HANDS-ON: The Hublot One Click Range explores the Swiss brand’s feminine side
Fergus NashHublot has a reputation that it upholds firmly. It’s one of masculinity, industrial design, and a sporty capability reinforced by adorning the wrists of celebrity athletes. While this reputation has been integral to their personality since their rise in the 1980s, this love-it-or-hate-it image has caused a massive divide amongst watch fans. Even their Millennial Pink, a specifically gender neutral watch, used the 42mm Unico design that carries a lot of military connotations visually. Therefore, Hublot using their 33mm One Click range as an avenue to explore a different side of watches can only be a good thing.
The Hublot One Click King Gold Diamonds releases further explore the Swiss brand’s feminine side, without losing the sporty architectural edge that is their hallmark. Although at first glance they may seem like fairly bland options in monochromatic white or black variants, they are strategically neutral watches to be paired with any number of Hublot’s straps. The titular One Click strap changing system is as easy as it gets to swap them out depending on your mood, whether it’s for green rubber, pink leather, or something even more outlandish. If you’re not sure about which watch might match your outfit, you’re bound to find something that works among the Hublot strap catalogue.
The dial
Of course, Hublot aren’t going to deviate entirely from their winning formula, with these watches having a very similar dial layout to the aforementioned Unico watches. The Arabic numerals evoke a stencil-like design which has that military affiliation, but represented in King Gold seems a lot less aggressive than it otherwise would in silver over a skeletonised movement. The white variation is definitely much prettier than the black version, and would certainly stand out more on the wrist depending on the context. The semi-skeletonised hands also do a great job of retaining the semblance of sportiness in an otherwise quite flashy watch.
The case
The cases of the Hublot One Click King Gold Diamonds also do well to straddle the line between dressy and sporty, with the typical Hublot style of fat lugs with flat facets somehow not being undermined by the diminutive 33mm case diameter. The sports aspect is ultimately dictated by the artful blockiness that Hublot have become synonymous with, and the neat brushing and polishing that maintain the tool-watch aesthetic despite the 18K King Gold lustre. As well as the looks, it boasts sports credentials as well, with 100m of water resistance and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
The dressy aspect is no doubt due to the 36 diamonds that are set around the trademark H-shaped bezel screws, and although these catch the light brilliantly, they match especially well with the white dial model. The ceramic ears and sides of the case also bring the watch further away from an all-out fancy dress mode, emphasising the daily beatings which it’s perfectly capable of taking.
The movement
There’s a bit of an unspoken agreement among Time+Tide writers to avoid the term “workhorse movement”, but alas it’s sometimes unavoidable. While the Hublot in-house calibre HUB1120 is definitely a vast upgrade over the Seiko NH35 or the ETA 2824, it is a solid time and date movement that can be seen through the sapphire caseback, beating away at 28,800 vibrations per hour for a power reserve of about 40 hours. There’s not a lot that’s been said of this movement, as it does a simple job well, and it’s also thin enough to keep the whole watch below 11mm thick.
The straps
As with almost anything on the planet, if there’s an online configurator involved, then you can get lost in it for ages. The Hublot strap configurator is no different, and due to the monochrome nature of the black and white dial options, you can really get away with some pretty bold choices without clashes. The ability to swap out a rubber strap for alligator leather drastically increases the versatility of the watch, without the need to compromise on either end. In terms of pricing, the rubber varieties begin at $630AUD while the calfskin straps go up to $790, and then $955 for proper alligator scale. These are high prices for straps to be sure, but given that the watch itself costs $32,200, your budget can most likely stretch to afford a healthy collection.
The verdict
Whether you’re tired of the constant flood of dainty “women’s” watches but still want a taste of the glamour, or you’re just looking for something flashy to stand out without being overbearing on the wrist, the Hublot Big Bang One Click King Gold Diamonds could be a great option for you. As mentioned, the price tag isn’t exactly subtle, especially once you’ve added a few extra straps to your cart, but if you’ve got the funds and the desire then you’ll get a sure-fire head-turner for your wrist.
The Hublot Big Bang One Click King Gold Diamonds pricing and availability:
The Hublot Big Bang One Click King Gold Diamonds is currently available from Hublot dealers for $32,200AUD