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For Watches & Wonders 2026, Hublot pushes the Spirit of Big Bang into bold new territory with the Impact collection, blending sapphire, osmium, and black ceramic into three highly architectural limited editions!

10 years ago, in 2016, Hublot created the Big Bang Impact Bang, a high jewellery expression of the iconic Big Bang line. It was a timepiece with a fragmented motif dial that transcended traditional gem setting and created a completely new visual aesthetic that had never been seen before in watchmaking.

The full name of the original 2016 model was the Big Bang Tourbillon Power Reserve 5 Days High Jewellery Impact Bang, which shows that it was far more than just a high jewellery edition. What defined the timepiece, however, was the use of 484 differently shaped baguette cut diamonds spread across the case, dial, and clasp. The way Hublot designed the gem setting was to make it look like an explosion of broken crystal, which gave the visual effect of an “Impact Bang”, hence the name of the timepiece. Visually, this design made the high jewellery setting feel far more architectural.

And because the diamonds were arranged in a patchwork-like layout, no two watches were the same. The Big Bang Impact Bang reportedly required around 640 hours of research, development, production, and setting, with approximately 240 hours dedicated to the gem setting alone.

The watch was clearly a masterpiece in high jewellery while also featuring a high complication, such as the tourbillon. It was notable enough to be selected as a 2016 GPHG finalist in the Jewellery category, highlighting that it was more than just an extravagant novelty creation, but rather a serious high jewellery statement.

Now, as part of Hublot’s Watches & Wonders 2026 unveilings, the Swiss watchmaking icon pushes the limits of watchmaking once again, transforming extreme technical mastery into a big impact. This time, using the 42mm Spirit of Big Bang as the base model, the brand has created a first in its history by setting diamonds directly into sapphire material.

Hublot Pushes Boundaries With Diamonds Set Into Sapphire

Hublot’s mastery of sapphire material in watchmaking has been evident over the past few years. It first began in 2016 with the Big Bang Unico Sapphire, and since then, the brand has continuously pushed the limits of watchmaking with this material, reinventing its core collections through different sapphire designs and colours that other watchmakers have not dared to venture into.

With Hublot’s philosophy of the “Art of Fusion”, it was only a matter of time before the brand integrated sapphire watchmaking with other precious materials. 2026 marks a new frontier not only for Hublot but for watchmaking as a whole, as two of the hardest materials in the world come together in one creation. Machining sapphire, one of Earth’s hardest materials at 9 Mohs, already presents an extreme technical challenge in itself. However, setting diamonds within it introduces an entirely new dimension of complexity.

The polished sapphire crystal of the case remains untouched by diamonds, and this creates a nice contrast between what the original sapphire case looks like and the diamond-imbued bezel. Sapphire already reflects light incredibly well, more than most other materials, so keeping the case intact was certainly a smart choice by Hublot as it allows the watch to offer the best of both worlds.

The polished sapphire crystal bezel, however, is set with 54 fancy-cut diamonds. This presents an enormous challenge, as every gem is unique in both 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. Just like the Big Bang Impact Bang of 2016, hundreds of hours are required to machine, polish and set a single case in this 20-piece limited edition.

The dial follows the same fragmented design, with fancy cut diamonds spread throughout while still leaving the core elements clearly visible. Firstly, there is the date window at 1 o’clock, presented in an irregular shape that matches the uneven cuts of the surrounding diamonds. Then, at 6 o’clock, the transparent moon phase aperture reveals the moon phase disc beneath, adding another layer of visual depth to the design. Finally, at 9 o’clock, the constant seconds display has also been skeletonised, offering a subtle glimpse of the movement underneath.

Where Impact Meets Sapphire And Osmium

Another first for Hublot, the second edition of the Spirit of Big Bang Impact collection sees the Maison bring together sapphire and osmium in a single timepiece. Since 2014, Hublot has been the only watchmaker to exclusively introduce crystallized osmium into watchmaking. Osmium is considered the rarest metal on Earth, and with a density of 22.59 g/cm³, it is also the densest naturally occurring element on the planet.

The material is denser than platinum, harder and heavier as well, while also featuring a bluish radiance that shines unlike any other metal. It is also extremely hard and brittle, which is one of the reasons it is so difficult to work with, despite its prestige as a rare material. Among the platinum metals, osmium also has the highest melting point, further adding to its reputation as a seriously tough substance. All of these points to just how challenging the metal is to work with, and if there is one watchmaker willing to take on that challenge, it is Hublot.

