The watch landscape in 2005 involved navigating a totally different map to today. YouTube had just posted its first video “Me at the Zoo”; Instagram was five years away, and MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook were still in embryonic stages. Online magazines were in a similar state with game-changing Hodinkee not hitting screens until 2008. For the dedicated enthusiast, there were forums and chat rooms to discover but, on the whole, print ruled the watch media with myriad magazines including International Watch, QP, Watch Time, GMT and Europa Star to choose from. Everything was on an even keel and everyone knew where to find news on the latest releases if they were so inclined.

Then two things happened to disrupt the equilibrium and change the way watches were made, marketed and written about forever: watch enthusiast Wei Koh launched Revolution, and newly-appointed Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver launched the Big Bang. The names on their own let the world know that the tide had turned, with one rewriting the rulebook on watch publishing, the other redefining what makes a luxury watch. By coincidence, 2005 was also the year that I began work on a now defunct travel magazine and for the first time had to commission articles on watches. The newly launched Revolution became my guidebook, and my first ever industry contact was with Hublot.

What does the Big Bang’s 20th anniversary mean for Hublot?

By the time the Big Bang exploded onto the scene, Hublot had already been in existence for a quarter of a century. The brainchild of Italian entrepreneur Carlo Crocco, who previously worked within his family’s watch business, Hublot aimed to create something new and unique that redefined high-end watchmaking. Taking luxury materials like gold and combining them with more everyday ones such as rubber, Crocco set the direction for what would later become known as “the Art of Fusion”. Ahead of his time, he laid deep foundations that would prepare the ground for everything that was to follow under successive Hublot CEOs.

Jean-Claude Biver served as Hublot’s CEO until 2012. He led a fivefold increase in sales from 2004 to 2007, before the brand was purchased by LMVH in 2008

Although paid brand partners and ambassadors were nothing new in the watch industry — think Humphrey Bogart for Longines, Jimmy Stewart for Elgin in the late-1940s, or Brigitte Bardot and Gina Lollobrigida for Eterna in the 1950s — Biver saw an opportunity to work with people that directly connected to the new Big Bang and to capitalise on the relationships in a fresh way. The aim was to make marketing campaigns memorable for more than a temporary licensing of a screen idol’s face or a tagline of clever but ultimately meaningless words. The Hublot way often involved shock tactics and fireworks (just as you’d expect for having a watch named after a cosmic explosion) and ultimately, always a touch of humor. 

In an interview with CEO Ricardo Guadalupe in 2016, he described Hublot as “a friendly brand,” using the term to explain the army of sportspeople, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs, and actors who have worked with the company as ambassadors. “We meet so many people through our different sponsorships,” he said. “When we have a good feeling about someone, when they share our values and our approach to life, we may ask that person to become a friend of the brand.

Ricardo Guadalupe (right), former Honorary President and CEO of Hublot, with Hublot Ambassadors Usain Bolt (left) and Chiara Ferragni (middle)

“I think it is really a very modern, very innovative, different type of marketing and a key element in the success of Hublot,” he continued. “Of course, if we were a very traditional Swiss watch brand, maybe we’d have to adapt, but because we are a young brand, we dare to do a lot of things others can’t. And we can also be a bit more disruptive — that’s in the DNA of the brand.” 

With partners chosen on personality, chemistry, and fit, as opposed to a set marketing strategy and checklist of qualities, the partnerships feel a lot more organic. Case in point: both Usain Bolt and Jose Mourinho were existing customers before becoming ambassadors, and they both share a track record of standing out from the crowd and taking career risks. Risks in terms of creativity, new methods of working, new techniques, new ways of management — basically the same philosophy as Hublot.

Julien Tornare (left), CEO of Hublot and Usain Bolt (right), Hublot ambassador, at the Big Bang Unico Summer 2025 launch party in Mykonos

Twenty years on, Hublot’s partnerships are still an integral part of the brand’s messaging with current CEO Julien Tornare, saying, “What better way is there to demonstrate the Art of Fusion than collaborating with such an amazing and varied range of partners? From the trouble maker alchemists like Takashi Murakami, Daniel Arsham, SangBleu and Samuel Ross, who work with our teams in house to create magic for the wrist, to athletes like Kylian Mbappé, Usain Bolt, and Novak Djokovic, who never stop pushing the boundaries in their field, and who all express their passionate singularity — they are the embodiment of our spirit and revolutionary mindset.”

