The Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold is probably as bold of a watch as it gets.
I mean let’s be neutral as much as possible here and look at the facts. Hublot is a very divisive brand. On the one hand, their marketing strategy is something I’m pretty sure professors will teach at universities soon. They know how to make a product that their target audience literary lusts after. Not to mention that not every model line is loud and in-your-face, perhaps not as much as the Big Bang watches. On the other hand, this aforementioned target audience is something that many watch fans (not Hublot fans, there’s a significant difference) do not necessarily mingle with. I mean I hardly can imagine someone who owns and truly loves a vintage Speedmaster would feel the same way towards the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold. But perhaps I’m wrong.
Big Bang Rainbow King Gold
I just think that vintage watch enthusiasts look something else in a timepiece than someone who truly loves the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold. And this is nothing against the guys who’ll buy it. As a matter of fact, the technicality that the watch contains is absolutely great. I’m talking not only about the manufacture movement inside it, but Haute Joaillerie represented by the gemstone setting. That is truly outstanding. The looks of the watch? Well, that is a personal preferences thing. Again, let’s stay neutral.
436
As its name suggests, the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold has an 18K gold case. King Gold is Hublot’s term to characterize their 18K red gold which according to them has a stronger red tone than traditional 18K red gold. The size is 45mm, the finish is a mixture of satin and polished especially on the top, the bottom of the case has mostly satin finishing. However, the interesting part is not the gold case but the stones in it. The Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold is set with 176 colored gemstones. All together the timepiece is set with 436 stones; 176 in the case, 48 in the bezel and a whopping 212 on the dial. Amongst the gemstones you can find, pink, blue, yellow and orange sapphires, rubies, topazes and so on. You can see them covering the upper side of the case and the lugs.
The bezel, just like the case has satin and polished finishing with the iconic 6 screws. These H-shape titanium screws divide the bezel to 6 segments; this is where those 48 baguette-cut gemstones are sitting. The stones are identical to the ones on the case. You can see a black material between the bezel and the lower case. It is a black composite resin which serves as the lower bezel. As the movement is just as much of a masterpiece as the gem setting on the case, Hublot added a display case back to the watch. To match the multicolored look of the case and the dial the strap has the same rainbow paint. As you’d expect from a Hublot the material is alligator on the top, and rubber on the underside. At the end of the day, the Big Bang Rainbow King Gold is a sports model.
Skeleton with stones
Roughly half of the 436 stones are on the case and bezel. The other half is on the dial. The basic layout is similar to most Hublot Big Bang models; matte black skeletonized chronograph dial with a date at the 3 o’clock position. In this case, however, we have 212 gemstones, again the same as Hublot used for the bezel and the case. The stones are set on an internal bezel, around the chronograph subdials and even in the Arabic numerals and indexes matching the colors of the stones on the bezel and the case. Meaning that for example, the orange sapphires in the 10 and 11 numerals are the same as the ones on the bezel at 10-11 as well as the upper left lug. As far as the layout of the dial, it’s a 2-subdial chronograph with a 60-minute counter at 3 and the continuous seconds at 9.
HUB1242
We talked about gems stones and gold now let’s look at the movement inside this precious metal case. As I have hinted already above the Haute Joaillerie (fine jewellery) of the case met the Haute Horlogerie of the movement. The caliber beating inside the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold is the HUB1242 UNICO. If you are a fan of the Big Bang Unico watches I’m sure you have already come across this movement. If however, you hear about it for the first time, here are some details: we are talking about a manufacture, self-winding, Flyback chronograph with column wheel. The HUB1242 has 38 jewels and a power reserve of 72 hours. The frequency is 28,800 Vph and the water resistance is 100m or 10 ATM. It is a “standard” movement in the Big Bang Unico line and as such in the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold as well.
Closing words
As one would expect from a watch with some many stones, a solid gold case, an in-house movement and last but not least, Hublot on the dial, the Big Bang Rainbow King Gold has a rather eye-watering price tag. Everything is relative of course but the retail price is €90.300,- ($91.600 according to the US Hublot website). I’d like to add though that it may seem high, and it clearly is no pocket change. However, if you consider what you get for the money, that might put the Hublot Big Bang Rainbow King Gold into a different perspective for you. I, for one, appreciate the craftsmanship that went into this timepiece. As a fan of watches of all kinds, I can relate to the movement and the Haute Joaillerie of the stone setting. Looks? Well, that’s a subjective thing, isn’t it?
Additional information can be found on the Hublot website, here.
Watch specifications
Model
Big Bang Rainbow King Gold
Reference
411.OX.9910.LR.0999
Dial
Matte Black Skeleton, Set with 212 Colored Gemstones: Rubies, Pink, Sapphires, Amethysts, Blue Sapphires, Blue Topazes, Tsavorites, Yellow Sapphires and Orange Sapphires
Case Material
Satin-finished and Polished 18K King Gold. Set with 176 Colored Gemstones: Rubies, Pink Sapphires, Amethysts, Blue Sapphires, Blue Topazes, Tsavorites, Yellow Sapphires and Orange Sapphires
Case Dimensions
Diameter: 45mm
Crystal
Sapphire
Case Back
Gold with sapphire crystal
Movement
Caliber HUB1242. Self-winding chronograph flyback, Power Reserve: 72 hours.
Water Resistance
100 Meters
Strap
Black rubber and multicolored alligator straps, folding clasp in 18K King gold and black-plated titanium
Functions
Time, Chronograph. Flyback, Date
Price
€90.300,-
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