The watch maisons of the LVMH luxury group (Moët Hennesy-Louis Vuitton) take center stage in the horological universe this week, unveiling their newest models for 2020 at an exclusive event in Dubai. Among the exhibitors is Hublot, which celebrates 15 years of its flagship Big Bang model with the introduction of the first-ever Big Bang with an integrated metal bracelet, the Big Bang Unico Integral.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Integral All Black (Ref. 451.CX.1140.CX)
The integrated bracelet has a combination of brushed and polished surfaces.
Hublot Big Bang Integral All Black
The watch represents an extension of a sort to Hublot’s existing Big Bang Unico 42 series, but also notably features an updated case design whose first link is fused with the new bracelet and whose chronograph pushers recall those of the very first Big Bang released in 2005. The bracelet itself is, of course, the big news here, with three links (two lateral end pieces and one larger central piece) whose shaped edges echo those of the pushers and the cutout areas of the main case. With alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces, beveling and chamfering, the links provide a seamless visual continuation of the case and its lugs. The 42-mm case is, of course, dominated in the front by the round “porthole” bezel with its now-familiar eight H-shaped screws. The use of applied indices at 12 and 6 o’clock, rather than Arabic numeral appliques, is another subtly distinct difference from o...