For this Spirit of Big Bang Impact Sapphire and Osmium timepiece, Hublot has kept the sapphire case intact, with only fancy-cut osmium pieces being displayed on the dial. This is perfectly understandable, as with the depth of work and time required to manufacture these individual pieces, it would present a mountain of a challenge to incorporate osmium into the sapphire case itself. That said, I can certainly see this becoming a future endeavour for the Maison.

In this 30-piece limited edition timepiece, the dial features a mixture of rhodium-plated cutouts that alternate with osmium shards, creating a fragmented, almost crystalline effect. This gives the dial a unique aesthetic that truly reinforces the Spirit of Big Bang Impact’s architectural look. Surrounded by sapphire, the timepiece with osmium integrated into the dial is a beautiful display of Hublot’s “Art of Fusion” philosophy.

20 Years Of All Black: A Bold Legacy Continues

2026 marks 20 years of Hublot’s iconic All Black concept. It was a revolutionary design idea, showing that a timepiece could be seen through subtle contrasting elements, even when black reigns supreme. The concept is one where understatement becomes a bold statement. The Spirit of Big Bang Impact takes this idea even further, featuring a fragmented design executed in microblasted and polished black ceramic.

In a run of 100 limited edition models, the Spirit of Big Bang Impact All Black features a fully microblasted ceramic case, with the bezel showcasing scattered, fragmented polished ceramic pieces. The spaces between these pieces allow the overall design to catch the light through subtle reflections, creating a surprisingly strong impact for an all-black timepiece.

The dial follows suit and, in keeping with the theme of the other two Spirit of Big Bang Impact models, features a scattered, fragmented design with polished black ceramic pieces. It also incorporates polished black-plated appliques and indexes, and while this may affect legibility slightly, it perfectly suits the All Black concept by placing visual impact and stealthy design above outright readability. The moonphase discs of the Spirit of Big Bang Impact have also been blackened to remain in line with the overall concept.

HUB1770 Calibre: A Skeletonised Theatre On The Wrist

Hublot’s HUB1770 Calibre is a self-winding skeleton moonphase movement that brings modern mechanical theatre to the Spirit of Big Bang collection. What makes this movement a theatrical show? Well, rather than hiding behind the dial, Hublot has made the inner workings of the Calibre a part of the visual experience, which goes a step further in these Spirit of Big Bang Impact models, whereby the openworked architecture complements the fragmented design language of the watch itself.

Alongside the moonphase display at 6 o’clock, the calibre also features a Big Date at 1 o’clock, a skeletonised constant seconds counter at 9 o’clock, and delivers a 50-hour power reserve, ensuring the movement offers both technical substance and everyday practicality to match its striking appearance!

Initial Thoughts

The Spirit of Big Bang Impact releases are exactly what you would expect from Hublot, especially when there is a challenge to be met. Undoubtedly, the Spirit of Big Bang Impact Sapphire and Diamond is my favourite of the three, as it pushes their sapphire creations into another realm, and opens up a whole world of possibilities for sapphire creations. I have been a big fan of Hublot’s sapphire creations, and seeing them not rest on their laurels, but instead continue to push the limits, is what makes Hublot such an exciting watchmaker to follow in the first place.

The Spirit of Big Bang Impact Sapphire and Osmium model offers a more unusual and arguably more intriguing material story thanks to the rare metal’s natural bluish shimmer. Meanwhile, the All Black ceramic edition brings the concept back to one of Hublot’s most iconic design philosophies, proving that stealthy execution can still feel just as bold.

This being said, all three of timepieces in the new Spirit of Big Bang Impact collection showcase what Hublot does best: taking the philosophy of “Art of Fusion” beyond simple material combinations and turning it into a full design statement that presents a contemporary, unconventional, and unmistakable Hublot timepiece. For collectors wanting something that steps outside the traditional norm, this collection has it all, blending technical intrigue, bold design, and rare materials into pieces that feel every bit like modern objets d’art.

Reference: Spirit of Big Bang Impact Sapphire Jewellery (Ref. 647.JX.9000.RW.1904.IMP2)

Specifications:

Australian Retail Price: AUD $802,000

Availability: Limited to 20 pieces. Available through Hublot Boutiques, or for more information, please head online to Hublot.com.au

Reference: Spirit of Big Bang Impact Sapphire (Ref. 647.JX.0106.RW.IMP26)

Specifications:

Australian Retail Price: AUD $170,000

Availability: Limited to 30 pieces. Available through Hublot Boutiques, or for more information, please head online to Hublot.com.au

Reference: Spirit of Big Bang Impact All Black (Ref. 647.CX.0140.RX.IMP26)

Specifications:

Australian Retail Price: AUD $49,900

Availability: Limited to 100 pieces. Available through Hublot Boutiques, or for more information, please head online to Hublot.com.au