Among the various “universes” of art and design, music and sport, one thing unites the friends of Hublot. “We choose partners who will bring what we call the “Hublot Vibes” to light — a celebration of common passions that explore every facet of culture,” says Tornare. “When choosing our ambassadors, we want to ensure authenticity. [Members of] our Hublotista owners community have interests in so many different universes and we seek to empower our clients to express their singularity, whether that is through a love of art, sport, music, design etc.”

Takashi Murakami wearing the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow

Tornare describes ambassadors past and present as free-thinkers — men, women and teams who go their own way, just as Hublot clients do — from Floyd Mayweather and Usain Bolt, to Lapo Elkann and Samuel Ross. He recognises that this sometimes makes them divisive characters but rather than seeing this as a negative, he sees it  as a perfect representation of his brand and an absolute must for a Hublot partner.

“Hublot was born for personalities that stay ahead of the curve and who are not afraid to show their individuality, those who celebrate the unconventional,” he explains. “We believe that being different is what makes people grow stronger and able to push the boundaries — something that all [our ambassadors] share in common.”

On November 25th, 2010, Bernie Ecclestone was mugged and his Hublot watch stolen from his wrist. Ecclestone then suggested to Biver, then the CEO of Hublot, to create the incident into an advert

In 2010, Hublot partner Bernie Ecclestone was the victim of a widely reported mugging in London, his Hublot F1 King Power among the valuables stolen from him. After newspaper pictures of Ecclestone sporting a black eye and other bruises appeared in the global press, Hublot marketeers quickly jumped into action. Within days, an advert appeared with Ecclestone’s bruised face and a quote from him reading: “See what people will do for a Hublot”. 

While some called it “insensitive”, it emerged that the ad was Ecclestone’s idea, sending the picture and quote to Biver telling him, “Please use it to make an advertising campaign because I want to show that I’m courageous.” While it may seem inappropriate given the current climate of targeted watch theft, this was less of a problem 15 years ago, and Hublot and Ecclestone argued that the statement showed a shared and particular sense of humor. Biver added, “It is also a protest against violence that we are all afraid of today.”

Choupette currently stars in Hublot’s Big Bang 20th Anniversary campaign, “Own It”

Since then, Hublot’s disruptive image has become more mainstream. Others have followed the path set by Hublot 20 years ago, encroaching on the brand’s territory and making it seem more pedestrian. But in 2025, Tornare is resetting the clock and aiming to take back the disruptor crown with a new and totally unexpected brand ambassador. 

“Our new Big Bang 20th Anniversary “Own It” brand campaign featuring Choupette [Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat] is an unapologetic call to action, perfectly capturing the authentic, loud, and polarising spirit of the brand,” says Tornare. “We want to celebrate the courage it takes to break the mould and experiment without fear of going beyond. We have always looked for this quality in our partners and continue to embrace the idea of challenging the status quo as we know that Hublot wearers aren’t afraid to stand out. This is an unconventional approach in the watch industry and we want people to think ‘This is so Hublot!’”

Football, boxing, tennis: Why sport matters to Hublot

One of Hublot’s first official partnerships under Biver was with football. The brand sponsored the Swiss national team in 2006, engaged in a multi-million-dollar deal with Manchester United in 2008, and subsequently secured partnerships with other European clubs, from Juventus to Paris Saint-Germain. In 2010, Hublot became the official timekeeper of the FIFA World Cup, gaining exposure to 1.5 billion people, a partnership that continues to this day. Along the journey, the brand has signed some of the sport’s greatest ever players, from Pelé to Diego Maradona and Kylian Mbappé, as well as top managers and coaches including José Mourinho, Gareth Southgate and Didier Deschamps. 

Hublot has been the official timekeeper for football events since 2008

Over the past two decades, Hublot has aggressively expanded its football partnerships, inspiring the new look, based on the Big Bang design, for fourth official boards as far back as 2008. This propelled the brand into the highly visible match presence that we recognize today. Hublot’s logo can be seen prominently displayed on the electronic substitution and added time boards used by the fourth official during FIFA World Cup games, UEFA European Championship, Champions League and Europa League matches and throughout the English Premier League.

