Say Hublot and you may think of the Big Bang, Rubber straps, Sapphire Cases, The Art of Fusion or even Jean-Claude Biver. But when I think of Hublot, first thing on my mind is the innovative use of materials in their watches. From ceramics to crystals, it all seems possible. Now, Hublot launches a new (limited edition) watch in a material never before used in watchmaking.
The name of the material is SAXEM. What is this green looking SAXEM you ask? It stands for Sapphire Aluminium oXide and rare Earth Mineral. A mix of aluminium oxide, the basic component of sapphire and rare-earth elements like thulium, holmium and chromium.
According to Hublot “the resulting material is both harder than emerald (which is too soft to be machined) and endowed with a brilliance that is greater than that of sapphire”. In addition, the “cubic crystalline” structure of this materials means you get the same shade and intense green colour from whichever angle you were to look at the case.
While the case material is arguably stealing the show here, the calibre is right up there as well. A manual-winding skeleton manufacture calibre, with a two-week (!) power reserveRéserve de marche Also known as Power Reserve. A watch's power reserve refers to the amount of time a mechanical watch can run without being wound. The power reserve of a mechanical watch can vary depending on the size of the mainspring, the efficiency of the gear train, and the rate at which the mainspring releases energy. If a watch has a Power Reserve 'complication' it simply means that the status of the power reserve can be seen on the watch itself (either on the dial or movement side of the watch). [Learn More]. “To enable the transmission of energy between the horizontal axis of the barrels and the vertical train steering the hours and minutes display, the creators used a system that is very rare in watchmaking: a 90-degree intermediate wheel by way of an “endless screw”-type helical gear wheel.”
As a result of the cylindrical barrels, and to avoid having to blow up the entire case in thickness, you have a very unique curve, bluge, over the sapphire crystal and the case itself.
Limited to 20 pieces.
More info at HUBLOT.COM