Hublot Big Bang Unico SR_A: An Icon in a Sophisticated Variation

For Hublot, collaboration has long been a means of advancing design rather than merely decorating it. The unveiling of the Big Bang Unico SR_A during this year's LVMH Watch Week underscores this philosophy with particular clarity. It is the first SR_A signature model to be powered by Hublot’s Unico manufacture chronograph caliber, bringing together the brand’s most emblematic movement with Samuel Ross’s rigorously architectural design codes. The result is not a departure from the Big Bang, but a considered refinement that illustrates how designer partnerships can distil and elevate an icon through structure, material and color.

Visually, the Big Bang Unico SR_A adopts a deliberately restrained monochrome aesthetic. Its 42mm case is executed entirely in satin-finished and polished black ceramic, a material that has become central to Hublot’s DNA. The complex modular construction and bold geometry of the Big Bang remain intact, yet the all-black treatment strips the design back to its essentials, aligning it with the SR_A ethos of functional minimalism. The black ceramic bezel is secured by six H-shaped black-plated titanium screws, while a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment ensures uninterrupted views of the skeletonized dial beneath. Water resistance is rated to 100 metres, reinforcing the watch’s positioning as a robust, everyday chronograph rather than a purely conceptual object.

The matte black skeletonized dial with the designer's signature honeycomb motif places mechanical architecture front and center. Openworked surfaces reveal key elements of the Unico calibre, including the column wheel positioned prominently at 6 o’clock, the exposed chronograph mechanism and the date function. This transparency is not merely aesthetic; it reflects Hublot’s long-standing practice of allowing construction and function to define form. Subtle contrasts between matte and satin finishes add depth, ensuring legibility despite the dial’s monochrome palette.

At the heart of the Big Bang Unico SR_A beats the HUB1280 Unico manufacture movement, a self-winding flyback chronograph that represents the backbone of Hublot’s chronograph expertise. Operating at 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and composed of 354 components, it offers a generous power reserve of approximately 72 hours. The technical features include a front-facing column wheel, dual clutch system, silicon escapement and a chronograph precise to 1/8th of a second. The movement is visible through the sapphire case back, where a black-plated, circular satin-finished tungsten rotor underscores the watch’s stealthy, industrial aesthetic.

Ross’s signature honeycomb appears also on the newly developed structured rubber strap created specifically for this reference. Limited to 200 pieces, the Big Bang Unico SR_A By Samuel Ross is priced at $31,200.

To learn more, visit Hublot, here.