About Hublot Watches

A younger company than many of the other big players in watch manufacturing, Hublot was begun by Carlo Crocco. Crocco had been part of the watch company Briel in Italy, which he left in 1976 and moved to Switzerland to begin his own watch-making endeavors.

The creativity of Crocco’s original watch was remarkable as it was the first of its kind to combine gold with rubber. Called ‘Hublot’ (French for ‘porthole’), the watch face was designed to look like the porthole of a ship. The blend of the rubber strap and precious metals eventually became the beginning of an artistic trend of fusion in the world of watches.

Initially called MDM Geneve, Crocco’s company was quickly renamed ‘Hublot”, after the signature watch. While no orders were made for the Hublot watch during its debut at the 1980 watch fair in Basel, it was well-received quickly afterward, selling over $2 million in its first year of production.

Jean-Claude Biver

After several years of running the company, founder Carlo Crocco became aware that other commitments, including running a charitable organization, were taking away from his time dedicated to the Hublot company. With that in mind, in 2004, Crocco hired a new CEO, Jean-Claude BIver, whom he wooed away from his position as president of the Omega Division of Swatch Group.

The Big Bang

The very first significant action Biver took in his new role was to create an entirely new collection of watches that debuted the next year in Basel. This collection, the Big Bang, would soon become an award-winner, making the brand even more famous and successful.

Revealed at Baselworld 2005, the Big Bang chronograph combined modern materials with a large face, presented in a bold, stunning way. Just after its debut, the Big Bang chronograph won the honor of Best Design from the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve, as well as other awards.

Growth for Hublot

In 2005, the year of the Big Bang, Hublot’s orders tripled. Two years later, Hublot’s first completely in-house watch was revealed, the Mag Bang. Featuring a lightweight case made of aluminum and magnesium alloy, the innovative design grabbed even more attention and the company’s upward trajectory continued.

Hublot Branded Stores

Hublot began operating its first branded stores in 2007 and now runs more than 80 boutiques all over the globe, including Paris, London, Saint-Tropez, Beverly Hills and more.

WiseKey Protects from Counterfeiting

In 2009, Hublot revealed a new way to detect counterfeit watches through the use of WiseKey. Using this method, a smart card allows for the system to authenticate genuine Hublot watches using the company’s servers to prove their origin and identity. This step to fight against counterfeit acts as a guarantee certificate in electronic form. Hublot was the first company to the luxury watch category to implement such a system and has continued its relationship with WiseKey indefinitely.

Moving Forward

Branching out over the next several years, Hublot has reworked the definition of luxury watches with surprising and delightful designs that mix unexpected materials in a distinct way. The bold MP range began in 2011, the same year that the company became the official watchmaker and timekeeper for Ferrari. With groundbreaking technology (including a 50-day power reserve), Hublot’s partnership with Ferrari only continues to reveal unique styles that make Hublot the distinctive, inimitable brand that it is today.