Best Hublot Watches: Our Expert Guide to Big Bang, Classic Fusion and Spirit of Big Bang in 2026
June 16, 2026
Hublot is one of the most divisive names in modern luxury watchmaking. Some collectors are
Hublot is one of the most divisive names in modern luxury watchmaking. Some collectors are drawn to the brand for exactly the same reasons others dismiss it. Big cases, bold materials, contemporary design and an unapologetic refusal to imitate traditional Swiss restraint. Whichever camp you sit in, the best Hublot watches have carved out a permanent place in the modern watch landscape, and the pre-owned market has made these timepieces more accessible than ever.
At MVS Watches, we deal in Hublot regularly. Big Bang, Classic Fusion and Spirit of Big Bang all rotate through our collection, and we have strong views on which references represent genuine value, which references buyers should think twice about, and how Hublot should actually be understood in 2026. This guide sets out our perspective honestly, including the things Hublot’s critics tend to be right about.
Hublot was founded in 1980 by Italian-born Carlo Crocco. The defining innovation of the original Hublot watch was a gold case paired with a black rubber strap, a combination almost unthinkable in luxury watchmaking at the time. That single decision laid the foundation for what later became Hublot’s design philosophy: the deliberate fusion of unexpected materials.
For its first two decades, Hublot remained a relatively niche brand. The transformation came in 2004 when Jean-Claude Biver took over and launched the Big Bang collection in 2005. The Big Bang reset what Hublot meant. Larger cases, layered constructions, fused materials and a level of marketing energy that the watch industry had not seen before. In 2008, LVMH acquired Hublot, putting the brand alongside TAG Heuer and Zenith in the conglomerate’s watch portfolio.
Today Hublot is unmistakably contemporary. Heritage and restraint are not part of the brief. The brand exists to make statement pieces, and that intent shapes every design decision.
Hublot’s marketing has long centred on the phrase “the Art of Fusion.” It refers to the deliberate combination of materials that traditional watchmaking kept separate. Gold with rubber. Ceramic with titanium. Carbon fibre with sapphire. Precious metals with industrial composites.
This material experimentation is genuine rather than purely cosmetic. Hublot has developed proprietary materials including Magic Gold, an 18-karat gold alloy with ceramic structure that resists scratching, and King Gold, a proprietary 5N rose gold formulation. Their work with ceramic in saturated colours has pushed the wider industry forward. Whether you find the aesthetic results appealing is a matter of personal taste, but the underlying materials engineering is real.
Hublot occupies an unusual position. The brand sits firmly in the luxury price bracket, with new retail starting around £8,000 and rising well into six figures for complicated pieces. Yet the design language deliberately rejects the traditional codes that other brands at that price point work within.
The result is a brand that polarises. Some collectors love the boldness. Others see it as everything wrong with modern watchmaking. The truth is that Hublot is not trying to please traditionalists, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest. The brand makes contemporary statement watches for buyers who want exactly that.
Hublot’s catalogue has expanded considerably since 2005, but three collections account for the majority of the brand’s output and most of the references you will encounter on the pre-owned market.
The Big Bang is the watch that defined modern Hublot. Launched in 2005, it set the template for what the brand has become. Layered case construction, exposed screws, integrated rubber strap, larger diameters and aggressive proportions.
In our view, the Big Bang and Spirit of Big Bang are Hublot at its most Hublot. Eye-catching, statement pieces. Not for hiding under your cuff. These pieces are made to be seen, and trying to wear one as a discreet daily watch misses the point entirely.
Big Bang variants now run across an enormous range, from the entry-level Big Bang Original in steel and ceramic, up through the Big Bang Unico with its in-house flyback chronograph, and on to high-complication pieces in precious metals. The Unico is the technically important reference, since the HUB1242 calibre is the in-house movement that gives the modern Big Bang its horological credibility.
The Classic Fusion is what happens when Hublot tries to make a more conventional dress or daily watch while keeping its DNA recognisable. The case shape is more traditional, the dial is cleaner, the proportions are calmer. It is the line for buyers who want a Hublot but do not want to walk into a room and immediately announce that they are wearing one.
