Hublot, the official timekeeper of the world cup in soccer which is about to kick off in Brazil, has made a special automatic column-wheel chronograph for the event. It is Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono timepiece that includes a double central retrograde display for its chrono minutes and seconds. This feature is seen in a Hublot product for the first time and it is used to underline the inspiration for the model. Its minute scale clearly depicts a 45 minute long interval which corresponds to the length of a half of a soccer match and it can therefore be conveniently used to measure how much time remains until the end of the match. Moreover, it can be also used to keep track of the added time on which the referee decides, as well as for the eventual extra time. The watch dedicated to FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil is available in two limited editions. The red gold version is restricted to 100 pieces and costs $42,000, while the ceramic version is made in twice as many copies and costs $26,300.
Keeping Track of the Game Length in Style
The newcomer made by Hublot is far from the routine we often see when it comes to the creation of special commemorative timekeepers which include only a few cosmetic tweaks of a regular model. Contrary to this practice, the Hublot novelty from the Big Bang series includes a completely new feature – a central chronograph with bi-retrograde display. This is the complication that the watchmaker has never used before in one of its models and at the same time one that is befitting to its origin. It invloves two central hands that move along a pair of appropriate retrograde scales on the top third of the dial. To make the legibility better, the minute hand and its scale are yellow, while the second hand and its scale are green. This choice of colors is obviously a tribute to Brazil, the hosting nation of the championship.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Watch Side
Up to 15 Minutes of Added Time per Half
Furthermore, the minute scale also has a red section at the 45 minute mark which marks the length of a half of a soccer match. Since a half rarely lasts exactly 45 minutes and more often includes a few additional minutes, the scale also possesses additional 15 minutes which are more than enough to cover any supplementary interval on which the referee decides upon in order to make up for the “blank” minutes while the match is being interrupted. As Hublot made sure, the wearer is covered even in the event of the game reaching two extra periods since there is a clearly indicated 15 minute interval on the minute scale for this purpose. Additionally, there is an aperture just beneath the retrograde scales that shows which half (or extra time) is measured and which changes automatically after the chronograph is activated, stopped, reset and started again in a traditional manner (it is activated with the chrono pusher at the two o’clock position, while the other actions are performed with the pusher at the four o’clock place).
Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono Ceramic Watch
Apart from the stopwatch feature, Hublot Big Band Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono naturally includes a display for the basic timekeeping function. While the hours and minutes are shown on the sub-counter at the bottom of the dial, the partially obstructed small seconds counter is placed at the left part of the watch’s face.
An Automatic Movement with Patent Pending and Three Days of Power Reserve
Each of the features including the innovative central bi-retrograde chronograph for which the brand has the patent pending, is enabled with its in-house HUB1260 Unico self-winding mechanical movement. This caliber incorporates 44 jewels and 385 components altogether in its construction. It uses a traditional column-wheel construction for its chronograph feature and has its dual coupling exposed on two small skeletonized sections which stand on both sides of the half display aperture.
Caliber HUB1260 Unico functions at the frequency of 28,800 vph and features an extended power reserve that lasts for three full days.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono King Gold Watch Back
When it comes to the other important traits of Hublot Big Band Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono timepiece, we should state that its round housing with alternate satin and polished finishes has the diameter of 45 mm, as well as a matte and satin-finished black dial underneath a sapphire crystal with glare-proof treatment. There is also a sapphire section on the case-back of the Hublot novel watch with water resistance to 100 meters. This rear sapphire section features a painted logo of the world cup and anti-reflective treatment on the inner side. As for the timekeeper’s bezel, it is in the brand’s common practice fixed with 6 H-shaped screws made of titanium. Moreover, the bezel has an upper section made of carbon fiber and a bezel lug crafted from resin. The strap of choice is black, ribbed and made of rubber.
Red Gold or Ceramic
As it has been mentioned, there are two versions of the watch which are different among themselves when it comes to the case material, as well as various other details. The more lavish version of Hublot Big Bang Unico Bi-Retrograde Chrono has its case made of King Gold, the brand’s registered 18 K red gold alloy with five percent of titanium. The alloy is likewise used to plate the central segment of the dial, the perimeter of the hour and minute counter and its skeletonzied hands (which are additionally satin-finished and micro-blasted) with white luminous tips, as well as for the small seconds hand. Moreover, its black PVD titanium deployant buckle clasp also includes an insert made of King Gold. The ceramic housed version of the piece, on the other hand, is made with rhodium-plated accents on the dial, as well as with a carbon insert on its clasp. This version (which also possesses a yellow chrono pusher, unlike the gold one with a green one) is made in twice as many copies and since it does not include gold sections, it costs almost $16,000 less.
