20 Year Celebrations Begin With A Bang: Hublot Celebrates Two Decades Of Its Iconic Collection
Hublot’s Big Bang Original timepiece was a trailblazer when it was launched in 2005, and its pioneering, unapologetic spirit continues to this very day
There are instantly recognisable watches, and then there are spot-them-from-a-mile-off, identified-from-ten-tables-away timepieces. One of these, is Hublot’s Big Bang Collection. First launched in 2005, the Big Bang Original ripped up the rule book for sports watches, pushing the category to extremes it had never seen before. The aim? A nautically-inspired timepiece that would boast oversized and ergonomic proportions, while still feeling like haute horology.
The maison’s founder, Carlo Crocco, wanted a watch that he could wear while sailing yet still wear with a smart suit and tie, but it had to be eye-catching. Enter the Big Bang. Conceived from the maison’s “Art of Fusion” design ethos, the Big Bang brought together a symphony of materials: 18-karat King Gold, ceramic, rubber and carbon fibre. Swiftly acclaimed, the original Big Bang swept the board, receiving the GPHG 2005 “Design Watch” prize.
Since its inception, the Big Bang Collection has been reinterpreted in many guises, with innovative new materials, unexpected hues of ceramic and the maison’s proprietary Magic Gold, always bringing a new look to each iteration. Meanwhile, at its heart, Hublot’s pioneering approach to watchmaking has been beating steadily away, always bestowed with audacious manufacture-made mechanical movements.
“Celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of the undisputed icons of contemporary watchmaking is something that we at Hublot are incredibly humbled and proud of. The Big Bang is without a doubt one of the most significant watches of the 21st century,” says Hublot’s CEO, Julien Tornare. “Its influence has reshaped the potential of what a watch can be, crossing all boundaries between tradition and modernism; science and art. This is a year of celebration, reflection and looking forward, and we’re excited to share some special moments and surprises with our global community throughout 2025.”
To mark the moment, the maison has unveiled five new iterations of its Big Bang One Click 33mm, referencing key colours and gemstones from Big Bang models from the early 2000s. Five colourways make for five distinct moods, with its signature one-click strap allowing the wearer to switch between bold colour and a more understated style.
Continuing the celebration are two new hues of ceramic Big Bang models – Mint Green and Petrol Blue – speaking to the verdant, maritime heritage of the brand. Whether the light, easy breezy of the mint model, or the deep, teal tones of the blue iteration, each brings a splash of colour to the wrist.
Rounding off this anniversary year is the Big Bang 20th Anniversary Master of Sapphire set, which features five models with different sapphire or Saxem cases in a rainbow of hues – transparent sapphire, Water Blue sapphire, Deep Blue sapphire, Purple sapphire and Neon Yellow Saxem. While it might be easy to assume that crafting a different colour case is a quick switch flip, this couldn’t be further from reality – the exact shade of each timepiece is arduously honed using precise formulas. Limited to just five sets, this is a connoisseur’s dream – a chance to own a capsule of watches that houses the maison’s powerful MECA-10 movement in crystalline cases for the first time. If you know, you know.
For those of us able to remember 90s and Noughties trends the first time around, there’s an unadulterated joy in wearing Hublot’s never-a-wallflower watches. Never meek, never afraid, and always leaving a lasting impression – we could all do with a little more of the Big Bang spirit in our life.
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