We find that the Big Bang pieces sell better. The Classic Fusion is the more sensible watch, but customers who choose Hublot generally choose it because they want the statement. Those who want restraint usually buy a different brand entirely. That said, the Classic Fusion has its place, particularly for buyers building a collection who want a more subtle option to wear alongside their other watches.
The collection includes everything from ultra-thin three-hand references through chronographs and skeleton dials. The Ultra-Thin Skeleton is a particularly interesting reference because it shows off the brand’s movement work while keeping the case slimmer than typical Hublot proportions.
Launched in 2014, the Spirit of Big Bang takes Big Bang design language and applies it to a tonneau case, the curved barrel shape associated historically with Cartier and Vacheron Constantin. The result is recognisably Hublot but distinct from the round Big Bang. Less common in pre-owned circulation than the Big Bang itself, which gives buyers a different presence on the wrist for similar money.
The Spirit of Big Bang range covers both 42mm and 45mm sizing and includes materials from titanium and ceramic up to King Gold and platinum.
The MP collection sits at the top of Hublot’s range and houses the brand’s most ambitious horological work, including tourbillons, perpetual calendars and the famously transparent MP-09. These pieces command serious money even pre-owned and are typically the domain of established collectors rather than first-time Hublot buyers.
At MVS Watches we rotate through Hublot regularly, with both currently available pieces and previously sold references that often return when similar examples come to market. Here are the references we know well and recommend understanding before you buy.
The Classic Fusion Ultra-Thin Skeleton is one of the more interesting references in the Classic Fusion range because it lets the buyer see the movement work that often goes unnoticed in solid-dial Hublot watches.
Key details:
This reference suits buyers who want a Hublot that shows mechanical depth without the visual weight of a chronograph case. The titanium construction keeps the watch comfortable for daily wear despite the 45mm diameter. Pre-owned examples typically represent significant savings against the original retail.
The Big Bang Unico in King Gold is Hublot in its most uncompromising form. The Unico calibre is Hublot’s in-house flyback chronograph movement and represents the technical credibility behind the brand. King Gold is Hublot’s proprietary 5N rose gold alloy, denser and warmer than standard rose gold formulations.
Key details:
This is a statement piece in every sense. The combination of King Gold, ceramic, the visible Unico movement through the dial cutaways and the layered Big Bang case is not subtle. It is not meant to be. For the right buyer, that is exactly the appeal.
This reference is one we have sold on many occasions and continue to see strong interest in. The Spirit of Big Bang in matt black ceramic represents a particularly successful execution of the tonneau case in a material that flatters the shape.
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Ceramic on a Spirit of Big Bang works particularly well because the saturated matt finish emphasises the geometric tonneau case lines without the visual noise that ceramic sometimes adds to more complex cases. When we have inventory available, this reference moves quickly.
The 42mm Spirit of Big Bang in titanium is one of the more wearable Hublot references for buyers who want the design language without the wrist presence of a 45mm case.
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The smaller case and lighter material make this a more practical Hublot for daily wear. It still reads as Hublot from across a room, but it sits more comfortably on a narrower wrist and slides under a shirt cuff more easily than the 45mm references.
“Black Magic” is Hublot’s name for its all-black ceramic Classic Fusion treatment. The Chronograph variant brings additional dial activity in a case finish that absorbs rather than reflects light.
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The Black Magic execution is one of the more wearable all-black sports chronographs from a major brand. The matt ceramic resists scratching better than the steel or titanium equivalent and the colour treatment keeps the watch from feeling overly busy despite the chronograph layout.
The 42mm Classic Fusion in titanium with the green dial is the most restrained Hublot in our typical rotation. It sits closest to what conventional luxury watch buyers expect.
Key details:
For buyers who want a Hublot but find the larger Big Bang cases overwhelming, this is the type of reference we recommend looking at. The 42mm titanium case sits flat and unobtrusive on most wrists. The green dial gives it character without being loud about it. A genuine daily-wear option from a brand not typically associated with quiet watches.
