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Hublot Big Bang
Photo by Uhrenhandel.de (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons · stand-in: Hublot Elegant Chronograph 1810, same Hublot brand; Big Bang Unico 44 exact model not on Wikimedia Commons.

The Hublot Big Bang | family history

The Big Bang (2005) is the watch that Jean-Claude Biver used to rebuild Hublot from a near-irrelevant brand into one of the ten largest watch groups by revenue. The design thesis was fusion: rubber gaskets between the lugs and the case, titanium and carbon mixed with ceramic, the porthole case shape amplified to 44mm. The Big Bang was divisive and it still is. If you find it compelling, it is the watch. If you find the aesthetics excessive, the collector case for it rests entirely on the UNICO in-house flyback chronograph caliber, which is a genuinely well-developed manufacture movement at a competitive price for the complication.

Year introduced: 20054 references

Hublot's defining collection and the watch that relaunched the brand in 2005 with the Art of Fusion concept, blending materials (rubber, titanium, ceramic, carbon) in a single aesthetic. The Big Bang porthole bezel with six H-screws is one of the most recognisable contemporary watch designs. The UNICO in-house flyback chronograph caliber (2010) moved the Big Bang into serious movement territory.

1980–2004 · Pre-Biver Hublot

Carlo Crocco founded Hublot in 1980 with the first watch to combine a gold case and a natural rubber strap: the rubber bracelet innovation was real but the brand remained small and boutique. By the early 2000s, Hublot had a reputation as a competent but minor Swiss brand without the commercial momentum of the sport-watch market leaders.

No references from this era in the catalog yet.

2005–2012 · The Biver era and the Big Bang

Jean-Claude Biver joined Hublot in 2004 and launched the Big Bang at BaselWorld 2005. The watch won the Innovation Prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve in 2005 (the first watch to win it). The fusion concept generated the design language: mixed materials, exposed screws, rubber inserts, porthole case. Hublot invested immediately in movement development; the UNICO flyback chronograph caliber followed in 2010.

No references from this era in the catalog yet.

2010–present · The UNICO caliber, the Integral, and the Meca-10

The UNICO HUB1242 (2010) is the in-house column-wheel flyback chronograph caliber that gave the Big Bang Unico its technical credibility beyond the case design. The Big Bang Integral (2019) added the integrated bracelet in the Big Bang case geometry. The Big Bang Meca-10 uses a barrel architecture giving 10-day power reserve, visible through a partially skeletonized dial. These three catalog pieces cover the range from the Unico chronograph flagship to the power-reserve exercise to the integrated-bracelet sport watch.

How to read this family

Three honest questions for any Big Bang buyer:

Related families: Royal Oak

References in this family

Which ref to buy

The Big Bang is the watch that rebuilt Hublot under Jean-Claude Biver from 2004. The fusion of rubber strap with precious or high-tech metal cases, the screwed bezel construction, and the porthole-style case are the identity. Hublot's position in the market is deliberate -- they make watches for buyers who are uninterested in horological tradition.

  1. 1

    Big Bang Integral 40mm -- the integrated bracelet Big Bang; a different register from the standard rubber strap configuration.

    The case for it:
    In-house HUB1213 automatic, 40mm, integrated titanium bracelet. The Integral is the most wearable Big Bang -- the rubber strap is replaced by an integrated bracelet that completes the case architecture. The 40mm size is appropriate for a broader range of wrists than the 44mm versions. If you are evaluating a Big Bang, the Integral is the configuration that ages best.
    Consider instead if:
    Hublot secondary pricing has been under pressure. The Big Bang is a watch to buy for current enjoyment, not as a medium-term store of value.
    Open
  2. 2

    Big Bang Unico 44mm -- the original Big Bang specification with Hublot's in-house flyback chronograph.

    The case for it:
    Cal. HUB1242, in-house flyback chronograph, 44mm, titanium case, rubber strap. The Unico designation marks an in-house Hublot movement -- a significant engineering investment the brand made to stop relying on ébauche suppliers. The 44mm is the specification most associated with the Big Bang identity.
    Consider instead if:
    44mm reads very large on most wrists. The rubber strap, while technically advanced, is the divisive aesthetic element. Try the watch on before committing.
    Open
  3. 3

    Big Bang Meca-10 Titanium 45mm -- the skeleton movement with the 10-day power reserve.

    The case for it:
    Cal. HUB1201, manually wound skeleton, 10-day power reserve displayed on the case side, 45mm titanium. The Meca-10 is the technical statement in the Big Bang line -- the movement architecture is visible and the 10-day reserve is a genuine mechanical achievement.
    Consider instead if:
    45mm is extreme case size. Manual winding on a watch this size. The Meca-10 is a very specific collector choice.
    Open
  4. 4

    Big Bang Unico 44mm Ceramic -- the same chronograph in a black ceramic case.

    The case for it:
    Same HUB1242 movement in a ceramic case. Ceramic is scratch-resistant and maintains finish quality in daily use better than polished steel. The all-black execution is the most dramatic Big Bang configuration.
    Consider instead if:
    Ceramic cases are brittle -- they resist scratches but chip on hard impacts. The titanium is the more durable choice for active wear.
    Open

Rankings last reviewed 2026-06-06. Editorial perspective only. Not financial advice.

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The Hublot Big Bang | family history | Grail Atlas