According to information from audience research company GWI, association football is the undisputed global champion of sports in terms of viewing and participation numbers. With surveys conducted across 18 markets, 49% of people claim to watch, follow, or have an interest in football. The numbers — with estimates up to 3.5 billion — mean that football continues to be the world’s leading sport.

José Mourinho wearing the Hublot Big Bang e UEFA EURO 2020

Hublot’s early affiliation with the game, its continuous doubling down ever since, and the hundreds of millions of dollars in investment show a deep understanding of the power of the game, a willingness to take a chance, and a prophetic reading of the future in relation to associations and partnerships.

While football may have been the start, Hublot’s dedication to sport overall has been long and consistent. Although less prominent in recent years, the brand has a connection with the World Boxing Council (WBC) that goes back to 2012, and it has co-hosted major events such as the “Night of Champions” gala to support the WBC José Sulaimán Boxers Fund in aid of retired boxers. There have also been special edition watches such as the Big Bang Unico WBC and sponsorship of some of the sport’s biggest names like Floyd Mayweather Jr., including his “Big Money” fight against UFC’s Conor McGregor in 2017.

Former CEO of Hublot, Ricardo Guadalupe (left), presented WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (right) with King Power WBC Hublot watch at “Hublot and Floyd Mayweather Jr.: The Perfect Combination For The Fight Of The Century” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 1, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for HUBLOT)

Bolt in the Hublot Big Bang Unico Usain Bolt yellow gold

If Mayweather exemplifies the flamboyant and unique individuals drawn to Hublot, another connection, initiated in 2012, solidifies these defining characteristics. Already excelling in his athletics career when he joined the Hublot family in 2012, Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, proceeded to win gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at the London Olympics that year (a feat he replicated four years later in Rio). With such a remarkable track record, Bolt was undeniably deserving of his Big Bang Unico Usain Bolt Yellow Gold watch, featuring a metallic gold leather strap embossed with the Jamaican flag.

Working on several collaborations with the brand, including the King Power Usain Bolt and Big Bang Unico models, Bolt has remained close to Hublot in his retirement, telling Revolution in 2016 that: “Timing is my life. This is what I do — it’s all about the race. As an athlete, you have a specific time you have to run, and a watch pretty much sums up my entire life. Being a partner with Hublot is an honor, and the relationship continues to grow. This is what I love about Hublot. They’ve partnered with many individuals and have genuinely tried to bridge gaps with all of them, choosing excellent communicators and reaching many different walks of life.”

Novak Djokovic

Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic

In 2021, Hublot segued into tennis when the brand partnered with Novak Djokovic. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history, Djokovic is no stranger to controversy — much of it undeserved and groundless, in a similar way to some of Hublot’s criticisms over the years. Hublot has been clever not only in aligning itself with a top athlete but also in entering yet another sporting universe, potentially exposing its products to new clients and enabling the brand to do what it does best — experiment.

Last year’s 42mm Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic edition weighing just 49.5 grams was a high-performance watch that incorporated materials from Djokovic’s own Head racquets and Lacoste polo shirts. The watch was created to be lighter than a tennis ball in order to be worn during matches — a first for Djokovic — and involved all of the materials alchemy that Hublot is famed for.

Patrick Mahomes joins the Hublot family

Most recently, Hublot has added American football to its line-up of sporting connections, naming Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as an ambassador. Fitting the Hublot mold, Mahomes is a three-time Super Bowl winner who has built his reputation on doing things differently — throwing on the move, finding angles that shouldn’t exist, and keeping plays alive when they look finished. Despite Mahomes’ prowess, for Hublot, the partnership is less about another trophy count and more about entering the NFL’s vast ecosystem as one of the most-watched sports platforms in the world. It puts the brand in front of a younger, US-based audience while staying true to its pattern of choosing athletes who bring a new dimension to their game.

From Ferrari to fashion: How Hublot expanded watch design frontiers

Hublot’s first official automotive partnership was in 2011 when the watch brand became the timekeeper and watchmaker for the cultural icon Ferrari, including the F1 team Scuderia Ferrari. Many of the Hublot Ferrari watches were co-designed with Ferrari’s chief designer Flavio Manzoni, a pairing that worked due to a mutual desire to challenge convention, rather than relying on tradition. Bold, futuristic designs, unconventional shapes, materials and technical displays appealed to an emerging watch audience desperate for something new.

The Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari used multiple barrels for its impressive power reserve — at 50 days

Beginning with the Big Bang Ferrari series in 2012, the watches placed an emphasis on design and technology, bringing in materials such as titanium, ceramic, carbon fiber, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) and Hublot’s proprietary Magic Gold. The 2013 MP-05 LaFerrari took inspiration from the supercar that gave it its name. Designed in the image of a car engine, the 11 mainspring barrels provided a 50-day power reserve. 

Hublot was not Ferrari’s first luxury watch rodeo, the latter having previously worked with Girard-Perregaux and Panerai, plus having several unofficial watches, limited editions and one-offs. However, none of those that came before Hublot produced the true collaborations that came from that partnership and, although it came to an end in 2020, it remains one of the most celebrated and innovative watch/car partnerships of all time, undoubtedly paving the way for the current collaboration with Richard Mille.

French sculptor Richard Orlinski at the Hublot Loves Art event in Miami

Hublot began its collaboration with Art Basel in 2011 and is now a mainstay of Art Basel Miami Beach, where year after year, it hosts some of the hottest parties of the season. The show introduces limited-edition collector art pieces and strengthens the links between modern art and contemporary watchmaking under the banner of “Hublot Loves Art.”

The brand’s support and presence goes well beyond a branding opportunity and celebrity watch placement, and involves collaborating on installations and exhibitions that showcase the creative process behind the watches and supporting up-and-coming artists through initiatives such as the Hublot Design Prize. This has made Hublot part of the community and in turn has appealed to some of the biggest names in contemporary art who have gravitated to Hublot and chosen to transform their work into horological art. 

Hublot’s Classic Fusion Chronograph Shepard Fairey

Past collaborations have ranged from Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (Big Bang “Aero Bang Niemeyer” 2011) to Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto (Classic Fusion Enamel Britto, 2015), Venezuelan kinetic artist Carlos Cruz-Diez (Classic Fusion Cruz-Diez, 2015), American graffiti artist and toy designer Tristan Eaton (Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Concrete Jungle, 2016), Chinese artist Yue Minjun (Yue Minjun x Hublot Classic Fusion, 2016) American street artist Shepard Fairey (Classic Fusion Chronograph Shepard Fairey, 2018) and French contemporary artist Marc Ferrero (Hublot Big Bang One Click Marc Ferrero, 2019).

As the Miami art scene brought interest in Hublot from a new direction, the brand increased its investment in the field, looking to more famed artists but always with the same independent and free-thinking attitude. The brand’s ongoing partnership with French sculptor Richard Orlinski has resulted in not just one limited edition, but an entire family of watches in a range of materials, instantly recognisable as both Hublot and Orlinski thanks to the unique faceted and angled cases. 

The Hublot Classic Fusion 40mm Orlinski Edition in blue ceramic

Hublot x Takashi Murakami Classic Fusion Black Ceramic

A series of limited-edition high horology pieces with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami saw the balance between timepiece and artwork shift as the watches became objects for art collectors, while recent collaborations with Daniel Arsham, who’s no stranger to the watch world after working with Franck Muller and Bamford Watch Department, have seen a large scale sundial installation and a pocket watch.

Hublot discarded the rulebook on watch design in 1980, so it is not surprising that the company has strong direct links to the wider world of design – from automotive (as already discussed) to fashion and lifestyle, industrial, and multidisciplinary design. Launching the annually awarded Hublot Design Prize for emerging talent in 2015, the brand made a stand to identify, support, and promote talented designers from around the world who challenge conventions and offer new perspectives.

Daniel Arsham for the Hublot Arsham Droplet

(from left) Ricardo Guadalupe, Lapo Elkann, Jean-Claude Biver and Andrea Tessitore, who co-founded Italia Independent together with Elkann, at Baselworld 2016

Hublot and Italia Independent presented a series of watches in 2016 where they incorporated camouflage patterns on Texalium, with colour variations of green, blue and black

A multi-year partnership with Lapo Elkann — great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli and grandson of Gianni Agnelli — and his company, Italia Independent, began in 2014. With Italia Independent having a focus on incorporating innovative materials into fashion, it was the perfect accomplice for multiple watch releases that used experimental products like fibre-glass-based Texalium, as well as fabrics from the archives of Italian tailor Rubinacci. 2016 also saw the high fashion-watchmaking focus solidify with a collaboration with French shoe-maker Berluti, a new watch being launched annually since then. 

