Since being patented well over a century ago in 1868, wristwatches have evolved to become far more than a time-telling necessity.
As most of us casually glance at our phones, computers or screens to pinpoint the time of day, watches are now seen as a statement piece, status symbol or accessory just as much as they are a useful tool.
If you don’t have a strong relationship with watches, though, the stark price difference between a cheap watch and a luxury watch may seem baffling — how can the cost of an item that serves the same functionality vary so drastically?
Ultimately, the time invested in converting raw materials into a luxury watch is indicative of its price tag. As opposed to a plastic watch that gets churned out and replicated in factories using cheap materials, it can take hundreds of man-hours to produce just one luxury watch, with the price reflected accordingly.
Swiss luxury brand Hublot, often considered a pioneer in the watch industry, has had 40 years to perfect its watch craftsmanship, having just released its latest fusion of technology and tradition in the form of the Big Bang Integral model.
Here’s the process behind crafting each watch before they hit boutiques worldwide with a $73,200 price tag.
Materials are sourced
Before the assembly of luxury watches can take place, brands must first decide on the materials used for the internal mechanisms, case and wristband.
While being known for its rubber bracelets, Hublot has switched gears for its latest release, Ricardo Guadalupe explained to Revolution magazine.
“An integrated bracelet to create was a real challenge for us as it is totally new for Hublot,” Guadalupe stated. “There are not that many iconic bracelets in our industry and we wanted to present something different, innovative and unique, and we decided to use high-tech materials — titanium, black ceramics and King Gold.”
Other materials in the brand’s arsenal include sapphire, scratch-proof 18-carat gold, stainless steel, carbon fibre and coloured ceramics.
Creating unique movements
The intricate mechanisms hiding under the face of any luxury watch are where a significant portion of attention is focused.
Hublot has opted for its own in-house movements — the first of its kind — including the Unico, Meca-10, MP-11 and Tourbillon Power Reserve, which are all designed and executed by the Hublot team.
The Unico movement, for instance, is made up of 330 components and has a power reserve of 72 hours.
Each movement design varies in terms of components and power reserves (how long the watch can run), with prices significantly increasing between Unico’s 72-hour power reserve and Tourbillon’s five-day power reserve.
The accuracy of each movement is also crucial to the overall craftsmanship of any luxury watch.
