Hublot is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco in Nyon, Switzerland. The company is a subsidiary of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which acquired it in 2008. Hublot's current headquarters and manufacture are located in Nyon, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The brand was founded on the concept of combining gold with natural rubber, a pairing considered unconventional at the time. The original Hublot watch, launched in 1980, featured a gold case on a natural rubber strap, a first in luxury watchmaking. In 2005, under the direction of CEO Jean-Claude Biver, Hublot introduced the Big Bang, which became the brand's signature model and established its design philosophy of fusing traditional watchmaking materials with unconventional ones.
Hublot has developed several proprietary materials, including Magic Gold (a scratch-resistant 18-karat gold created by combining gold with ceramic under high pressure), Texalium (an aluminum-carbon fiber composite), and various colored ceramics and sapphire crystal cases. The brand operates its own manufacture in Nyon where it produces in-house movements, including the UNICO chronograph caliber and the MECA-10 with a ten-day power reserve.
Core collections include the Big Bang, Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang (tonneau-shaped), and the Square Bang. Hublot maintains partnerships with FIFA as the official timekeeper of the FIFA World Cup, as well as collaborations with Ferrari, the Premier League, and various artists and designers.
Retail prices generally start at approximately $5,000 for entry-level Classic Fusion models and extend to over $300,000 for high-complication and limited-edition pieces. Hublot sells through its own boutiques, authorized retailers, and e-commerce platform.