Hublot don’t do things by halves. They experiment, they aim high.
It’s a formula that typically breeds watches which test the boundaries between
avant-garde and excessive. They also endorse more sports stars and celebrities
than any other watch brand, which, at the same time as getting their name out there,
can have the inverse effect of diverting attention away from the watchmaking
talent and creative thinkers that sit at their core. It can be all too easy to
forget that a number of Hublot’s watches are, truly, excellent and that they
have played a strong hand in breathing new life to the watch industry as a
whole. The Replica Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium, in its stripped back form, is one of these watches.
The Hublot Effect Since jean-Claud Biver picked up Hublot’s reigns in 2004
they have become a force in watches. Much of this shift owes to his eye for
marketing and modern tastes, but Hublot already had some talent in place and
their original watch, the Hublot, dreamed up by Carlo Crocco in 1980, caught
the eye of a number of European watchmakers and even did the rounds of the
royal set. It was a watch that sparked a new concept, a fresh take on luxury.The Hublot, which is the French word for “porthole”, came
eight years after Gérald Genta’s Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet, which was also
shaped like a porthole. Obviously the Hublot was inspired by the success of the
Royal Oak, but it went further down that path. Until then, luxury watches were
considered too valuable to be sporty and they focused instead on classic
styling and showing off their watchmaking prowess. The Hublot, however, had a
circular gold case with 12 titanium screws in the bezel, a totally minimal dial
and, most alarmingly, a rubber strap. This combination was a first and it gave
birth to the most popular watch type of the past three decades—the luxury
sports watch. Biver describes the ethos at Hublot as “fusion”. It’s
basically a development of Crocco’s idea of mixing materials and concepts with
the aim of producing something new. Indeed, this is the very basis of
creativity. At Hublot this translated to setting up a Research &
Development department that experiments with metallurgy and blends materials usually
at home in aeronautics or Formula 1. This approach has since been adopted by
brands such as Rolex and Audemars Piguet, and it has been at the heart of
Richard Mille’s success.
Hublot and offers up some of their best watches. It’s based on the iconic shape
of the original 1980 Replica Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium, but as it’s name suggests it plays on the idea of
mixing materials and modernising. A huge variety has been produced, ranging from
the minimal to the borderline obscene, including more than a fair share of
dubious collaborations with anything from a cigar company to a Maldivian beach
resort. It’s the official licensed watch of the UEFA Europa League since 2015
and even Jay-Z had his own model for a while.
The model we’re focusing on today is known at Hublot as a
“Black Magic” version in reference to the all-black colour scheme that has become
so popular in recent years and which Hublot has largely spearheaded. The case
is made from an advanced ceramic mix of zirconium oxide. It’s harder and
tougher than even titanium, and it’s light too. This means it doesn’t chip,
scratch or even fade in colour. It also looks pretty high-tech, especially with
its combination of polished and satin-brushed finishes.</p><p>In stark contrast to the ceramic is Hublot’s own “King” gold,
a rose gold alloy with a high percentage platinum content, making it, again,
much stronger. As well as being tough, its colour is contemporary and striking.
Like with the ceramic, Hublot combines satin brushed and high polished
finishes, which adds depth and character to the watch. This strategy continues on the dial, whose background is
carbon fibre with King gold applied markers and skeletonised hands. The carbon
fibre effect is subtle enough to add a touch more depth without going overboard.
The overall effect, with the six iconic “H” screws in the bezel and four in the
centre lugs, is for a smart case and dial with lots of visual nuance. The
strap, rubberised leather, blends in smoothly and is highly durable and
comfortable. Inside beats a first-rate in-house movement with a 42-hour
power reserve, which is on display through a sapphire caseback. The finishing
on the movement is good and it has a gold balance wheel. As far as its
functionality goes, this is a top class watch and the pushers and crown work
better than many in its category.This 2015 chronograph version of the Classic
Fusion sticks to the original
Replica Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Titanium concept and does it without straying too far from the conservative
tastes of the watchmaking industry. It’s modern, original, high tech and well
made. If there’s one thing that might hold you back here it’s the size. It’s a
45 mm watch, which is certainly on the large side. That said, it carries its
size well and sits tight and firm on the wrist.
