You might think that the Hublot Replica brand has been around forever. Many probably even believe that it is one of those traditional Swiss manufacturers that have dominated the watch world for decades. But that is a complete mistake. Hublot was founded in 1980, making the brand just 40 years old. What is even more surprising is that it has only become really famous in the last 15 years. How did Hublot become such a big player in the world of luxury watches so quickly? Let’s find out.

In 1980, Crocco introduced the first Hublot watch, the Classic Fusion. This revolutionary timepiece was the first yellow gold watch to be worn on a natural rubber strap. This combination sparked a real revolution. Until then, most manufacturers always fitted gold watch cases with gold or leather straps. Rubber was not considered a luxury material and some considered the Hublot watch to be absolute blasphemy.

Biver also developed new watch designs that followed the trend for larger watches. Just one year after Biver’s arrival at Hublot, the brand presented its brand new Hublot Big Bang to the world at Baselworld 2005. This watch was designed to attract a new audience to the brand. Some watch journalists felt that the Big Bang was too similar to other modern luxury sports watches such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. However, many either disagreed or didn’t mind – why should they?

Hublot Big Bang in rose goldThis increase was not just due to the new watch model. Jean-Claude Biver also understood that Hublot needed a different sales concept. So “Art of Fusion” became an integral part of the new marketing strategy. At the center of this strategy was a target group that was different from the previous audience. Biver’s target was the nouveau riche, i.e. the new moneyed aristocracy.

Hublot has also shown a good hand in choosing partners for the development of its special editions. There is the fantastic special edition of the Classic Fusion, which was created in collaboration between Hublot and Italia Independent. Then there are the fascinating timepieces that have emerged from Hublot’s partnership with Sang Bleu. Hublot has also been a partner of the Ferrari Formula 1 team for some time.

Hublot can admittedly be a little controversial – just google Bernie Ecclestone and Hublot. And yes, some Hublot owners use their watches to openly flaunt their wealth. But that doesn’t change the fact that the company continues to grow and develop into a serious, modern luxury brand with real watchmaking expertise. And although Biver and Hublot parted ways in 2012, the brand continues to shine under the leadership of Ricardo Guadalupe. The Classic Fusion already has cult status and many see the Big Bang as a future industry icon. As far as we can tell, the Art of Fusion works brilliantly and Hublot has a bright future ahead of it.