In pictures: Hublot Square Bang Unico in King gold and ceramic

0 0 Friday 5 July 2024 Edit this post

With the new Square Bang Unico, launched in 2022, Hublot added a fourth shape to its watch collections, with square models joining their round watches, barrel-shaped watches and MPs, their uniquely shaped Master Pieces.

We recently had the opportunity to capture images of the bold-looking Square Bang Unico in King gold and ceramic (ref. 821.OM.0180.RX) at the Pisa 1940 flagship store in Milan, and we are now delighted to share them with our readers.

Pisa 1940 stands as the largest watch dealer in Italy, a renowned name among international watch collectors familiar with auctions. Many prestigious watch brands, such as Patek Philippe, F.P. Journe, IWC, and others, have created exclusive editions for this historic retailer. The Hublot Square Bang Unico model in question, like other creations of the Swiss brand, is also available through their online platform.

Square watches are more challenging to develop than round watches for a number of reasons.

Mechanical calibres, with their round wheels as their basic components, are challenging to fit harmoniously into square cases. This is why movements in most square or rectangular watches are often hidden.

Accepting this challenge, Hublot specially developed the in-house HUB1280 Unico movement for the Square Bang Unico and proudly showcased both its sides. This 354-component automatic chronograph beats at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and offers a power reserve of 72 hours.

Additionally, guaranteeing waterproofness for a square shape is more challenging compared to a round case, and the typical modular construction of Hublot cases made things even more complex.

Nonetheless, thanks to its experience, Hublot successfully created a square case that is water-resistant up to a pressure of 10 bar (approximately 100 meters / 330 feet).

The 42 mm x 14.5 mm case is characterised by a square bezel with six functional screws placed at exactly the same places as on the round Big Bang. On either side of the Square Bang, we find the typical ‘ears’, not merely an aesthetic element but also a protection for the case.

The model we were able to photograph combines King Gold with a black ceramic bezel, offering a sporty yet luxurious look. King Gold is a special alloy composed of 18K gold with 5% platinum added to make the color more intense.

The Square Bang Unico is also available in four other versions: black ceramic (250-piece limited edition), titanium, titanium with a black ceramic bezel, and full King Gold.

Protected by a sapphire crystal the openworked multi-level dial reveals the mechanisms of the movement, including the chronograph column wheel at 6 o’clock.

Details include: polished and sandblasted screws, over-moulded rubber crown, push-pieces decorated with rubber ‘chocolate squares’, and 5N gold-plated hands and hour markers, all filled with Super-LumiNova for optimal readability even in low light conditions.

The watch is paired with a black rubber strap and a folding clasp matching the case materials. The textured pattern includes four rows (like the four sides of the case) of raised squares.

The piece featured in our pictures was photographed at the Pisa 1940 flagship store in Milan and is available through their online platform. hublot.com