But pure fashion was never going to define Hublot’s boundaries in design and 2016 saw the start of the brand’s long-standing relationship with Maxime Plescia-Buchi, a Swiss tattoo artist, graphic designer, typographer, and founder of the creative agency and tattoo studio Sang Bleu. Plescia-Buchi has brought an abstract and contemporary design language to Hublot based on complex geometric patterns of geometry, linework and symmetry, which delivers an architectural three-dimensional aesthetic into the watch dials, cases, movements and straps. With a trust rarely seen in Swiss watch maisons, Hublot gave Plescia-Buchi free rein to reimagine the entire form of a watch, resulting in projects including the Big Bang Sang Bleu (2016), Big Bang Sang Bleu II (2019), and the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu (from 2023).

Maxime Plescia-Buchi, Tattoo Artist & Founder of Sang Bleu

Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II Ceramic in blue, white and grey colorways

Samuel Ross

Building on this success with seemingly disparate creative worlds, Hublot has embarked on further collaborations with designer Samuel Ross, a former Hublot Design Prize winner and founder of A-COLD-WALL* and SR_A. Ross’s core approach is rooted in industrial design and material innovation. This follows his REFORM sculpture created for Hublot’s 40th anniversary. His collaborations often feature titanium and carbon fiber with new finishing techniques.

As of 2025, Hublot has welcomed a new fashion icon to its stable in Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette. Lagerfeld was the proud owner of a Hublot Big Bang Red Magic and would no doubt approve of his pet’s starring role. And if you are wondering if Choupette is a lookie-likie imposter — fear not. We have it on good authority that the feline superstar, who’s alive and well at the age of 14 years, is the genuine model.

How Hublot tapped into music’s global reach

While timekeeping is an essential skill for any musician, Hublot was one of the first brands to identify a link between modern watchmaking and music, forming strategic partnerships with major artists that often result in limited-edition watches that reflect the musicians’ style. 

The Shawn Carter by Hublot Classic Fusion was available in two styles — in ceramic black and in yellow gold

As music transcends social, political and cultural boundaries, its reach is uniquely diverse and all of these partnerships — both the official ones and the less formal friendships — allow Hublot to tap into the energy and influence of the music industry and reach new audiences.

One of the brand’s earliest and most prominent music collaborations was with Jay-Z aka Shawn Carter, hip-hop’s GOAT, rapper, record producer, businessman and true watch connoisseur. Formed in 2013, the collaboration resulted in two limited-edition Shawn Carter by Hublot Classic Fusions, one in black ceramic and another in yellow gold. The watches celebrated hip-hop’s influence on high fashion and lifestyle, featuring minimalist dials with a cut-out “Shawn Carter” signature at 7 o’clock and an opening revealing the movement. 

Hublot Spirit of the Big Bang Depeche Mode

In a nod to the decade of its birth, one of Hublot’s most enduring music partnerships has been with British electronic band Depeche Mode. The relationship has resulted in several Big Bang Depeche Mode editions that have incorporated design elements reflecting the band’s style, such as pyramid studs on the bezel and strap and unique dial textures. 

Each watch sold has contributed to Charity: Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean drinking water to people in developing countries, or Conservation Collective, a charity that tackles global plastic pollution at grassroots levels — both causes that Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher, and Dave Gahan have long supported. Hublot entered this partnership as a key facilitator and financial supporter, its involvement providing a significant financial injection, while Depeche Mode’s global fanbase helps to amplify the message and inspire broader donations.

William Sami Étienne Grigahcine aka DJ Snake

Hublot Big Bang DJ Snake features cut-out notches on the bezel, an idea designed by DJ Snake

Looking to more diverse audiences, Hublot also has links to EDM (electronic dance music) through French record producer DJ Snake, and the classical world with Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang. Launched in 2021, Big Bang DJ Snake featured an iridescent bezel and case and cutouts on the bezel. The Classic Fusion Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater Carbon Lang Lang, unveiled in 2016, was a super-complication that featured a tourbillon and a cathedral minute repeater in a carbon fiber case, showcasing Hublot’s watchmaking mastery to a whole new universe.