At only 25 years old, Samuel Ross was already making waves in the fashion industry. After graduating with first class honors from De Montfort University in Leicester with a degree in graphic design and illustration, he worked in commercial design for Wilkinson and Beko, and experimented personally with a wide variety of artistic disciplines including film, street art and a streetwear label named 2wnt4. His work caught the eye of the late Virgil Abloh, who was then creative director for Louis Vuitton. Abloh offered him a role as creative assistant at Off-White and for Kanye West’s Yeezy brand.
In 2015, Ross brought all that he’d learned and experienced to a self-funded clothing label that he named A-Cold-Wall, inspired by his childhood in a working class neighborhood in Brixton. The label was hugely successful, growing to bring in a revenue of USD 1.7 million within the first two years and earning a place in high profile retailers such as Barneys New York, GR8 in Tokyo and Selfridges in London.
Following his incredible 2018 Spring/Summer show in London, he began to get offers to partner and collaborate with brands like Converse, Nike, Dr. Martens and Oakley. He was awarded the Hublot Design Prize in 2019 and, in the following year, was invited to be a brand ambassador for the watchmaker.
Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross
This year, Hublot introduces a new Big Bang Tourbillon watch designed in collaboration with Ross. The timepiece brings Ross’s experience and artistic perspective and Hublot’s ability to combine unexpected materials together in a watch of polished titanium and smooth orange rubber. It draws inspiration from the mix of steel and granite materials in the 40cm REFORM sculpture, which was created as a tribute to 40 years of Hublot.
This is Ross’s first watch design for Hublot, with their partnership resulting from the “Hublot Loves Art” initiative that has driven collaborations with international talents across many diverse fields. Ross’s design is complex and sporty, with an emphasis on durability and wearability. The Big Bang case has a distinct hexagon shape, and Ross has echoed that with a honeycomb mesh that decorates the dial, case, caseback and strap.
The 44mm case is crafted with satin-polished titanium for an industrial aesthetic and accented with a rich orange in the strap, crown and tourbillon bridge. Orange is a color that represents energy and optimism for Ross. The dial is openworked to showcase the HUB6035 caliber movement and skeleton tourbillon. At 3Hz and with a 72-hour power reserve, the Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross is a serious timepiece as well as an excellent example of wearable art.
“Our goal is to create a universe that leverages the strengths of contemporary engineering, spatial design and digital,” Ross explained. “This is reflected in the focus on fine details, with striking, bold and unapologetic results.” Ross went on to share that this project kicked off pre-pandemic in 2019. He made thousands of sketches in his London studio and had several visits to the Hublot manufacture in Nyon, Switzerland. The Hublot product team took on the challenge to use the Big Bang platform for creating all new parts, including the honeycomb mesh dial, case and strap. Ross wanted to make a bold statement with the industrial design and striking orange color, but also make it practical to wear.
The watch is limited to only 50 pieces and is presented in a display box that is just as exciting as the timepiece. As part of the launch, Hublot’s Fifth Avenue boutique in New York City received a takeover in Samuel Ross’s signature colors and textures.
Tech Specs
Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross, Ref 428.NX.0100.RX.SRA 22
Movement: Self-winding caliber HUB6035; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes and tourbillon
Case: 44mm; satin-finished and polished titanium; water resistant to 30m
Dial: Sapphire with titanium honeycomb mesh
Strap: Orange smooth rubber; titanium folding clasp
Price: USD 116,000
Availability: Limited edition of 50 pieces
Hublot Classic Fusion 45mm Bronze Brown
Hublot created their new Classic Fusion 45mm Bronze Brown as a celebration of intrepid lifestyles. It is a timepiece meant to honor those that choose adventure and pursue their dreams. The watch was launched in partnership with three well-known individuals who are living life to the fullest potential.
Chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa is a celebrity chef and restaurateur whose blend of Japanese and Peruvian dishes can be found in his restaurants in several countries. Micah Davis, known professionally as Masego, is a musician and singer who incorporates saxophone into his “TrapHouse Jazz” music. Eli Manning twice led the New York Giants to underdog Super Bowl championship victories and holds two Super Bowl MVP awards.
