For over two decades, Hublot has championed the “Art of Fusion,” a design philosophy that marries unexpected materials—ranging from traditional precious metals and high-tech ceramics to natural rubber and space-age sapphire—into cohesive, high-impact visual statements. Yet, watchmaking has historically been an ocular-centric discipline. Timepieces are admired for their polished bevels, brushed sunburst dials, and the mesmerizing mechanical ballet visible through sapphire casebacks.
With the introduction of the Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch, the Swiss luxury maison is asking collectors to reconsider how a watch feels. More than just a surface-level treatment or a temporary spray coating, Hublot has successfully integrated a microscopic, textured rubber compound directly into the physical architecture of the Big Bang. The result is a bold transformation of the iconic design into an immersive, velvety sensory experience that demands to be touched as much as it is admired.
Main Facts: The Anatomy of the Soft Touch
The new Big Bang Original Soft Touch arrives in two distinct, high-contrast iterations: All Red and All Black. Both models are built around a robust yet lightweight 43mm titanium case that measures 13.2mm in thickness.
Rather than relying on superficial flocking or paints that degrade over time, Hublot utilizes a dedicated overmoulding process. Using custom-engineered tooling, a microscopically textured rubber compound composed of thousands of fine micro-elements is fused directly onto the watch’s architecture. This silky, velvet-like compound doesn’t merely sheath the case; it blankets the entire exterior and interior ecosystem of the watch—including the screw-down crown, the rectangular chronograph pushers, the bezel secured by its signature six H-shaped titanium screws, the caseback, the dial, and the strap.
Key Specifications at a Glance:
- Case: 43mm x 13.2mm titanium, fully overmoulded with a red or black velvet-effect rubber compound. 100m water-resistance.
- Dial: Rubber compound dial featuring a stamped chequered carbon-fibre pattern, applied stencil-like Arabic numerals, and Super-LumiNova filled hands and indices.
- Movement: In-house HUB1280 Unico automatic flyback chronograph with column wheel; 354 components, 72-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800 vph (4Hz).
- Strap: Interchangeable velvet-effect rubber strap with a classic lozenge pattern, paired with a titanium deployant buckle and Hublot’s patented One-Click system.
- Pricing & Availability: Permanent collection; priced at CHF 20,700 / EUR 24,400 / USD 24,900 / GBP 19,600.
Chronology: Tracing the Legacy of the Big Bang
To understand the significance of the Soft Touch editions, one must trace the evolutionary timeline of Hublot’s most definitive collection.
- 2005: The birth of the Big Bang. Designed under the leadership of Jean-Claude Biver, the original Big Bang shocked and captivated the industry with its layered "sandwich" construction, bold bezel, and unapologetic fusion of rubber and steel. It established stencil-style Arabic numerals and lateral composite resin bumpers as hallmarks of modern sports watch design.
- 2006: Hublot launched the groundbreaking monochromatic All Black model. Disrupted by the concept of "invisible visibility"—a watch where black coated elements rendered time reading secondary to sheer aesthetic dominance—it inadvertently created a modern horological craze for stealth aesthetics.
- 2018: Hublot achieved a major metallurgical breakthrough by developing vividly colored high-tech ceramic, culminating in the striking Red Ceramic Big Bang. This proved the brand’s relentless ambition to conquer challenging pigments at a molecular level.
- 2026 (Present Day): The debut of the Big Bang Original Soft Touch. By fusing tactile engineering with visual legacy, Hublot bridges the monochromatic stealth of 2006 and the vibrant ceramic mastery of 2018, wrapping both concepts in a revolutionary tactile envelope.
Supporting Data: Engineering and Mechanics
Beneath the velvety, tactile exterior lies a powerhouse of modern Swiss watchmaking. The Big Bang Original Soft Touch is driven by the CALIBRE HUB1280 Unico, an in-house integrated automatic flyback chronograph movement equipped with a column wheel.
Comprising 354 individual components and 43 jewels, the movement features a contemporary silicon escapement to ensure long-term resistance against magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations. It beats at a standard high frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4Hz) and delivers a robust 72-hour power reserve. Through the sapphire crystal caseback, owners can admire the openworked tungsten rotor and the meticulous mechanical finishing.
The dial layout remains thoroughly functional despite its avant-garde material composition. Stamped with a racy, raised chequered pattern that emulates carbon fibre, the rubber dial hosts a 60-minute elapsed time sub-dial at 3 o’clock and a running seconds indicator at 9 o’clock. A neatly integrated date window is angled between 4 and 5 o’clock, maintaining symmetry. Both the hands and the applied stencil numerals are generously treated with Super-LumiNova inserts, ensuring high legibility even in low-light environments.
Furthermore, practicality has not been sacrificed for avant-garde styling. The watches retain a reliable 100-meter water resistance, and strap changes are executed effortlessly via Hublot’s patented One-Click system, integrated discreetly into the top and bottom of the case structure.
Official Responses and Design Philosophy
Hublot’s product development teams have emphasized that the Big Bang Original Soft Touch is an exercise in pushing material boundaries past traditional sensory limitations.
In official statements accompanying the launch, the brand noted that the watch was "designed to be seen and felt." The challenge for engineers was not merely finding a soft material, but ensuring that a pliable, velvety rubber compound could withstand the rigors of daily wear without peeling, wearing smooth, or trapping debris.
By utilizing a specialized overmoulding process with custom-engineered tooling, Hublot’s engineers ensured that the micro-textured elements are anchored permanently into the substrate of the watch case. This eliminates the degradation associated with older soft-touch coatings found in consumer electronics or automotive interiors.
"We are challenging the eye by inviting the hand," a Hublot spokesperson shared regarding the project. "When you hold a Big Bang, you expect cold metal, hard ceramic, or smooth sapphire. Introducing a warm, tactile, velvet-like grip alters your relationship with the object entirely."
Implications: What the Soft Touch Means for Haute Horlogerie
The release of the Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch carries several implications for the broader luxury watch market:
- The Rise of Multi-Sensory Luxury: While complications like minute repeaters have long engaged the sense of hearing, and tactile bezels have aided navigation, wristwatches have rarely explored touch as a primary design narrative. Hublot’s innovation opens the door for other manufacturers to explore tactile texturing, moving beyond visual finishes (guilloché, satin-brushing, sandblasting) into haptic design.
- Durability Meets Novelty: By rejecting simple spray-on soft-touch paints in favor of a structural overmoulding process, Hublot has answered potential critics concerned about longevity. If this proprietary rubber compound proves durable against sweat, UV exposure, and friction over years of wear, it could become a staple material for future rugged or sports-oriented lines.
- Solidifying Permanent Appeal: Notably, Hublot has chosen to place both the All Red and All Black Soft Touch editions into its permanent collection rather than limiting them as short-run novelties. At a retail price point hovering around $24,900 USD, these pieces target dedicated collectors looking to add a truly unique conversation starter to their rotation—proving that even after two decades, the Big Bang template remains endlessly adaptable.
