LVMH Watch Week: Hublot Sees Clearly In 2021 With Two Crazy Cool Tinted Sapphire Novelties

Hublot is no stranger to the Art of Fusion. For years, the brand has been pushing the limits of material innovations. As we saw at LVMH Watch Week 2020, Hublot isn’t shy about working with materials as wide-ranging as gold leaf, rainbow sapphires, and their hallmark "metals" magic gold, ceramic, and sapphire.

For LVMH Watch Week 2021, Hublot released a flurry of novelties that are sure to garner much ink, whether digital or print. Today, we take a look at two of the talking pieces that Hublot released at LVMH Watch Week. Coincidentally, both of these novelties feature Hublot’s proprietary tinted-sapphire.

In 2021, Hublot revisits its MP-11 model and encases the movement for the first time in Magic Gold and Blue Sapphire. Visible through the curved sapphire crystal, the MP-11’s remarkably designed seven series-coupled barrels provide a 14-day power reserve.
 

The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 is more than a watch. It is a movement hidden within a watch case. Comprised of 270 pieces, the HUB9011 calibre features other notable technical achievements such as black platinum bridges and a silicon escapement. To transmit the power between the horizontally aligned barrels to the escapement and finally to the hour and minute display located at 12 o'clock, Hublot has integrated a 90-degree helical worm gear – a system rarely used in watchmaking. The technical sophistication level mirrors a supercar, which is fitting since Hublot said in a press release that the MP-11 was "inspired by the world of motor racing."
 

Both versions of the Big Bang MP-11 are sized at 45mm with a thickness of just 14.40mm. Considering the movement itself is only 10.92mm, the overall execution of the Big Bang MP-11 is quite an achievement. My favorite of the two MP-11 pieces released in 2021 is the blue-tinted sapphire cased version. This new translucent blue version joins previous versions made in high-tech red ceramic and green SAXEM.
 

Priced at $132,000 and limited to just 50 pieces, the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Blue Sapphire is sure to set Hublotista’s hearts and wrists aflame. We’ll have more coverage on the Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold in the coming days, but we can confirm it’s priced at $89,500.
 

As Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe confirmed at the digital press conference for LVMH Watch Week, the new Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire is the most significant talking piece for the 2021 edition of the physical/virtual show. For the first time in watchmaking, Hublot has managed to produce an orange-tinted sapphire crystal. But the brand didn't stop there. Hublot also managed to create an entirely new tourbillon movement (calibre MHUB6035) to power this tangerine-colored dream watch.
 

In a press release, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe said: “In line with its winning spirit, Hublot has produced a new exceptional innovation by unveiling the world's very first case in orange sapphire. Our manufacture has also reaffirmed its watchmaking expertise by unveiling a new automatic tourbillon calibre, entirely designed and manufactured in-house. The spectacularly visible dial side architecture underscores the innovative design of the watch. The "Art of Fusion" in all its glory according to Hublot.”
 

Hublot managed to produce this unique orange tint via the use of titanium and chromium. In the past, the brand's proprietary manufacturing processing has produced other vivid sapphire colors such as red, blue, and yellow. Still, the new Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire is the first to use orange. Furthermore, the brand has produced three sapphire bridges visible on the watch's dial side.
 

The new MHUB6035 calibre that powers the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire boasts a power reserve of 72 hours and is wound by a 22-carat gold micro-rotor placed at 12 o'clock. Plus, Hublot's signature open-worked movement design allows nearly obstruction-free viewing of this remarkable movement.
 

The watch is sized at 45mm and comes paired with a color-matched transparent rubber strap. Limited to 50 pieces, the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire is priced at $169,000.

(Images © Hublot)