How Tattoo Art Inspired Hublot’s New Limited-Edition Big Bang Watch
To reinterpret its signature Big Bang, Hublot turned to a surprising source of inspiration: tattoos.
The luxury watchmaker teamed with its Swiss compatriot Maxime Plescia-Büchi and his multi-disciplinary creative agency, Sang Bleau, to create a timepiece that draws as much on abstract body art as it does on traditional horology. Plescia-Büchi is a revered tattoo artist, who’s worked on the likes of Kanye West, and a creative director who developed an aesthetic hallmark based on intricate––and often geometric––linework. Together they created the limited-edition Big Bang Sang Bleu II with every element an intentional nod to Plescia-Büchi’s previous work.
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“The work of Maxime Plescia-Büchi assumes its full symbolic significance in this piece, with the new editions bearing the colors of Sang Bleu,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot’s CEO, in a press release. “This transposition of his geometric art, almost architectural in its structure, onto a watch illustrates the very best of the Art of Fusion”
Available in either 18K King gold or titanium, the 45mm case is 16.5mm thick and water-resistant up to 100 meters, which may be surprising given its delicate appearance. Turn it over and the satin-finished case back also features a sapphire crystal window so viewers can gain a glimpse of its fine inner workings. But that doesn’t make the skeleton hands tracing their way across the front dial any less impressive. And all of it is powered by an in-house 1240.MXM self-winding chronograph flyback movement with 38 jewels and a 72-hour power reserve.
The matte dial, just like the smooth rubber strap, is a deep shade of blue. While that may initially seem like a conservative choice made for its versatility, it is actually a reference to the dark lapis-colored ink Plescia-Büchi uses in the majority of his tattooing work. And it looks just as beautiful translated here.
Head over to the brand’s website to purchase one of your own. The 18K gold version sells for $47,300 while the titanium model sells for $25,200. Both are available with diamond settings at an additional cost.
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