Replica Suppliers Pre-Basel 2014: Introducing the Hublot Spirit of the Big Bang, powered by the Zenith El Primero (with specs and price)

The Hublot Classic Fusion 45mm Chronograph East Coast Bronze includes two straps, one in black rubber and brown calf leather broadly embossed with geometric patterns, and the other in black rubber and brown alligator leather with an embossed Hublot emblem but no other detailing. The case is water-resistant to 5 bar (approximately 50m), which is fine for the occasional immersion but not acceptable for swimming with. The caseback is created from micro-blasted black ceramic to avoid the bronze coming into contact with the wearer’s skin, and decorated with Eaton’s art of the Wall Street themed bull theme. Powering this view is the HUB1143 motion, which is a Hublot-branded ETA 2892-A2 with a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module. The vibrant use of blues and reds for the art on every caseback shows a frequent heritage of eye-catching street art from the Hush and Tristan Eaton, but there the similarities end. The Hublot Classic Fusion 45mm Chronograph East Coast Bronze is by far the traditionally-styled of both, offering higher legibility, a cleaner dial, and a rich golden tone that does a fantastic job of catching the “Fortune” design goal. For those with a keener interest in the movement, the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang West Coast Ceramic Black and White brings the outstanding El Primero high-beat caliber into the table, Together with a more avant-garde layout strategy.
The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang West Coast Ceramic Black and White looks at first glance very similar to something produced by Richard Mille, together with the skeletonized dial and tonneau-shaped case. This is a chronograph watch, although such isn’t immediately apparent due to the discreet black pushers and a lot of detail about the dial which originally can distract the eye from the chronograph’s registers. Featured at 3 o’clock is the 30-minute counter, followed by a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, also operating seconds at 9 o’clock, which can be signed with Hush’s name. An exposed date ring runs the periphery of the dial, framed by a perforated white border at 4:30. The fundamental second hand comes with a Hublot-logo counterweight and black-plated tip with a thin strip of white luminescent material, which also features on the chronograph register hand and hands markers.The case of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang West Coast Ceramic Black and White is made of micro-blasted black porcelain, which ought to provide the eye with great scratch resistance. Maintaining the monochromatic theme is a contrasting white porcelain bezel, affixed to the case using six titanium screws with a polished black PVD coating. The case measures 42mm in diameter and is 14.10mm thick, and although Hublot have not specified the situation length, I anticipate this watch will wear quite big. The case is also water-resistant to 10 ATM (roughly 100m) which combined with the challenging ceramic should make this a capable sports watch. Note, however, that although ceramic is very hard, it is also brittle, which is an issue for a watch which stands 14.10mm tall and may thus be prone to knocking against items.

Hublot’s new Spirit of the Big Bang is a tonneau shaped chronograph in the typical Hublot style, with lots of carbon fibre, kevlar and fusion, and  but what sets it apart is the 36,000 bph Zenith El Primero movement inside.

For the new Spirit of the Big Bang chronograph, Hublot has relied on its sister company in LVMH for the movement. The HUB 4700 movement inside is actually the Zenith El Primero, running at its trademark 36,000 bph, but with skeletonised components to keep it in line with the Hublot aesthetic. With this, every watch brand of LVMH now uses the El Primero in one form or another. Measuring 51 mm by 45 mm, the Spirit of the Big Bang has a sandwich case construction like all Hublot watches. It has a black resin middle with alloy plates front and back. 

Available in King Gold (a rose gold alloy) or titanium, with the option of a black ceramic bezel in both metals, the Spirit of the Big Bang is delivered on a rubber strap covered in alligator. The Spirit of the Big Bang retails for US$24,000 USD in titanium and US$47,000 King Gold. That’s a hard to swallow price tag, considering what a Zenith with the same movement costs in gold (with an annual calendar to boot) or even carbon fibre.