Hublot is a watch brand that many associate with young money and style. I consider it the Lamborghini of watches.
History
The Swiss luxury watchmaker that was founded in 1980 by an Italian, Mr. Carlo Crocco. Hublot is most notably remembered for birthing the “Fusion” concept just a few months after the company was founded.
With almost forty years on the watch market, Hublot has grown tremendously.
Right now Hublot has over 80 boutiques all over the world, and, in February of 2007, Hublot opened its first mono-brand store in Paris, France.
Soon thereafter, Hublot opened flagship stores all over the world, the most famous being in London, Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boca Raton, Las Vegas, New York City, and Dallas.
Movement/Design
Most people recognize Hublot for the impact it has on a wrist, but I love it for the impact it has on my bank account.
Though I try not to get emotional about my watches, I have had the most difficult time letting go of my Hublot timepieces.
They radiate an essence of money, presence, and power that comes along with wearing them. They are sporty, lightweight, and recognizable to those who know watches and those who are clueless (thanks, Jay-Z).
The Hublot Big Bang is masculine, sporty, and dynamic.
The main design element of the watch is “fusion.” Fusion is about the combining of different materials into one solid piece.
The Big Bang has always been about combining unlikely materials together in each watch.
You will see the Big Bang time pieces aren’t defined as being just steel, gold, or otherwise, but rather as a combination of materials such as titanium, ceramic, and rubber mixed together.
Now, their movement is not the best nor most high-end when compared to a Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, or even a simple Rolex… and because of that, Hublot have come under a lot of scrutiny in the past from watch enthusiasts.
Using a basic ETA movement in most of their pieces made people wonder why they were paying 5-figures for one of the most mass-produced and inorganic Swiss movements.
Others disagree, however, arguing “if it’s not broken why fix it?”
The ETA movement used in present day Hublot’s is similar to even some Patek Philippe watches. So while it is truly a case of ‘to-each-their-own’, more movement-based watch collectors are quick to turn their noses at Hublot pieces.
However, with the release of the Unico, Hublot gifted the watch it’s very first in-house movement to be widely produced throughout the model, named the HUB1242.
Though Hublot had been making in-house movements previously, they kept them on reserve for the more exclusive models like the tourbillons.
The movement offers that of the well known Valjoux 7750 and then some, giving the watch a 72 hour power reserve, along with flyback chronograph mechanics.
It was just in time too, ETA just announced that they will no longer being supplying their movements kits to anyone that isn’t their parent company: Swatch Group.
So rather than relying on another supplier who may make an inferior movement Hublot made a smart decision to begin building their own movements.
This decision also propelled the Hublot brand into a higher standing in the watch market, having their quality of product and movement sync up in value for all watch lovers to enjoy.
With all this being said, one can’t help but recognize that when it comes to Hublot their design and usability is unparalleled for the $7k-$15k range.
Model Differences
With over 10 years in production, the amount of Big Bang’s that have hit the market are astounding.
They have come in about every color, material, and size you can think of. So when it comes to purchasing one it is best to really know what you are buying:
Hublot Big Bang: The hallmark watch we have been referring to this entire article. Comes in variations of colors and materials in either 41 or 44mm case sizing.
Aero Bang: The Aero Bang keeps the same size and design of the Big Bang, but has the skeleton dial instead, allowing you to see the inner movements of the watch while it sits on your wrist. The Aero Bang is only featured in the 44mm case sizing.
Classic Fusion: The Classic Fusion is actually a completely separate designed watch from Hublot, but still is confused with the Big Bang some how.
The look is much different, much more subtle and classy with just a plain face with slatted lines to serve as time indicators.
The Classic Fusion comes in the different colors and materials (keeping the “fusion” element of design consistent through the brand).
The case sizings come in 33mm, 38mm, 42mm, and 45mm making it a unisex watch depending on size. However the chronograph form of the Classic Fusion only comes in 42mm and 45 mm.
Aero Fusion: Though built from the Classic Fusion model, the Aero Fusions presence is anything but simple.
It is one of the more pronounced watches of the Hublot brand and offer tremendous wrist presence.
