In 1980 I was six years old; my knowledge of watchmaking was limited to curiosity and discovery, fueled by advertisements in glossy interior design magazines such as AD. If you browsed through that magazine, in those years, it seemed like you were consulting a watch catalogue, because the brands in the sector had chosen it as their favorite magazine for their communication campaigns. Hublot Replica was a small company, a declination of the MDM brand, an experiment resulting from an intuition, and a successful bet: the marketing of the first gold watch with a rubber strap; a revolution for its time. We can say that all the best representatives of the luxury watch, which combine gold cases and rubber straps, owe a lot to the courage of Hublot, pioneer of the segment.
The acquisition of LVMH and the development that followed thanks to Biver’s hand transformed an almost unknown brand into a global success in the high-end sports sector. In 2020 Hublot turns, unbelievably, 40 years old. It is a number that makes no noise in a sector that travels with three-digit numbers; there are many if we consider Hublot’s approach, mission and evolution, and how much it has innovated in recent years. Hublot Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary is an intelligent operation aimed at the “orphans” of classic Hublots, in search of the Holy Grail of the brand. Moreover, the first gold and rubber Hublot in history is still incredibly current and also quite popular on the second-hand market. The new collection is aimed at a specific audience of enthusiasts, historically present in mature markets such as the European one.
The new Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary is available in three limited series versions: the most significant, the one that plays the most on the nostalgia effect, is undoubtedly the 18k yellow gold version. It is the heir to the original in gold, to which two more accessible versions are added, one in titanium and one in ceramic, aimed at broadening the offer. However, titanium is present on all versions, as it is used for the double deployant buckle.
The 45mm diameter is a surprise; it is decidedly larger than the original (39mm); I would have expected an intermediate size even if the thickness of less than 11mm is reassuring. Comfort on the wrist is one of the assets of the Classic Fusion. However, I am surprised by the adoption of a non-manufactured caliber considering Hublot’s pedigree and technology today. The HUB 1112 movement is a robust, customized Sellita-derived caliber, but something more refined would have squared the circle of such a significant collection.
The glance of the dial is remarkable: the designers have opted for a lacquered, minimalist dial, without applied indexes in which only the oversized logo and writing stand out. The lacquered dial and yellow gold offer a purity superior to any other Classic Fusion; For example, notice how the edge of the date window seems to flow inwards. Contrary to the original, the date disc is black with contrasting white digits.
I also really like the rubber insert between the bezel and case, because it makes this modern reissue more current. Prices reflect limited edition and exclusive design: the Classic Fusion 40 Years Anniversary Yellow Gold is limited to 100 examples and is priced at 24,800 Euros. 8,200 are needed for the titanium version and 10,300 for the ceramic one, both limited to 200 examples. It goes without saying that the preference goes to the yellow gold version, which I hope Hublot will soon introduce permanently into the collection.