A growing, albeit still relatively small, number of luxury watchmakers have embraced the challenges of using sapphire as a material not only for the crystals covering their watches’ dials, but for entire cases as well (a handful of these transparent timepieces are represented here) ? but it is Hublot that is clearly (you should pardon the pun) leading the charge. At Baselworld 2018, the Swiss brand known for its bold forays into unconventional materials and envelope-pushing technology took the still-exclusive category to a new level with the introduction of the Big Bang Sapphire Tourbillon, which boasts not only a crystal-clear case but a see-through skeletonized movement as well.
The Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Tourbillon (Ref. 405.JX.0120.RT) In addition to the transparent sapphire case and crystal, the resin dial, and the matching translucent strap made of structured lined rubber, the Big Bang Sapphire Tourbillon also boasts a painstakingly skeletonized version of Hublot’s in-house HUB6016 manual-winding tourbillon movement ? yes, the same five-day-power-reserve caliber we’ve seen in previous Hublot tourbillon models like the Big Bang Tourbillon Power Reserve 5 Days Titanium, but here with one big difference: the components, except for a few metal gears, are also see-through, constructed of high-tech polycarbonate materials. At center stage is the bridge supporting the tourbillon cage, which, like the majority of the exterior parts, is made from a strip of...