Is the Cartier Santos too dainty for you? A Richard Mille too…well, just too much everything? Hublot may have the solution. While square watches are by no means uncharted territory, the Hublot Square Big Bang Unico marks the first time the Swiss luxury watchmaker has experimented with the silhouette.
Like the brand’s other pieces, the Hublot Square Big Bang Unico takes on modular construction, with a central housing dressed with a lower and upper plate. Although the square case shape initially caused issues with securing water resistance, Hublot has overcome that and guarantees water resistance to 100m. In line with the modular case, the dial utilises sandwich construction, providing a feeling of increased depth and dimension, and giving the watch an architectural feel. Sapphire crystal used throughout shows off the Unico movement.
SIx functional screws adorn the bezel, positioned at the same locations as those on the Big Bang. The Square Big Bang Unico retains the ‘ears’ of the original, protecting the case and adding a sense of balance to the design.
Taking on similar proportions to the classic Big Bang, the Square Unico Big Ban is sized at 42mm and sits similarly on the wrist to its predecessor. There are five variations in case material — solid titanium, black ceramic and titanium, King Gold, black ceramic and King Gold, and the famous all-black ceramic.
Exuding a definitively contemporary feel, the watches are finished with polished and sandblasted screws, over-moulded rubber crown, push-pieces decorated with rubber ‘chocolate squares’, polished satin bottom, and rhodium-plated or 5N gold-plated hands. Each features Hublot’s one-click strap changing system and is presented on a black rubber strap with a folding clasp in the same material as the case. At the heart of each watch is an in-house HUB1280 Unico Manufacture movement.
Words by Esmé Duggan
