It seems as if skulls and watches go together like candy corn and nausea on the first day of November. With more and more brands moving toward the skull motif (check out our interview with Fiona Krüger and the Moritz Grossman Atum Skull that debuted at WatchTime New York earlier this month if you want to see further proof of the trend), it wasn’t the biggest surprise when I found myself staring into the empty eyes of another skull after news of the Hublot Big Bang Calavera showed up in my inbox last week. However, Hublot’s take on the skull watch — featuring a Calavera rather than a typical bare cranium — is what makes it stand out.
A calavera is an artistic representation of the human skull. It is often seen on festive holiday decorations and works of art during the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertes (The Day of the Dead).
The timepiece made its debut during Mexico’s biggest watch fair — Salon Internacional Alta Relojeria (SIAR) — earlier this month and is an eye-catching tribute to an important cultural holiday. Not only are the dials adorned with the skull motif but they also feature a swirling flower petal engraving that is symbolic of bringing beauty, grace, and a living presence back to deceased loved ones. This design carries over from the engraved bezel and dial onto the stamped black rubber strap.
The watch comes in three different versions. The ceramic model is limited to 30 pieces, the steel is limited to 20, and the rose-gold is limited to 10. All three feature the same HUB1401 self-winding movement.
“By wearing a representation of a calavera on our wrist, we become aware of the fact that death is a part of life, and that every moment we are given must be enjoyed to the full; it is also a symbol of remembering life and a message of hope, which is very poignant in Mexico,” Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe says.