This is the question that defines most conversations about the brand, and we believe it deserves an honest answer rather than a marketing one.
This is mostly where the heavy criticism comes at Hublot. New retail prices are high, and they drop significantly the moment a watch leaves the authorised dealer. A Big Bang Unico that lists at over £20,000 at RRP can be available pre-owned for considerably less, even in excellent condition. This is the legitimate basis for the depreciation criticism the brand routinely faces.
However, the way we see it: watches were never meant to be investments. They were pieces you bought for an occasion, a celebration, a reward for achieving something. The idea that a luxury watch should appreciate or hold value indefinitely is a recent development driven by the steel sports watch boom of the late 2010s. For most of watchmaking history, watches lost value the moment they were sold, just like cars, suits and most other things people buy for the joy of owning them.
If you buy a Hublot expecting it to appreciate, you are likely to be disappointed. If you buy a Hublot because you genuinely want to wear it, the depreciation argument becomes irrelevant. The watch does its job either way.
The practical implication is that pre-owned Hublot represents some of the best value in the brand’s history. The initial depreciation has already happened. Buy a pre-owned Big Bang Unico in good condition and you are buying it at something close to its real long-term market value, not the inflated retail figure.
The HUB1242 Unico movement is genuinely in-house, developed by Hublot, and represents serious horological work. It is a flyback chronograph with a column wheel, double clutch and skeletonised construction, visible through the open-worked dial in most Unico references. By the standards of integrated chronograph movements, it stands up well.
Other Hublot calibres are based on third-party movements with significant modification. The HUB1300 manual-winding skeleton is Hublot-developed. The HUB1112 in the smaller Classic Fusion references is based on the Sellita SW300, modified and finished by Hublot. The HUB1143 chronograph in the Classic Fusion Chronograph references is built on an outsourced base.
This mixed approach is common across luxury watch brands. The presence of an in-house calibre at the top of the range, alongside modified third-party movements at lower price points, mirrors how Breitling, TAG Heuer and IWC operate. Hublot is not unusual in this regard, only more honest about it than some competitors.
This is where Hublot is genuinely strong. The case construction is consistently excellent, the material engineering is real rather than cosmetic, and the proprietary alloys (King Gold, Magic Gold) are the result of actual metallurgical research rather than marketing. Ceramic finishing on Hublot cases is among the best in the industry, with consistent colour saturation and resistance to chipping that smaller ceramic-using brands often struggle with.
Hublot recommends servicing every five to seven years, in line with the industry standard for modern automatic watches. Official Hublot servicing is available through their UK service centre and through authorised partners. Independent servicing is possible but more limited than for traditional Swiss brands due to the use of proprietary cases, screws and components on many references.
Service costs are at the higher end of the luxury bracket, reflecting Hublot’s premium positioning. This is something prospective buyers should factor into the long-term cost of ownership.
Several practical considerations should shape any Hublot purchase decision.
This is the first question to settle honestly with yourself. The Big Bang and Spirit of Big Bang are statement watches. They will draw attention, they will not disappear under a shirt cuff, and they are not designed to be subtle. The Classic Fusion is significantly more restrained. Buyers who try to wear a Big Bang as a quiet everyday watch usually end up regretting the purchase. Buyers who want the statement and embrace it tend to be happy with their choice for years.
Hublot cases generally wear larger than their stated diameter due to the layered construction and lug geometry. A 45mm Big Bang is a substantial presence on the wrist. A 45mm Spirit of Big Bang is similar. The 42mm Classic Fusion references sit more conventionally.
Wrist size and personal preference matter more here than any general advice. Try a Hublot on before committing if you have the opportunity, particularly if you are coming from more traditional luxury brands where 40mm is the typical sweet spot.
Ceramic Hublot cases resist scratching extremely well but can chip if hit on a hard edge. Titanium is lighter and more forgiving of daily wear but can mark more easily than steel. King Gold and Magic Gold variants are more durable than standard gold but command higher prices. Choose based on how you actually intend to wear the watch.
