Introducing: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Magic

March 12, 2018

For the first time ever, Hublot is making a watch almost entirely of bright red ceramic. The new material, which Hublot is calling "vibrantly colored ceramic" is a harder, more color-rich ceramic for which they've received a patent (that covers more than just the red you see here). The material has been seen before, as the bezel of the Ferrari Unico Carbon Red Ceramic, however this is the first time the polished red ceramic is being used as the main case material for a watch. This version of the brand's Big Bang Unico chronograph is a limited edition of 500 pieces, though Hublot is saying that there will be lots of variations on this theme in the future. Why This Watch Matters This watch is all about that bright red ceramic. According to Hublot, what allows the ceramic to stay so brightly colored is that it is sintered in a different way that sets the ceramic without burning the added pigment, which would normally dull the color. While I think the recent trend toward casing watches in massive blocks of colored sapphire (another Hublot favorite) is mostly just a fad, I think colored ceramics and high-strength ceramics have the ability to change the way watches are made long term. Whether or not a vivid red chronograph is your bag or not, this watch does have implications that could end up affecting your own watches someday. Initial Thoughts In case you had any doubts, this watch definitely isn't to my personal taste. It's big, it's in-your-face, and it's not ashamed of any of that. That's not really my thing. However, from a material science standpoint, I do find it really interesting. There's a lot more out there than just the usual suspects C steel, titanium, gold, platinum, and the like C and even those can be altered and modified in all kinds of interesting ways. A brand of Hublot's size and industry stature has the resources to really experiment in this direction (with Omega being another notable leader here), and it's good to see them pushing thing. The Basics Brand: HublotModel: Big Bang Unico Red MagicReference Number: 411.CF.8513.RXDiameter: 45mmThickness: 15.45mmCase Material: Polished red ceramic, black ceramic, black composite resinDial Color: Skeletonized with red accentsIndexes: Arabic numerals and batonsLume: Black luminescent material on hands and indexesWater Resistance: 100 metersStrap/Bracelet: Black and red lined rubber strap, black PVD titanium buckle with black ceramic insert The Movement Caliber: Hublot HUB1242Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, flyback chronographDiameter: 30mmPower Reserve: 72 hoursWinding: AutomaticFrequency: 4 Hz (28,800 vph)Jewels: 38Total Components: 330Additional Details: Chronograph uses both a column wheel and a double clutch Pricing & Availability Price: Coming SoonAvailability: Coming SoonLimited Edition: 500 pieces, individually numbered on the casebackFor more click here.