The Aero Fusion is the skeleton version of the Classic Fusion, that comes in a variation of colors and materials, but tries to keep more traditional with the steel, rose gold, ceramic, and black themes. The Aero Fusion comes in three variations however:
- Aero Fusion – 45mm Only
- Aero Fusion Moonphase – 42mm and 45mm
- Aero Fusion Chronograph – 45mm
Unico: The Unico was the first watch to receive Hublot’s in-house movement.
It was designed with big presence and a sporty look in mind with a much bolder face and skeleton dial.
The Unico keeps Fusion theme in mind and truly embraces numerous different colors into its variations. The Unicos can be found in both 42mm and 45mm case sizings.
King Power: The King Power is a variation of the Big Bang Unico, with not much changing besides the sheer size of the watch. Still carrying over the skeleton dial and bold face the King Power is 48mm in size versus the regular Unico’s 42-45mm sizing.
Best Models To Buy
Since Hublot’s release, they have come out with many different models in hundreds of variations. So when it comes to the watch flipping aspect, there are only a certain number of Hublot models that actually can be bought and flipped for a profit:
Big Bang
The Big Bang model was the brainchild of Sea Claude Biver, released at Basel in 2005.
Though as revolutionary as the Big Bang is, the watch itself is heavily inspired by the 1980 original Hublot model.
The porthole round bezel with exposed screws and a rubber wrist strap were all hallmarks of the original design.
In fact, Hublot was the first brand ever to use a rubber strap.
Over the years the Big Bang has been re-released with different material combinations, textures, and base metals.
To celebrate the tremendous success of the brand, on it’s 10-year anniversary in 2015, Hublot released three new models to honor the Big Bang’s core design: the Unico, The Full Magic Gold, and Tourbillon.
While numerous variations of the Big Bang can be found on the market, the ones that are best to focus on for resale/flipping are as follows:
* Only 44m size
* Hublot Big Bang Evolution (stainless, gold)
* Hublot Big Bang Carbon Fiber (stainless, gold)
* Hublot Big Bang in Rose Gold
* Hublot Big Bang Unico (rose gold, white, stainless)
* Hublot AeroBang (skeleton faced version: gold, stainless, or black ceramic)
Aero Fusion
The Aero Fusion is a mix of the Aero Bang (skeleton version of the Big Bang) and the Classic Fusion.
Released in 2013, the Aero Fusion comes in both rose gold and titanium materials.
It has a perfect combination of the two brands, a less intense modern-looking skeleton chronograph watch.
This is one of my all time favorite watches to wear. I’ve had it in both rose gold and titanium, and I prefer rose gold with the full rose gold bracelet as well.
Avoid purchasing the following variations of Hublot Big Bang Models as they are not valued high on resale:
* No diamond bezels
* No outrageous prints: jean, cheetah, etc
* No Ferrari models
Price and Value of Hublot Watches
These watches, while different in price initially, all fall under the same hackability. The only difference in price comes from the material they are made of, as seen here:
With all this in mind, Hublot Big Bang models can be seen on the market right now:
What To Look For In A Pre-Owned Model
Just like with all watches, you will want to do our due diligence with the seller, insuring the watch has box/papers and that the serial numbers match to the watch’s paperwork.
If the watch has existing warranty with a jeweler be sure to obtain proof from the seller as well as any service records on the watch itself (in the form of receipts from jeweler/repair shop).
Usually we are buying these watches unseen, with only listing pictures to help us judge the condition.
When observing these pictures be sure to note any scratches on the bezel, condition of the band, scratches on the glass, any missing lugs or screws, (condition of any carbon fiber pieces if applies), etc.
Conclusion
Hublot watches are again some of my absolute favorite timepieces, both in style and wearability.
I have owned a few dozen and enjoy them each time they come across my wrist. But what I enjoy more is the profit margins these Hublots hold.
With the proper guidance and knowledge, these watches can be purchased for up to $2k less for what they are listed and resold to make you anywhere from 10%-20% profit in less than just two weeks.
Want to find out how?
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