Swiss luxury timepiece-maker Hublot may be considered a “young” player in a market where its competitors have storied histories. But it has already made its mark.
Founded in 1980 by Italian Carlo Crocco (who used to be part of the Binda Group, which makes Breil watches), one of the company’s early successes was a watch that had a natural rubber strap (a first in the history of watch-making back then). Despite a disappointing showing at the renowned timepiece fair in Basel, it soon sold in excess of US$2 million (S$2.79 million) in its first year. To date, Hublot has 50 boutiques all over the world.
In 2005, Hublot’s then-CEO Jean-Claude Biver created a flagship collection called the Hublot Big Bang chronograph. It was an immediate success and orders increased threefold in one year. By the end of that year, the Big Bang chronograph received the 2005 Design Prize in the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix, along with other international awards.
Now, some 10 years later, Hublot is celebrating the Big Bang in a unique way in Singapore. It will be putting up its largest pop-up store in the heart of Orchard Road at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza — an idea that Ricardo Guadalupe, the current CEO of Hublot, credited to its long-time retail partner The Hour Glass.
“With the help of our long-time partner and luxury watch retailer The Hour Glass, Hublot’s presence has stayed strong in Singapore and regionally for the last 30-over years,” he said in an email interview. “This pop-up store is an initiative fronted by The Hour Glass and we cannot be more supportive of this event. It is the largest Hublot pop-up store globally and … visitors can expect to see the world of Hublot on a panoramic scale — from haute horology to craftsmanship and lifestyle gears that Hublot has to offer.”
“Some of Hublot’s latest collections such as the Big Bang Denim and Big Bang Broderie, showcase Hublot’s story of fusion,” said Wong Mei Ling, managing director of The Hour Glass Limited. “Hublot remains the first luxury watch brand to use real denim material in their timepieces, while the Big Bang Broderie is a nod to traditional artisanal lace craftsmanship while combining technical watchmaking — once again celebrating the story of fusion.”
A key highlight of this store, said Guadalupe, is the two limited editions that have been specially created for Singapore. “The first is the Red Dot Bang, a timepiece created in two cases — Hublonium and Yellow Bang. It is a nod to not only the iconic Big Bang that made Hublot the success story it is today, it also showcases Hublot’s strength in material engineering,” he elaborated, adding that it was a limited run. There will be 50 pieces of the Hublonium variant in a tribute to Singapore’s 50th birthday and 10 pieces of the yellow-gold variant at the pop-up store.
“Placing the red ‘10’ index on the dial also holds a dual meaning — it is an homage to Singapore’s national colour and the number (is) to celebrate Big Bang’s 10-year anniversary,” said Guadalupe.
The other timepiece of note is the one-of-a-kind Hublot Manufacture MP-05 La Ferrari Golden Jubilee, which the company calls the “the super machine of all time machines”, adding that it was “a suitable model to develop … for Singapore”. This edition features a gleaming yellow-gold case set with 440 baguette-cut diamonds worth at least 13 carats.
Not surprisingly, Guadalupe was effusive about the experience that visitors could take away from its pop-up event. “With every project that Hublot executes, we want our visitors to feel inspired, to draw from the brand’s dynamism and our bold spirit,” he said, adding: “It is a veritable playpen for all Hublot fans! One that truly showcases the spirit of Hublot. Hosting a pop-up store on such a scale is testament to Hublot’s strong presence in Singapore and the strong partnership that we share.”
