With its sophisticated and distinctive character, Hublot redefines luxury in its collections, which are offering effortless elegance free from fads.
Italy meets Switzerland
Headquartered in Nyon, Switzerland, luxury watch brand Hublot was founded in 1980 by Italian businessman Carlo Crocco. Carlo Crocco’s vision was to combine Italian design with Swiss watch craftsmanship and offer products unlike any other, and although he faced challenges in the early days of his company, over time Hublot’s history has become a success story. With the help of clever marketing strategies and unconventional concepts, Hublot has been characterized as a “Rising Star” among Swiss watchmakers. By the time Hublot was sold to LVMH in 2008, the luxury brand had sales of over two hundred million Swiss francs.
“Hublot” becomes a brand name
Hublot broke new ground in the sector with the presentation of the stunning watch it produced by combining gold, a precious metal, and rubber. The company named this special design Hublot, which means ship’s window in French, as it gave it the distinctive shape of a ship’s porthole, or window. Thus, the name of the company, which was MDM Genève in 1980 when it was founded, was changed to Hublot with this big step towards branding. Jean-Claude Biver was appointed Ceo of the brand in 2004. Jean-Claude Biver has played an important role in Hublot’s success, taking the brand’s original concept of combining materials even further with what has been described as the “Art of Fusion”. The brand’s acclaimed Big Bang collection was inspired by the Hublot watch launched in 1980. The fact that Hublot took home the Best Design award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for its Big Bang collection did not surprise the luxury watch industry. The brand’s Big Bang collection was soon followed by the King Power collection. The brand’s King Power collection was joined by the extra slim Classic Fusion series. In 2006, Hublot launched the Big Bang All Black, an exclusive, innovative collection that brought the concept of an all-black watch to the forefront of watch enthusiasts. Literally redefining luxury, Hublot managed to create a sensational line of One Million $ watches completely encrusted with white and black diamonds. The brand continued to invest heavily in its research and development department, headed by Matthias Buttet. The brand also joined forces with the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) to develop a new alloy of twenty-four-carat gold and ceramics (boron carbide), which reached almost a thousand digits in Vickers hardness measurements. The watch resulting from this collaboration, called “Magic Gold”, was unveiled to the public at the end of 2011. The launch of Magic Gold in 2011 was also the year in which Hublot used the Antikythera movement, an Ancient Greek cosmograph that Hublot miniaturized to fit in a wristwatch.
Collaborations and recent developments
A major investor in marketing, Hublot became the Official Watch of FIFA in 2010, the Official Timekeeper of the next two soccer World Cups and the Official Watchmaker of Formula 1. In 2012, the brand became Ferrari’s watchmaking partner in an agreement between Ferrari and Hublot that covers both the brand image and all commercial activities of the two companies. Every year, Hublot launches one or two Ferrari special editions, so that the brand is present at every Ferrari event around the world. After almost three decades as an independent brand, Hublot was taken over by the LVMH Group in 2008. This change marked the beginning of vertical integration with the opening of a new production facility in Nyon, Switzerland, which has been gradually expanded over the years. The new facility gave Hublot the capacity to manufacture its own chronograph movement, known as Unico, with an integrated column wheel on the dial side. Hublot also acquired its own Grandes Complications division, recruiting some 30 watchmakers, prototypers, electroplaters and engineers from its former supplier BNB Concept.
Hublot is also assertive in eyewear
The first collaboration between Hublot, controlled by the French luxury conglomerate LVMH Group, and Italia Independent, a world-renowned company in the eyewear segment, began at the end of 2014. The collaboration resulted in three limited edition capsule collections, including exclusive watches and frames. In April 2018, Hublot and Italia Independent signed a multi-year license agreement for the production of the Swiss watchmaker’s eyewear collection. In December of the same year, the first collection of twelve optical and sunglasses for the Hublot and Italia Independent license agreement arrived in stores. This first collection of four series, each available in different styles and colors, featured Hublot’s H logo as a recurring element, engraved on the metallic edges of the frames, bars, nose pads and even used to customize the lenses. In the “Fusion” series, made of Japanese titanium combined with acetate, the collection combines the creative spirits of both brands, blending research and innovation with materials and design – the heritage of both Hublot and Italia Independent. This striking first collection was presented in an eye-catching advertising campaign with a background of a dark marble surface contrasting with the rich tones of the lenses. All models in the Hublot range were equipped with the quality of the German glass manufacturer Zeiss. In September 2020, Hublot and Italia Independent renewed their global eyewear license agreement until 2024. After renewing their agreement, Hublot and Italia Independent first launched a collection in February 2021. The Hublot Eyewear collections continue to skillfully and elegantly combine classic and contemporary elements, with details that tell the incredible history of one of the world’s leading luxury watch brands.
