zelin0802 / June 11, 2022

Ceramic Acoustics.

Hublot launched a series of candy-colored ceramic one-piece bracelet watches at Watches & Wonders 2022, followed by a “highly complicated” ceramic watch, the Big Bang Integral Cathedral Minute Repeater Ceramic.

While end-to-end ceramic complication watches already exist, ceramic chronographs are rare, and only Hublot and Audemars Piguet have made such watches. The Big Bang Integral is a novel way of combining a tourbillon and a minute repeater, in fact, with a longer-than-usual cathedral gong.

Compared to most compelling watches that are only moisture resistant, it manages to be water resistant due to the challenge of sealing the slider while allowing maximum sound transmission.

The latest Big Bang Integral perfectly encapsulates Hublot as a brand, showing its strengths (and some of its weaknesses). Powered by a complex in-house movement, paired with a case and bracelet, it showcases the brand’s proficiency with unusual materials – all thanks to the brand’s extensive and flexible manufacturing.

In typical Hublot fashion, even a black watch is loud — visually rather than acoustically. It looks like a Hublot, and the brand essentially has only one aesthetic. It has a technical and modern aesthetic that complements the open dial, a feature uncommon in minute repeaters but useful because it reveals the entire striking system.

The Tourbillon Repeater is an expensive watch, but affordable for a watch like this. At the same time, it has a higher finish on the ceramic case and bracelet than older Hublots, making it a more compelling proposition.

Ceramics and Integrated
The Tourbillon Repeater is the flagship model of the Big Bang Integral collection, the brand’s first ever watch with a one-piece bracelet, but it was only available two years ago. Although recent, the watch still feels familiar thanks to the well-designed bracelet that flows into the case.

While open dials are common for Hublot, they are relatively rare for classic Haute Horlogerie complications such as the minute repeater. Here, it reveals the striking mechanism normally hidden under the dial, allowing you to see the racks and snails responsible for facilitating the repeater’s striking.

The repeater uses a cathedral gong that wraps twice around the circumference of the movement, rather than once like a traditional repeater. The extended length provides a louder chime.

It is worth noting that thoughtful details are also incorporated into the movement structure. The tourbillon is not blocked by any gears in motion like a tourbillon movement. Instead, the center wheel sits right on the edge of the tourbillon cage. This shows a focus on the aesthetics of the tourbillon, although it is let down by a relatively simple cage.

Although it does not have a traditional dial, the tourbillon minute repeater still has indexes fixed to the dial flange to ensure legibility

It can be observed that the decoration of the movement is a mix of machine and manual treatments.

For example, most bridges have wide, flat bevels with faint machining marks indicating that the bevels were done on a CNC machine. Meanwhile, more important parts like the governor’s hammer and bridge are adorned with circular polished bevels that can only be done by hand.

On the front, the visible steel components are finished with a neat ruled surface and hand-chamfered.

Hublot Big Bang Integrated Minute Repeater Ceramic
refer to. 458.CX.1170.CX.YOS (black)
refer to. 458.HX.1170.HX.YOS (white)

Diameter: 43mm
Height: 14.15mm
Material: Ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: MHUB8001.H1.RH
Functions: Hours, minutes, tourbillon, minute repeater Winding: Automatic winding
: automatic
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Matching ceramic bracelet