The Hublot Big Bang first launched in 2005 with a clear point of difference. Its layered case construction and use of contrasting materials, including rubber, ceramic, titanium and gold, stood apart from traditional sports watches at the time. The design was bold, modern and immediately recognisable, and it set the direction for what would become one of the most distinctive watch families of the last two decades.

Introduced in 2026, the Big Bang Original Unico returns to that original design language while integrating twenty years of technical development. Rather than reinventing the Big Bang, Hublot has focused on refining its proportions, improving ergonomics and upgrading the mechanics inside.

The Unico In-House Chronograph

At the heart of the Big Bang Original Unico is Hublot’s Unico movement, a fully in-house automatic chronograph first introduced in 2010. Designed, developed and manufactured entirely by Hublot, Unico marked an important step for the brand, bringing movement design firmly under its own roof and giving the Big Bang a mechanical identity to match its strong visual presence.

In this configuration, the movement delivers a flyback chronograph accurate to 1/8th of a second, allowing the chronograph to be reset and restarted instantly. It offers a 72-hour power reserve and operates within an accuracy range of -2/+4 seconds per day, making it well suited to everyday wear as well as more active use.

Five patented innovations shape the movement’s architecture, including a dual-clutch system and a column wheel positioned on the dial side. This layout allows parts of the chronograph mechanism to be seen from the front, reinforcing the watch’s open, technical feel. Turn the watch over and the movement is visible through a sapphire crystal caseback, where a skeletonised tungsten rotor, open-worked in the shape of an H, adds a subtle but distinctive finishing touch.

Case and Proportion

The new 43mm case diameter deserves attention. Previous Big Bang models oscillated between 41mm and 44mm sizes, never quite nailing the proportions for maximum wrist versatility. This middle ground achieves better balance, sitting 13.20mm thick with 100 metres of water resistance.

Refinements extend to the details. Bevelled edges soften the overall profile. Lugs curve more smoothly for improved ergonomics. The crown gains a rubber cladding, whilst rectangular pushers incorporate the signature rubber inserts that have become visual shorthand for the collection. The One Click strap system, meanwhile, allows tool-free strap changes that encourages rotation through different styles. What remains unchanged are the six unaligned H-shaped screws on the bezel, the distinctive ‘ears’ at the crown guards, and the multi-layered case construction. These elements defined the Big Bang in 2005 and are here to stay.

Dial Architecture

The dial continues the Big Bang’s layered approach, lifted counters create separation, while a tone-on-tone rehaut frames the display. A subtle carbon-pattern illusion brings texture to the surface, giving the dial a sense of dimension while keeping the layout clean and legible.

The chronograph architecture remains clearly visible, staying true to the Big Bang’s technical aesthetic. Despite the depth and detail, the dial remains easy to read at a glance, with a layout that feels familiar to long-time Big Bang wearers.

Material Selection

The launch collection comprises four references, each showcasing different materials from the manufacture’s repertoire. The approach demonstrates how far material science has progressed in two decades of development.

The Big Bang Original Unico Titanium offers full titanium construction with polished and satin-finished case, titanium bezel, titanium caseback, titanium deployant buckle. At roughly half the weight of steel, titanium delivers aerospace-grade strength without the mass, making it the most wearable option for daily rotation.

Black Magic returns to the full black ceramic that the brand introduced in 2006 as an industry first. This isn’t merely black-coated metal – it’s monobloc ceramic, microblasted and polished, sintered at 1,000°C and rating 300 Vickers harder than traditional ceramic. Twenty years on, the All-Black aesthetic still looks current rather than dated.

The Titanium Ceramic variant pairs a titanium case with black ceramic bezel, creating material contrast whilst maintaining the overall dark aesthetic. It’s perhaps the most versatile configuration, offering ceramic’s scratch resistance where it matters most whilst keeping weight manageable.

King Gold Ceramic brings precious metal into the equation via the brand’s proprietary 18-carat King Gold alloy, strengthened with platinum and engineered for enhanced hardness and a warmer, redder tone than standard rose gold. The black ceramic bezel prevents the watch appearing too decorative, maintaining the sports-luxury balance that defines the collection.

Design Signatures

Understanding these variants helps to put Hublot’s approach to materials into context. When the brand paired gold with a rubber strap in 1980, it was an unusual move at the time. Precious metals were traditionally reserved for leather straps and formal designs, not combined with industrial materials. That early decision set the tone for what would later become Hublot’s approach to material fusion.

The Big Bang carried that thinking forward in 2005, and since then Hublot has continued to invest heavily in material development. Its ceramic range now spans multiple colours, including red, yellow and other shades once thought impossible to achieve at scale. Developed and produced in-house, these ceramics are the result of years of research, protected by multiple patents. High-tech ceramic powders are compressed under extreme pressure and then sintered, producing a material that is antimagnetic, corrosion-resistant and highly resistant to scratching.

Key Big Bang design elements remain firmly in place. The bezel features six functional, unaligned screws, one of the model’s most recognisable details. The multi-layered case construction is unchanged, maintaining the depth and structure that have always defined the Big Bang.

Small updates sit alongside familiar details. A new strap geometry and the One Click system improve everyday wear, while durable materials and an in-house movement keep the focus on function. It is a Big Bang that feels finished.