Hublot’s motto is “The Art of Fusion” and for good reason: ever since it first combined a rubber strap with a gold case in 1980, the revolutionary Swiss watchmaker has been combining disparate materials to create stunning visual effects.
The new Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Green SAXEM, issued in a limited edition of 18 pieces, is no exception. Available with a green or black rubber strap and a transparent green case, the self-winding tourbillon movement shines through. The case is made from a material originally developed for use in the satellite and laser industries.
SAXEM – short for “Sapphire Aluminium Oxide and Rare Earth Minerals” – is an alloy of aluminium oxide with the elements thulium, holmium and chromium. Aluminium oxide is also a constituent of precious sapphire. While the molecular structure of sapphire is triangular, that of SAXEM is cubic, which gives sapphire its more intense colour.
The hands move on the smoked black sapphire crystal dial, which is painted with fluorescent Arabic numerals and stick-shaped scales, shining like stars in the night sky, adding to the extraordinary temperament of Big Bang.