14 April 2026

THE SPIRIT OF BIG BANG IMPACT: FIRST EVER SAPPHIRE DIAMOND SETTING IN HUBLOT’S HISTORY

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14 April 2026, Geneva – Ten years after the Big Bang Impact Bang of 2016, with its fragmented motif interlocking complex fancy-cut diamonds in striking precision, Hublot projects this impactful architecture onto sapphire and ceramic. For the first time in brand history, Hublot sets diamonds directly into sapphire, pushing boundaries one more time. From black ceramic to sapphire, engraved, applied or gem-set, the Spirit of Big Bang Impact comes in three limited editions: All Black ceramic, sapphire & osmium and diamond-set sapphire.

Born in 2016 with the Big Bang Impact Bang, the fragmented motif transcended traditional gemsetting, redefining visual intensity. In 2026, its architecture evolves, incorporating materials from diamonds to osmium, alongside polished rhodium-plated appliques and black-plated elements. Shards radiate from the bezel to the sapphire dial, while fragments orbit the moonphase at 6 o’clock. Each applique is hand-positioned and secured with micron-level precision.

 

Hublot pushes the limits of watchmaking once again, transforming extreme technical mastery into impact. For the first time in its history, diamonds are set directly into sapphire, a feat demanding extraordinary precision. Cutting, machining and securing gems in one of the hardest materials on Earth creates a bold statement, made possible only by Hublot’s mastery of materials and relentless innovation.

A first for Hublot: setting diamonds directly into sapphire

While Hublot has demonstrated mastery over sapphire cases since the 2016 Big Bang Unico Sapphire, 2026 marks a new frontier. Machining sapphire, one of Earth's hardest materials (9 Mohs), presents an extreme technical challenge in itself; however, setting diamonds within it introduces an entirely new dimension of complexity. The challenge intensifies because every gem is unique in size and cut, requiring individually adapted channels and mounts. Set within polished gold channels and secured between two framing strips, the diamonds are inserted into laser-machined mounts in the sapphire, ensuring absolute precision. Hundreds of hours are required to machine, polish and set a single case. In this 20-piece limited edition, 145 fancy-cut diamonds extend the Impact Bang motif from dial to bezel.

Impact becomes stellar: sapphire and osmium

Since 2014, Hublot has exclusively introduced crystallized osmium – considered the rarest metal on Earth – into watchmaking. Denser than platinum, harder and heavier, it features a naturally bluish radiance that shines like no other metal. Through a highly sophisticated crystallization process developed with Swiss scientists in Valais, osmium transforms into stable crystal form, unlocking its cosmic sparkle. In a 30-piece limited edition, rhodium-plated appliques alternate with osmium shards on the dial.

20 Years of All Black: making an impact

This year marks 20 years of the iconic Hublot All Black concept, the revolutionary idea that a watch can be seen by contrast, where black reigns supreme and understatement becomes a bold statement. Expressed in polished and microblasted black ceramic, the Spirit of Big Bang Impact plays with Hublot’s invisible visibility, revealing texture through polished and microblasted finishing in a 100-piece limited edition. With tone-on-tone play, subtle reflections and material innovation, All Black is elusive at first glance and magnetic to behold. In the Spirit of Big Bang Impact, All Black ceramic proves that invisibility can make the strongest impact.

 

All three models are sculpted in Hublot 42 mm tonneau case. Introduced in 2014, the Spirit of Big Bang marked Hublot’s first move away from the round case. Still built on the Big Bang’s DNA of layered construction, exposed H-shaped screws and fearless material fusion, its case was literally made for impact. At the core of the three editions, the HUB1770 skeletonized automatic caliber with a 50-hour power reserve drives a skeletonized moonphase display at 6 o’clock and a Big Date at 1 o’clock. This caliber doesn’t merely sit beneath the dial, instead actively participating in the impact.

 

These new Spirit of Big Bang Impact editions are available at selected Hublot points of sale as well as online at hublot.com and benefit from Hublot’s 5+5 warranty, extending international coverage to 10 years.