When Hublot announced its collaboration with Sang Bleu, a tattoo studio based in London, many were curious how this collaboration was going to pan out. This is perhaps one of the first time we see a tattoo studio having a hand in the design of a timepiece, especially one as famous and iconic as the Hublot Big Bang.
Sang Bleu is a high-profile tattoo studio having served superstars such as Kanye West as well as collaborations with fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga. Maxime Büchi, founder of Sang Bleu Tattoo Studio, was tasked to design the Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu.
In his design, Maxime wanted to reflect the commonality both Hublot and Sang Bleu shared which was the principle of “fusion”, in their manner of building bridges between materials, techniques and cultures.
The Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu features a collaboration that builds bridges between materials, techniques and cultures.
Case, Dial and Hands
The Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu is distinctive in its design, featuring bevelled lines and a unique hexagonal shape which is not commonly found in most watches. The design cues of the Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, embodying harmony and proportion in its design.
The timepiece was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, embodying harmony and proportion in its design.
The case measures at 45 mm and is engraved with geometric designs made by Maxime Büchi, the bezel of the Big Bang sees its roundness shaped into a hexagon.
The Sang Bleu features numerals created by Maxime Büchi’s typeface-design agency SwissTypefaces SARL.
What we found to be unique on the dial of the Sang Bleu were the numerals which were created by Maxime Büchi’s typeface-design agency SwissTypefaces SARL as well as the use of three rhodium-plated octagonal-shaped discs. The largest disc indicates the hours while the smaller one indicates the minutes and to make it easier, the tip of the hours and minutes octagons are coated in white Superluminova, enhancing its legibility.
The tip of the hours and minutes octagons are coated in white Superluminova, enhancing the dial’s legibility.
The Movement
The Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu is powered by the Unico HUB1213 mechanical movement with automatic winding. The HUB1213 also features an impressive power reserve of up to 72 hours and includes a total of 28 jewels and 255 components.
The re-engineered movement of the Hublot Sang Bleu allows for the function of the discs and the display of the triangular element, one which is unique to Sang Bleu.
The movement was redesigned to feature the triangular codes of the Sang Bleu logo and the re-engineering of the movement also allows for the telling of time through discs.
Concluding Thoughts
The Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu is an interesting release from Hublot, showcasing great aesthetics. We like the creativity being displayed in its design, drawing great inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man and fresh ideas from Maxime Büchi’s experience as a tattoo artist.
The Sang Bleu comes in a limited release of 200 pieces and retails at USD $18,800. The timepiece comes with a leather strap featuring geometric inscriptions by Maxime Büchi, giving the watch a complete look.
1 Comment
Sacre bleu!