hublot big bang unico teak italia independent closeup

BIG BANG UNICO TEAK ITALIA INDEPENDENT

SAILING WITH THE WIND

Blending styles and materials, this limited edition gives material form to the art of fusion cherished by the Swiss watchmakers and by the grandson of Gianni Agnelli, the founder of the Italia Independent studio.

After a first limited edition unveiled in 2015, Hublot and Italia Independent, Lapo Elkan’s design agency, are pursuing their artistic collaboration with a new model, the Big Bang Unico Teak Italia Independent. This watch pays homage to the seafaring past of a major figure in Italian industry, Gianni Agnelli. The Turin businessman was a passionate fan of sailing. His boats, the Azura and the Agneta, attracted attention with their elegant designs. The hull of the Tiketitoo, a sublime 27m-long Wally yacht, had a colour between orange and gold. And in the Stealth, the winner of the Fastnet Race in 2001, carbon and composite materials were omnipresent. These multiple details are embodied on the new chronograph. The 45mm-wide case and its monopushers are made of King Gold, a gold-platinum alloy with a warm tone. The hour and minute hands, the counters and the hour markers are coated in orange lume. The bezel is made of teak wood and features an elegant ship’s bridge pattern.

hublot big bang unico teak italia independent closeupAt the core of this watch is a self-winding movement with a flyback feature resulting in easier use of the chronograph elements. Once fully wound, the calibre provides up to 72 hours of power reserve.

100 pieces of this Big Bang have been produced. It is available in a gift box including a pair of Italia Independent sunglasses and two straps. The first, inspired by the world of sailing, is made of rubber, with carbon fibre and Kevlar sail canvas. The second is orange and striped, and completely made of rubber.

Price: 38,900 CHF www.hublot.com

By Dan Diaconu