Multi-frequency radio-controlled solar movement J615.84
Big date display, perpetual calendar, App-connected automatic reception of time signal transmitters DCF77, MSF, JJY40/60, WWVB60, power reserve up to 21 months, automatic sleep mode after 72 hours without exposure to light.

Case: 40.4mm by 8.2 mm polished or matte ceramic with sapphire crystal, 4-times screwed ceramic case back, water resistance to 50 meters. 

Dial: Glass solar cells. Dial markings with environmentally friendly SuperLuminova in white, brown or khaki.

Hands: With environmentally friendly luminous substance.

Strap: Synthetic rubber strap with titanium buckle, PVD-coated.

 

 

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