A big year for Hublot with the 20th anniversary of Big Bang. How has it been?
It’s been absolutely an amazing journey. We’ve been celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Big Bang in a big way, in many, many different locations in the world. And today, we are here for Dubai Watch Week, to make the brand shine all around Middle East. So, super happy to be here.
I mean, we are, launching a special edition made in collaboration with our longtime partner and friend, Seddiqi. The Seddiqi family has been with us for so long, and we decided to make an exception for them, launching a limited edition out of the anniversary pieces, which we haven’t done for anyone else. But here, it’s done in Dubai, and I’m super happy to present that watch.
Two decades has passed since the launch of Big Bang, today it’s an icon of Hublot. What’s your thoughts about it?
It’s an icon. Yes, of course. Big Bang was launched in 2005, 20 years ago. It became the first iconic watch of the 21st century. Now, it’s really recognizable. People know it very well and, it has a bright future ahead of it.
It’s very unapologetic, taking up lots of wrist space. What’s your thoughts around sizing?
You know, I think, first of all, brands have to stay who they are, and they’ve always been trends of smaller, bigger, larger, thicker, thinner. Big Bang, by definition, is big. So you’re never gonna have a small Big Bang. Sure. Yeah. We have the Classic Fusion if you wanna go thinner, more elegant, more this kind of elegant touch that was part of the original Hublot when Mr. Crocco launched the brand. And you have the Big Bang, which is definitely Jean-Claude Biver’s baby, and evolving through time. That is a field of expression. Within the Big Bang collection, you can basically express all the creativity of watchmaking, and that’s the mission of that line.
Speaking on the Classic Fusion, how does that fit into Hublot’s range?
It’s perfect because Classic Fusion is still an innovative concept because at the origin, bringing rubber next to precious metal gold was absolutely amazing in a conservative Swiss watch industry. And still it is. Now, we are working on how to have this, more classic line evolve and going back to its roots, and you’re gonna have a lot of surprises in 2026.
For your first year as CEO of Hublot, how has it been?
It’s been fantastic. You know, I’ve had so much to do, so much to think of, to really prepare the future of the brand. It’s been an incredible journey. It’s a brand that has so much energy, so much to offer. We are very well known for new materials, of course. We were the first one to use sapphire, ceramic, vivid-colored ceramic, et cetera, et cetera. We’re coming with new materials next year as well.
And sometimes, we are not known enough for our watchmaking, and this brand has an incredible watchmaking expertise with great movements. And this year, I’m going to talk more about watchmaking. Because that’s the heart of the watch. And beyond the creativity, the fun, the marketing, there is a very serious watchmaker in this brand.
That’s interesting because Hublot is known as the “Art of fusion”, mixing and even creating new material, mostly the outside rather than the movements inside. How important are the movements for Hublot?
It’s super important. We developed an incredible movement like the Unico that has five patents, which is a great chronograph, probably one of the best on the market. We have the Meca 10, which in terms of construction and design is also incredible with 10 days power reserve. You know, these are amazing achievements. And don’t forget, the brand is only 45 years old. And I’m not even mentioning all the MPs. We will come back with absolutely amazing top high-end MPs, this year. So there is a lot to be done, and you will see.
There will be a lot of work done on the technicity of the brand, on the movement, um, to have quite a unique position within the watch industry.
You’re talking a bit about the future, what are you most excited about for the Hublot future?
Oh, there are so many things. I would say, uh, again, next year we have something strong coming in Classic Fusion. We have a new evolution of the Big Bang, we have great MPs, so I can’t tell you, but we have so many great project to come. Of course, within five years, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the brand. Still young for watch brands. For us, it’s a big deal. And I’m telling you, I’m telling you, we’re gonna do something that will probably change the history of time measurement.
Looking forward 10 years ahead, what would you like people to think about this particular time of Hublot, for the collectors looking back?
I think people will understand better a brand like Hublot. Again, Hublot came from the disruptive door, came by being a rule breaker, or (French), as we say in French, terrible kid. Yes, because we are doing things in a different way. But first of all, Hublot is a fantastic watchmaker, and the watchmaker foundation has to be known by everyone, and we should get the credit we deserve for the watchmaking at Hublot. Then, of course, we’re gonna still be the fun brand. We’re gonna still be the brand that gives you a particular emotion, that will do things in a different way, because this is our DNA, this is our essence. So people will see Hublot in a quite unique position, far away from the traditional, sometimes heritage-oriented-only brand. Hublot will not. Hublot will continue to bring, uh, new things and to build the future of, uh, Swiss watchmaking.
Finally, about the potential misunderstanding you’re alluding to here, do you think that people do not give enough credit for the movements of Hublot?
No, but it’s not so much about the people, it’s about the brand. We’ve been talking so much and we were so well known for creativity, innovation, in terms of design, in terms of new materials, and also, next to a very strong and impactful marketing, that those two assets ca- kind of hid a bit the fantastic work that we’ve been doing on the watchmaking aspect. And now, there is a rebalancing to show that Hublot’s watchmaking is among the best ones you can have in the industry.
And you know my past, I’m coming from more traditional, I would say, very high-end, very movement-oriented brands. And when I joined Hublot, I was amazed to see the treasure we have in terms of movement technicity, but in terms of people and skills, and we don’t talk enough about that. So this is something I’m going to fix.
Read more about watches from Dubai Watch Week here.
