Beyond the Big Bang – What’s Next for Hublot?

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Beyond the Big Bang – What’s Next for Hublot?
by Kyle Stults on October 23, 2009

I’ve been thinking about this for some time now, but I am now officially opening this up for discussion. Since coming on to the scene in the 2005, Hublot’s Big Bang watches have ushered in a new and awesome era of FUSION. Knowing a winner when he sees one, Hublot President Jean-Claude Biver (to his credit) has ridden the Big Bang all the way to the top of the mountain. But I ask you – what direction can one who is at the top of a mountain go except down? I think it is time for Hublot to find a new – and bigger – mountain to climb.

Now don’t get me wrong – I am a HUGE fan of Hublot and Jean-Claude Biver, as you might have guessed from the significant attention they get here on First In Watches. And to be fair, I do think that Hublot Big Bang has and continues to be a very desirous watch right now. But…… I am concerned. I am concerned that Hublot has now effectively become one watch, and one watch only – the Big Bang. Not only that, but I also see that the appeal, the allure, the magic, of the Big Bang is at risk of fizzling due to the number of variations that Hublot continues to introduce. Seemingly every month a new “limited” or “special” edition Big Bang is released, but in reality these are nothing more than Big Bang’s with a new color scheme or with a special logo on the dial.

For example – over the past few years we’ve seen limited editions such as the Valentine’s Day Big Bang, the Bat Bang, the Solo Bang, Big Bang Wally, Big Bang Tuiga, the Smiling Children Big Bang, Big Bang Red Devil I and II, and the Aero Bang Morgan, and even the Bigger Bang! And what about Big Bangs in color schemes such as Big Purple Carat, Orange Carat, Cappuccino, Cappuccino Chocolate, All White, All Black Blue, Black Lemon, Earl Gray, Apple, Black Apple, and Tutti Frutti Hazlenut? If you thought these were Flavors of the Month at Baskin Robbins Ice Cream, I would forgive you.

Hublot Big Bang Cappucino Chocolate

Hublot Big Bang Cappucino Chocolate

My point here is that it is too much – it is getting tiring – and I think it is starting to dilute the credential of the Big Bang. Audemars Piguet found itself in a similar position several years ago with its Royal Oak Offshore watches – too many variations and one-off special editions – and some watch enthusiasts started to turn away. Thankfully for AP, it was diversified – offering a much broader lineup of watches than just the Royal Oak. Hublot is not in this position.

So, as noted, the Big Bang has proliferated and rightly so as JC Biver has taken a winner and maximized its value. But now I think the question is – What’s Next for Hublot? My sense right now is that at Baselworld 2010 most of the talk emanating from the Hublot stand will be all about Hublot’s first in-house movements (JC Biver has been discussing Hublot’s new Unico Calibers for many many months now, including in my post-Baselworld 2009 interview with him). This will of course be exciting news, but how about taking us beyond the Big Bang altogether, Mr. Biver?

Old,French, Rich and Lazy ?

Hi Kyle,

What an excellent post. Thank you ! This has been on my mind for some years now and you
are DEAD ON here. All respect to Mr Biver, for his work in the past and for reviving Hublot.
- Credit must be given when credit is due. But it is high time for someone to ask this powerhouse to seriously get real. Everything you said is true. If I see another bang in another color, with another BS logo, from another BS sportevent, in some new BS materials fused together I think Ill explode. I think it is an insult to watchbuyers to assume that they are so stupid that they should settle, and be happy with him being lazy and basically re-inventing the wheel over and over. Hublot have surely made enough money to invest in a new and f r e sh design. If it keeps going down this path, what´s next ? The [*edited by Admin*] ???
There must be younger people withing the company that are dying to show what they got.
I hear this a lot – people are sick and tired of the bang now.
Germany Wins in South Africa

I also has to agree very much. I am a collector in in Germany and I loved the big bang at first.
Now I wonder what Jean-Claude Biver is taking his brand. It is clear that they have a clear stand still at their design department. What a shame it is.
Jason

At first, I liked the Big Bang, but then I learned that there are many, many superior watch choices in that price range.
http://amateureconblog.blogspot.com/ Speedmaster

How many variations of the BB are there now?
The Rake

I’m still a fan of the Bang, and the new King Power variations really are still an extenstion of the same to me, but at least a step in another direction, but I do feel that the Bangs repetitive color schemes hurt the piece/brand. I liken it to shoes and Nike’s Air Force 1. There are so many variations, it became almost insulting to think that fans should get excited about a new color scheme. Eventually chocolate is chocolate, dark, mild, or not, it still is relatively the same. We indeed must see what is next for JC and Hublot.
Arabian

The greatest damage to the brand that Mr Biver can deliver is ramping up production to 20,000 movements a year to feed the demand being created by them in China and other new markets. These are fine quality watches but merely creating an “in house” movement does not build history.
The key to Hublots Big Bang success is Rarity and Exclusivity with the promise of outstanding quality and a near lifelong warranty.
The value of the metal and rubber in the watch is certainly not worth the price charged and without the attributes retained the resale value of these watches does not remain the same.
Investors like the value of these timepieces to increase with time.
These are outstanding watches of the highest quality but their value and rarity must be maintained to keep the customers loyalty forever.