Hublot Big Bang UNICO Perpetual Calendar 45mm Review
Let's get a close look and review a rather impressive Hublot watch. Enjoy our review of the Hublot Big Bang UNICO Perpetual Calendar 45mm in King Gold.
Much of Hublot’s success can be attributed to their inventive and innovative spirit and their creative use of less than traditional materials which ultimately let them shine bright amongst their older and more experienced peers. The Hublot Big Bang UNICO Perpetual Calendar 45mm being reviewed today is a perfect example of all the above-mentioned points. It not only contains high complications; it has a unique look and uses a proprietary alloy exclusive to Hublot. Let's get right to it then, shall we?
Hublot Big Bang UNICO Perpetual Calendar Review
Let’s start with the mechanics of this watch before we get into the aesthetics. The chronograph mechanism is not the cam-actuated variety but rather, Hublot uses a column-wheel chronograph which is better and has smoother action. The chronograph features a Flyback function, letting you stop and reset the stopwatch with the push of a button.
The chronograph uses a large central second hand which has a red tip. There are two sub-dials associated with the chronograph; there is a 30-minute counter at the 9 o’clock position; there is also a 12-hour counter at the 6 o’clock position.
A moon phase window can be found at the 3 o’clock position while the perpetual calendar offers the day of the week at the sub-dial located at the 6 o’clock position, Date or Day of the month and small running seconds at the 12 o’clock and the month and leap year indicator at the 9 o’clock position.
These features are made possible by the in-house Hublot caliber UNICO HUB1270. The brushed King Gold case isn’t the only unique feature of this watch. A quick-release system allows rapid strap changing with the push of a button located on the lugs of the Big Bang Unico Perpetual Calendar watch.
The watch is fastened to your wrist with a black rubber strap that has a ribbed texture and a black PVD coated titanium with an 18kt King Gold push-button clasp.
The skeletonized dial has incredible depth and features king gold-toned hour markers, as well as black sub-dials with white lettering and red markers. The rose gold-toned hands and hour markers have luminous fill and the perimeter of the dial has white printed numerals using a nice stencil style font with red printed minutes/seconds track.
The backside of the case uses a transparent sapphire crystal which lets you peer at the HUB 1270 movement; a 4Hz / 28,800 VpH automatic movement comprised of 46 jewels and 416 parts. This caliber can hold its power for approximately 72 hours straight when fully wound.
The bezel is black and has a finely brushed finish and is fastened to the case with 6 H-shaped screws around the dial and two more micro screws on either side of the dial on the “ears”. While the design of this case is meant to look like a porthole its silhouette has a strong resemblance to that of the Patek Nautilus which has similar “ears” on either side giving it the same appearance. However, this is a sportier look and offers more features for the same price or less than that of a Nautilus.
After all this time I’m starting to see something in Hublot that perhaps was there all along, but I never gave them the chance to earn my respect. They always seemed to me like something of a trendy brand but not something that would stand the test of time. With watches like this though, I’m starting to truly believe that they will and that we’ll be seeing more impressive watches like these in the not-so-distant future.