The limited edition timepiece features a 45mm case of hand brushed pre-patinated bronze with a brushed bronze bezel decorated with the iconic Hublot signature six H-shaped screws of 3N gold. The dial is classically minimal in a beautiful sunray brown with striking 3N gold- plated applique and elegant polished 3N gold-plated hands. A rectangular date window in black and white sits at the three o’clock index.
On the microblasted black ceramic caseback is an engraving indicating the limitation in this special edition of 30 pieces. The case is rated to 50 meters of water resistance and uses anti-reflective coated sapphire for the front and rear.
The Classic Fusion 45mm Bronze Brown is powered by the robust 4Hz Hublot HUB1112 self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve. Pairing the watch with a gorgeous alligator leather strap in a coordinating brown with lighter brown stitching adds just another layer of texture to the overall look.
The Classic Fusion 45mm Bronze Brown also marks two years since the launch of Hublot’s e-commerce platform in 2020. It was made available exclusively to customers in the United States via Hublot’s webstore. As stated by Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot’s CEO, “Hublot e-commerce has allowed the brand to meet the customer whenever and wherever they are. Customers are now able to make purchases ‘on the fly’ as they fly or secure a last-minute special gift. We are shipping to ranches in Montana and ski resorts in New Mexico, many miles removed from a luxury shopping destination but not removed from the ease and elegance of a premium shopping experience and the convenience the Internet Age offers us.”
Tech Specs
Hublot Classic Fusion 45mm Bronze Brown, Ref 511.BZ.3480.LR.ECU21
Movement: Self-winding caliber HUB1112; 42-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds and date
Case: 45mm; brushed bronze; water resistant to 50m
Dial: Sunray brown; polished 3N gold-plated applied hour markers
Strap: Brown alligator with brown stitching on black rubber; black brushed bronze and black-plated stainless steel deployant clasp
Price: USD 13,300
Availability: Special edition of 30 pieces available exclusively on Hublot.com/US
Hublot Big Bang Unico Essential Grey
The launch of the Big Bang Unico Essential Grey is remarkable for two reasons: this watch is only available online via Hublot’s global e-commerce shop and clients will be able to shop using select cryptocurrencies with BitPay. Hublot’s CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe, said, “For the first time in the history of Hublot, we have imagined and designed the Big Bang Unico Essential Grey limited edition solely to be sold online. In doing so, we wanted to emphasize how important e-commerce has become in our thinking. All our fans, collectors and potential clients now have an equal chance to obtain this magnificent and rare new model.”
This watch is a stunner in monochrome shades of gray that almost looks like a detailed artist’s pencil drawing brought to life. The 42mm case is made from titanium that has been satin-finished with visible brush lines that create a dynamic background for the raised bezel. Hublot’s H-shaped screws around the bezel are only the first layer of interest and depth in this timepiece.
The skeleton dial is openworked with the indexes appearing to “float” above the movement. The Super- LumiNova filled hour and minute hands and the chronograph timer with its stylized “H” seem to exist on another plane altogether. Visible behind the lume filled numerals are the date disk and the chronograph column wheel, creating a dial that moves with time.
At three o’clock rests the 60-minute chronograph counter, and this is visually balanced by the skeletonized running seconds subdial at nine o’clock. The multi-level design creates depth with the thoughtful layers and delivers a mesmerizing timepiece that blurs function into art.
The caseback gives a view of the underside of the HUB1280 caliber, beautifully finished, with the numbered limited-edition engraving. The watch boasts a 72-hour power reserve and 100-meter water resistance for a timepiece that is as robust and functional as it is beautiful.
The Hublot Big Bang Unico Essential Grey is paired with two straps. The first is a gray fabric with a Velcro fastener and the second is a gray rubber with a black accent line and a titanium clasp. The straps are easily interchangeable with the proprietary Hublot One Click system.
Tech Specs:
Hublot Big Bang Unico Essential Grey, Ref 441.NX.4210.RX.HEC22
Movement: Self-winding caliber HUB1280; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph and date
Case: 42mm; satin-finished titanium; water resistant to 10ATM
Dial: Openworked; Super-LumiNova filled Arabic numerals and hour markers
Strap: Black and gray lined rubber with satin-finished titanium clasp; additional gray fabric with Velcro fastener
Price: USD 20,900
Availability: Limited to 200 pieces and available exclusively on Hublot.com
