In the case of watches constituted of unconventional supplies, Hublot is definitely one of many business’s leaders, and even simply inside the previous couple of years, the Swiss model has used the whole lot from recycled Nespresso espresso pods to skilled tennis participant Novak Djokovic’s game-worn garments to create the circumstances of its watches. Since 2016, Hublot has been producing special-edition fashions with elements fabricated from concrete, and becoming a member of the lineup as a U.S.-exclusive providing for 2025 is the Hublot Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle, which pays tribute to New York Metropolis and the model’s new Fifth Avenue boutique.
Concrete is undeniably a fairly uncommon materials to make use of in watchmaking, though the brand new Hublot Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle (ref. 424.XC.5510.NR.NYC25) is hardly the primary time that concrete has made an look inside the model’s catalog. The primary Hublot mannequin to include concrete into its development was the Traditional Fusion Aerofusion Concrete Jungle; nevertheless, solely the bezel of the watch was constituted of concrete, and the remainder of its case was crafted from black ceramic. 4 years later in 2020, Hublot unveiled the Traditional Fusion Concrete Jungle New York, which featured a full-concrete case paired with a dial that was additionally constituted of concrete, and two years after that in 2022, the model created the Traditional Fusion Concrete Sand with a concrete case with a dial made utilizing desert sand from Dubai.
As for the Hublot Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle, the brand new mannequin is basically the identical watch as the unique Huge Bang MECA-10 however with a case constituted of concrete. Whereas the Concrete Jungle model runs on the identical manufacture Caliber HUB1201 manual-wind motion that runs at a charge of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a 10-day energy reserve (240 hours), using a distinct case materials ends in barely decreased proportions, and the brand new Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle has the identical on-paper dimensions because the MECA-10 “Grasp of Sapphire” fashions that had been introduced earlier this 12 months as a five-piece collector’s set at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2025. Consequently, the brand new Concrete Jungle version measures 44mm in diameter by 15.3mm thick, and similar to the sapphire-cased variations, it affords 50 meters of water resistance, fairly than the 100 meters that may be discovered among the many remainder of the MECA-10 collection.
Whereas the case of the Hublot Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle mirrors the fabric used for the facade of the model’s new Fifth Avenue boutique, the concrete that Hublot makes use of for its watches is totally different from the widespread industrial selection that’s continuously discovered on buildings and sidewalks. Particularly engineered for all times on an individual’s wrist, Hublot’s concrete consists of high-quality cement blended with epoxy resin (which replaces the water in customary concrete) and fiberglass replaces the metal of conventional concrete to additional reinforce its construction. An anti-UV additive is blended into the epoxy resin to assist stop discoloration, and Hublot additionally provides an “anti-graffiti” therapy to the completed case elements to forestall the concrete materials from being stained by dust and different ambient contaminants.
Similar to its siblings from the MECA-10 lineup, the Hublot Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle contains a pair of flat sapphire crystals fitted to both aspect of its case, and whereas the vast majority of its exterior elements are crafted from concrete, titanium is used for the caseback, winding crown, and the small H-shaped screws that safe the sections of its case. Moreover, simply as you’d anticipate from considered one of Hublot’s Huge Bang fashions, the MECA-10 Concrete Jungle options the model’s One-Click on system to facilitate tool-free strap adjustments, and Hublot contains two totally different choices with the watch. The first configuration is a grey material strap with a velcro fastening system, though a black rubber strap can be packaged with the watch, and it’s accomplished by a folding clasp constituted of black-finished titanium and ceramic.
Premium case supplies sometimes goal to supply both a extra luxurious expertise (i.e. valuable metals), or superior efficiency properties, such because the light-weight development of carbon fiber or the scratch resistance of ceramic. That stated, concrete isn’t extra luxurious or sensible than any of the opposite supplies that Hublot makes use of for its MECA-10 fashions; nevertheless, it does signify a really distinctive providing, and it arguably makes for among the finest dialog starters amongst the entire model’s unconventional supplies. With that in thoughts, Hublot actually costs concrete like a luxury-oriented providing, and the brand new US-exclusive Hublot Huge Bang MECA-10 Concrete Jungle (ref. 424.XC.5510.NR.NYC25) has an official retail worth of $34,100 USD, which makes it costlier than the whole lot however the two strong gold fashions inside the present MECA-10 lineup. For extra data, please go to the Hublot web site.