A Big Bang Unico in King Gold is a different proposition to a 42mm Classic Fusion in titanium. The first is best understood as a watch for an occasion, a celebration, something you wear because the moment deserves it. The second is built to handle the everyday. Buyers who get this distinction right tend to enjoy their Hublots more than buyers who try to force a statement piece into a daily-wear role.
Hublot’s UK authorised dealer network is mainly active in the major cities and rarely further out. New retail prices are becoming more firm with limited discounting, and waiting lists exist for some popular and limited references.
The pre-owned market offers several advantages: immediate availability, broader selection across discontinued references, and significant savings against new retail. For most buyers, pre-owned is the more sensible route into Hublot ownership.
Several specific factors matter when buying pre-owned Hublot:
Buying pre-owned Hublot from an established specialist dealer eliminates most of the authentication and condition risk that buying privately introduces. At MVS Watches we authenticate every Hublot we list, provide service history where available, and offer the practical guarantees that private sales cannot.
In short: no, not in the way some other luxury brands do. Hublot watches typically depreciate significantly from new retail in the first few years of ownership. After that initial drop, well-kept references with strong reputations tend to stabilise on the pre-owned market.
This is exactly why pre-owned represents better value than new retail for most buyers. The watch holds its character indefinitely. The initial financial loss has already been absorbed by the original buyer.
Yes. Hublot is fully owned by LVMH, operates from Nyon in Switzerland, manufactures the HUB1242 Unico movement in-house, and competes at price points comparable to other established Swiss luxury brands. The criticism Hublot faces is primarily about design taste and depreciation, not about whether the watches themselves are genuinely manufactured to luxury standards. They are.
The Big Bang Unico in its various executions is consistently Hublot’s signature reference and the most commonly sought-after on the pre-owned market. Within that line, the all-black ceramic and King Gold variants tend to be the most in-demand.
Partially. The HUB Unico calibre is genuinely in-house. The HUB1300 manual skeleton is Hublot-developed. Other calibres in the lower-priced references are based on movements from Sellita, ETA and La Joux-Perret with significant Hublot modification and finishing. This mixed approach is consistent with how most LVMH-era luxury brands operate.
The two most common sizes are 42mm and 45mm. For most UK wrist sizes, 42mm is the more comfortable everyday option. The 45mm references suit larger wrists or buyers who specifically want the additional wrist presence. Both sizes work well in their respective collections, but the 45mm Big Bang in particular wears considerably larger than the stated diameter due to the layered case construction.
The build quality is excellent. Hublot ceramic, titanium and proprietary gold alloy finishing is consistently among the best in the industry. Movement quality is strong at the Unico level and competent across the rest of the range. The criticism Hublot faces is about taste and design rather than quality of manufacture.
Hublot is not for everyone, and the brand has never pretended otherwise. It makes contemporary watches with a clear point of view, and buyers who connect with that point of view tend to become loyal owners. Buyers who do not connect with it should buy something else, because no amount of rationalising will turn a Big Bang into a Royal Oak.
What Hublot does well is unmistakable. The materials work is genuine. The Unico movement is respectable. The design language, whether you love it or hate it, is consistent and committed. And the pre-owned market means that a buyer who wants a Hublot can get one at a sensible price without subsidising the initial depreciation.
The investment criticism we hear most often is really an argument about expectations. If you buy a watch expecting it to appreciate, Hublot is the wrong choice. If you buy a watch because you want to wear it on the wrist for the next twenty years, Hublot is a perfectly reasonable choice that happens to be more affordable on the pre-owned market than on the retail floor.
At MVS Watches we sell Hublot to customers who understand exactly what they are buying and why. If that sounds like the right starting point for you, our current and recurring Hublot selection is worth exploring.
For those looking to deepen their understanding of Hublot, these resources are worth bookmarking:
At MVS Watches we pride ourselves on providing expert knowledge alongside our curated collection of authenticated pre-owned Hublot watches. To browse what we have available, see our current selection of pre-owned Hublot watches. For buyers working to a budget, our watches under £10,000 and watches over £10,000 categories cover the price ranges where most Hublot references sit.
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