Hublot goes velvety smooth with the new Big Bang Original Soft Touch
Russell Sheldrake- Hublot launches a brand new type of rubber on the Big Bang Original Soft Touch.
- Produced using a groundbreaking technique, the extra-soft texture is part of the structure and not just stamped on the surface.
- To debut this new material, Hublot has brought it out in two legendary colourways, All Black and All Red.
Hublot has always been known as a master of materials. And so it will come as no surprise to many that the brand’s latest launch shows them flexing this muscle again with the Big Bang Original Soft Touch. The name Soft Touch comes from this newly developed rubber that wraps itself around the case, bezel, dial, and strap and has been produced in a brand new way that imbues the material with a softer tactile feel. This means that rather than a texture being embossed onto the rubber, the texture is now part of the rubber’s physical makeup. Because we all know that you experience a watch with more than just your eyes, your sense of touch is equally, if not even more important to the enjoyment of a timepiece.
Hublot has brought this new rubber in two of its iconic colours, All Black and All Red. Both shades have been mainstays of the brand’s catalogue since their launch. The All Black, originally launched back in 2006, made a statement through reduction. Colour was no longer needed for a watch to say something; the monochromatic look instantly captured the imagination of Hublot clients worldwide. And now with this Soft Touch rubber, what we are lacking in visual vibrancy, we now get in tactile pleasure. The All Red was the first time Hublot demonstrated that it was able to develop colours into ceramics like no one else. The bold colour that dominated the watch stood out from the rest of the industry. Now wrapped in Soft Touch, that colourful masterclass can be enjoyed through a second sense.
Hublot has chosen to the Big Bang Original as the framework on which to debut this new material as it runs on the brand’s in-house Unico chronograph movement with dual clutch architecture and 72 hours of power reserve. The case measures 43mm across, a sensible size for a good sports chronograph, but you are certainly not going to miss it when on the wrist. The structure of the case and its various components is made out of titanium, with this new rubber then moulded on top. This means you are getting 100m of water resistance at just 13.2mm thick.
The velvety feel of this Soft Touch rubber is like nothing we have ever seen in the watch world before. And we have seen some watches made out of incredibly creative materials over the years. But to conceive of a watch that feels luxurious to the touch without leaning on precious metals is a stroke of genius. And by coating the dial in this same rubber, you get a perfect colour match from the strap, to the case and into the dial itself. I would pose the question of not knowing how well this material will age, but knowing the rigourous tests that Hublot’s material science team put their watches through, I have no doubt that this is something you would enjoy for years to come.
Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch pricing and availability
The new Hublot Big Bang Original Soft Touch All Black and All Red are available now. Price: US$24,900.
| Brand | Hublot |
| Model | Big Bang Original Soft Touch All Black Big Bang Original Soft Touch All Red |
| Case Dimensions | 43mm (D) x 13.2mm (T) |
| Case Material | Titanium wrapped in Soft Touch rubber |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Soft Touch rubber black Soft Touch rubber red |
| Strap | Black rubber topped with Soft Touch rubber black, titanium deployant buckle Black rubber topped with Soft Touch rubber red, titanium deployant buckle |
| Movement | HUB 1280 Unico, automatic, in-house |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$24,900 |