Thursday Nov 14, 2024
Thursday Nov 14, 2024
Wednesday, 30 April 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The engineers and watchmakers at Hublot were initially inspired to develop a watch movement specifically for the world of football, to pay homage to the prestigious 2014 FIFA World Cup for which Hublot is the Official timekeeper and the Official Watch.
Colombo Jewellery Stores is currently the Exclusive Retailer for HUBLOT in Sri Lanka.
The UNICO Manufacture calibre – unique in the industry, with its column wheel and dual coupling on the dial side – was chosen to serve as the basis for the development of this watch, here embodying a very current example of its extraordinary flexibility.
The fruit of 18 months of research and development, the new automatic HUB1260 manufacture movement has arrived: a bi-retrograde movement with central chrono comprising 385 components (Frequency 4 Hz, 28,800 Vib/Hour), patent pending. It is also one of the only movements of its type in the watch making industry today.
It is the first time Hublot has unveiled a watch with a bi-retrograde display (the hands return to their starting points at lightning speed). How does it work in this particular case? When the chronograph is started, the chrono’s second hand and minute hand move from left to right in a circular arc of 45 minutes (one half of a football match), with an area for 15 minutes’ added time up to 60 minutes. There are two push-buttons on either side of the crown for ‘start, stop and reset’; the push-button at 2 o’clock is also used to show the period of time selected from the following 4 options: 1st half, half time, 2nd half and end of match, indicated by a window in the centre at 12 o’clock.
Energy
Another challenge to be met by those designing the movement was energy. This rather unusual display design demands additional effort, as the rapid movements of the hands require more energy from the movement. This has been optimised, as far as possible, so as not to affect the correct operation of the time display; Hublot was highly selective in its choice of materials and functions, opting for those offering the lowest possible consumption and friction coefficient. 
Obviously, time doesn’t stop during a gripping football match. This is why the two permanently rotating hands are arranged in a counter at 6 o’clock. This way, they continue to display the passing hours and minutes while the seconds are shown by a small sector-shaped counter; this has a three-spoke hand positioned at 9 o’clock which rotates permanently and allows the wearer to see at a glance that the movement is working correctly. The power reserve is approximately 72 hours.
Finally, the dial bears the national colours of Brazil – yellow and green – in reference to the competition’s host country.
The design of the piece features a ‘Big Bang Unico’ case with a powerful 45.5 mm diameter for a stylish mechanical look. The bezel is secured by the famous 6 H-shaped screws, designed in relief to allow alternating polished and matt finishes. The screw-down crown with over moulded rubber is also decorated on the end with the famous ‘H’ from the Hublot screw, with its two push-buttons positioned at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock.