Chronology
1980
Carlo Crocco creates the very first Hublot watch. Made from gold, it features the first ever black natural rubber strap to be used in watchmaking.
2004
Jean-Claude Biver takes over as Ceo of Hublot. Reinterpreting the brand’s Dna, he relaunches the “fusion” concept of combining materials such as gold and ceramic, tantalum and red gold, magnesium and titanium, while faithfully preserving the instantly recognisable design of Hublot watches.
2005
Less than a month after his arrival, Jean-Claude Biver succeeds in his ambition to present a new collection at the Baselworld show, featuring achronograph which is revolutionary both in terms of concept and design: The Bang. This watch wins the Best Design award in the Geneva Watch Festival’s “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie” competition. Hublot subsequently undergoes extraordinary growth, winning awards, accolades and orders alike.
2006
The birth of Hublot TV, the first internet TV channel launched by a luxury brand. The launch of the Big Bang All Black featuring the brand new Hublot concept of “invisible visibility”.
2007
Hublot opens its first boutique in rue Saint-Honoré, Paris. The following summer sees the opening of a second boutique in the Hôtel Byblos in Saint-Tropez. An impressive Big Bang diving watch is unveiled with a beautifully balanced 48 mm oversized case. Hublot presents its first in-house-produced Big Bang reflecting the “3 M” concept: monomatière (one material), monochrome (one colour), microbillée (microblasted). This watch is voted Best Technological Innovation in Bahrain. At the same time, the spectacular One Million $ BB, a masterpiece of invisible stone setting, is voted Best Jewellery Watch in the Geneva Watch Festival’s “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie” competition.
2008
First Big Bang designed exclusively for women and the launch of the new “Classic Fusion” collection with a more traditional, elegant sport-chic style. The French LVMH Group – the world’s leading luxury goods group – acquires Hublot in April. Jean-Claude Biver is voted “Swiss Entrepreneur of the Year” by PME Magazine, and “CEO of the Year” at the Premier Middle East Watches awards.
2009
Jean-Claude Biver is voted “Man of the Year 2009” by the Orologi da Polso, La revue des montres, GMT and Business Montres magazines. The One Million $ Black Caviar receives the “Best Jewellery Watch” award in the Geneva Watch Festival’s “Grand Prix d’Horlogerie” competition. Hublot presents the new King Power collection. Remaining true to its philosophy, the watchmaker pushes the limits with a more powerful and modern 48 mm diameter case, a dial featuring several levels, an overmoulded rubber bezel and relief screws. Hublot opens its new high-tech manufacture in Nyon on the banks of Lake Geneva: 6,000m2 dedicated to the watchmaker’s art and the creation of the UNICO movement, a column-wheel chronograph movement integrated into the dial side, conceived, developed and produced entirely by Hublot.
2010
The first King Power models equipped with the Unico movement leave the production line. A Grande Complication department is created within the Hublot manufacture, home to around thirty watchmakers, prototype designers, electroplating technicians and engineers from former Hublot supplier BNB, all specialising in Grande Complication movements. Hublot celebrates its thirty-year anniversary by launching the Manufacture Tourbillon. Launche of the new Masterpiece watch line. Hublot becomes FIFA’s Official Watch, Official Time Keeper for the next two football World Cups and Official Watchmaker for the Formula1.
2011
Hublot is chosen as Official Timekeeper of the Alpine and Nordic Skiing Championships. In Bale, Hublot unveils a world premiere with a Cathedral Minute Repeater, Tourbillon, Column-wheel Chronograph in carbon fibre, which is used also for the movement bridges. Hublot presents the Oceanographic 4000 in partnership with the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.
2012
Ricardo Guadalupe is appointed Ceo of Hublot, while Jean-Claude Biver becomes Chairman of the company. Hublot becomes Ferrari’s watchmaking partner. This is not a simple agreement for the creation of derivative products or sponsorship. It is a complete agreement that covers all activities of Ferrari and Hublot, both in terms of brand image and commercial activities of both companies.
2014
First partnership with Italia Independent for the presentation of capsule collections
2018
Signed a multi-year global license agreement with Italia Independent for the design, production and worldwide distribution of optical and sunglass collections under the Hublot brand.
2020
Italia has renewed its global eyewear license agreement with Independent, extending the collaboration until 2024.
March 2023
