Strong Feelings About the New Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch

We went into Geneva Watch Days expecting to see new innovations in case construction. After all, mixing up materials was a big trend at this year’s Watches and Wonders as brands reacted to upgrades in technology (fun) as well as rising precious-metal costs and supply chain issues (not so fun).

Of course, with a motto like “The Art of Fusion,” all eyes are on Hublot when it comes to innovation. Still, we weren’t anticipating its latest combo: the new Big Bang Original Soft Touch with a textured rubber compound applied across the titanium case, bezel, dial, and strap.

Of course, this finish has a unique look, but more importantly, it creates a unique tactile finish. Let’s take a closer look.

Touchy Feely

How does a brand keep its classic designs feeling fresh? Structurally, the new Big Bang Original Soft Touch from Hublot stays faithful to the original 2005 Big Bang. However, looks can be deceiving, as its inner workings have been re-engineered to reflect twenty years of technological innovation.

Still, the breakthrough here is the unique microscopic surface structure that covers the titanium case. Hublot says this rubbery compound is “composed of thousands of fine micro-elements, creating an exceptional softness to the touch while preserving durability and resistance.” The brand is so confident in this new finish that it is offering a “5+5 warranty program,” one of the most extensive in the industry, with coverage of up to ten years.

Senses Working Overtime

Available in All Black and All Red (a nod to Hublot’s iconic ceramic color signatures), these 43mm editions feature a few other tweaks.

The dial uses the same soft-touch compound and features a carbon pattern, raised counters, and tone-on-tone rehaut (flange). This layering of details is designed to make the display readable through depth and contrast.

The Soft Touch also features refined finishes such as beveled edges, smoother, curved lugs, a rubber-clad crown, and rectangular pushers with rubber inserts. Meanwhile. The integrated rubber straps employ Hublot’s One Click system for ease of interchangeability.

The Soft Touch may feel gentle on the wrist, but it is powered by Hublot’s hardy in-house chronograph caliber, the Unico. Hold it to your ear, and you can hear the integrated column wheel found in the movement’s dual-clutch architecture, which also has an optimized gear train and a skeletonized tungsten rotor ticking away in this layered mechanism. It also delivers a 72-hour power reserve and is water-resistant to 100m.

Pricing & Availability

For collectors, the experience continues beyond the Soft Touch itself. It comes in a presentation case featuring a matching textured Hublot logo, echoing the tactile identity of the watch’s soft-touch rubber.

The new Big Bang Original Soft Touch collection is priced at CHF 20,700 and is available at selected Hublot points of sale and online.

For more information, check out Hublot’s website.