Against the backdrop of Geneva’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), which wrapped up Thursday January 17, Swiss watch brand Hublot broke new ground with the presentation of the first ever watch to be set with one of the world’s rarest and most precious gems: the Paraíba tourmaline.
Mined in Paraíba, Brazil, these gems are usually an iridescent turquoise, and are so rare that it’s said that only one is mined for every 10,000 diamonds.
For the new Big Bang set, Hublot also opted to take on the added challenge of setting baguette-cut stones, notably on the timepiece’s bezel. The result is a dream come true for both watch and jewelry lovers.
“For the first time ever, a watchmaker has decorated a watch with the turquoise brilliance of a cuprian elbaite. Hublot has electrified its Big Bang with the naturally vibrant and intense colors of the Paraíba Tourmaline, a stone whose rarity can only be fully appreciated when learning that, on average, a single Paraíba Tourmaline is mined for every 10,000 diamonds,” points out Hublot in its press release.
The new line presented by Hublot includes four models: the “Big Bang Unico Paraíba”, which will be available in in white gold or King Gold, and the “Big Bang One Click Paraíba”, which is also offered in white gold and King Gold. All of the models are set with dozens of baguette-cut and brilliant-cut Paraíba tourmalines. The first of these is powered by skeletonized UNICO HUB1242 manufacture movement, while the second houses a HUB1710 self-winding mechanical movement.
Hublot has not disclosed pricing information for these highly desirable jewels, however, it has announced that the new “Big Bang” series is an “ultra-confidential collection.”
Related:
The 60-second watch brand guide: Hublot
Get to know Hublot’s Ricardo Guadalupe
SIHH 2019: Exquisite timepieces from Audemars Piguet, IWC, Roger Dubuis, and MB&F
