In a surprising move from the conservative watchmaker, Rolex has quietly set up Rolex Quantum SA, a new entity dedicated to atomic timekeeping, the most precise form of timekeeping ever invented by man.
Rolex chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour will sit on the board of Rolex Quantum, with engineer Fabien Droz serving as director of the venture. With Rolex Quantum, the watchmaker plans to develop and sell atomic clocks, conceivably for industrial or scientific purposes. Being somewhat removed from the core Rolex offering of wristwatches, the atomic clocks will be developed separate from the main Rolex brand.
The new venture strengthens the brand’s ties with CSEM (Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology), the Swiss technical institute most famous in watchmaking for having developing silicon component for watch movements. The venture will benefit from Rolex’ broad industrial research and development capabilities, while also leveraging CSEM’s experience with atomic timekeeping.
The establishment of Rolex Quantum was first reported by Swiss newspaper Arcinfo.
Neuchâtel timing
Despite the cutting edge nature of its work, Rolex Quantum will be located on historic grounds, namely on the same street as the Neuchâtel Observatory, which is current home to CSEM’s atomic timekeeping laboratory.
The location also has historical resonance as the city has long played a role in watchmaking and chronometry over the years. Abraham-Louis Breguet was born there and the observatory was instrumental in chronometry trials. The fact that Rolex Quantum will develop the next generation of ultra-accurate atomic clocks on the same block as the storied Observatoire Astronomique et Chronometrique de Neuchâtel is fitting.
As for the actual products that will be developed there, Rolex remains elusive when it comes to details. Judging by the corporate organisation and the lack of publicity, a reasonable assessment is that Rolex will build industrial-grade atomic clocks, meant for scientific and metrology purposes. The resulting products probably won’t be available to the public, unlike say the AMC from Urwerk.
Judging by papers presented last year at a scientific convention, Rolex together with CSEM developed a new system of master atomic clocks, prototypes of which were tested with the help of METAS. The Rolex timescale system was built to incorporate a new Rolex Rubidium Optical Atomic Clock. The entire development is centred around rubidium-based atomic timekeeping, which so far has proved even more stable than caesium atomic clocks.
Image of the prototype clock extracted from the paper “Development of a High-Performance and Swiss Based Rolex Timescale System Including a Unique Optical Atomic Clock”
The prototypes were set up at two Rolex sites (Geneva and Bienne) and served as master clocks for its internal timebase. Each prototype device stands about 19 in tall (or about 48 cm) and runs for 24-7. One paper suggests the prototypes deviated by less than 300 picoseconds (one picosecond is one trillionth of a second) after one week.
The creation of Rolex Quantum suggests that the trials were successful and Rolex sees an opening in the niche market of atomic timekeepers.
Though seemingly unusual for Rolex, the atomic timekeeping venture is in keeping with recent moves at the brand, which has been quietly expanding in substantial ways. The expansion of the watchmaking powerhouse can be taken as a proof of the brand’s resilience and long term strategy.
The brand is the majority owner of movement maker Kenissi – which is also essentially the Tudor manufacture – and continues to grow and consolidate its operations across Switzerland, most recently with a production facility at Bulle. The same holds true even in terms of product. Rolex took a major step forward in wristwatch timekeeping with the modern, forward-thinking Land-Dweller earlier this year.
One of the year’s best summer watches, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Mint Green Ceramic is a fresh interpretation of the brand’s signature collection. Housed in a 42 mm case clad in candy-like, mint green ceramic, the Big Bang Unico features Hublot’s top-of-the-line HUB1280 flyback chronograph movement with an unusual, dial-side integrated construction.
While technically identical to other ceramic Big Bang watches, the new mint green colour is unusually fun and approachable. This new edition of the Big Bang joins the permanent collection, and extends the brand’s industry-leading range of coloured ceramic watches.
Initial thoughts
Hublot is a brand that tends to elicit visceral polarisation among collectors, and it’s easy to see why. The bold designs are seen as outrageous by some, and the pricing puts them out of reach for those focused on maximising their horological dollar.
But Hublot has outgrown its early reputation as a Royal Oak imitator and found its own identity, in part through its leadership in ceramics and willingness to experiment with design and colour. In this case, the mint green colour looks great, and considering the glossy finish, it looks almost like candy. This gives the watch a friendly countenance that results in an amusing tension with the overtly masculine, technical structure of the case and design of the dial, with its stencil-like hour markers.
The Big Bang collection is all about its signature architectural case, and the mint green edition is no exception. As such things go it’s a reasonable size at 42 mm in diameter and 14.5 mm thick; it’s a watch for short sleeves and isn’t intended to slip easily under a shirt cuff. That said, the Big Bang wears well for its size thanks to its lug-less design and supple rubber strap. It’s worth noting, however, that the type of single-fold clasp used by Hublot doesn’t fit all wrists well.
The multi-part case construction features a central core of mint green polymer, to which the glossy ceramic bezel, case back, and lug cladding are attached. The use of injection-moulded plastic for the mid-case is disappointing at this price point, but it’s likely functional since it probably absorbs tension that would otherwise threaten the brittle ceramic components.
The Big Bang is powered by Hublot’s second-generation Unico flyback chronograph platform, the HUB1280, which is integrated, but with the chronograph works on the dial side. Introduced in 2018, the HUB1280 is uniquely suited to the open-worked design of the Big Bang, featuring a column wheel and horizontal clutch positioned on the dial-side of the movement.
Aesthetically and technically coherent with the overall design of the watch, the HUB1280 is noteworthy for the exceptional feel of the chronograph pushers, which manage to feel both secure and effortless during operation. Otherwise, the specifications are pretty similar to those of other leading automatic chronograph movements with a sporty 4 Hz rate and convenient 72-hour power reserve.
Hublot does not have a great reputation when it comes to value-for-money, but this is mainly because the comparative set often includes brands with more traditional styling like Panerai and IWC that offer a similar level of watchmaking at a lower price point. For example, the Big Bang mint green ceramic retails for US$24,100, which is about US$10,000 more than the IWC “Top Gun” Miramar chronograph in pale blue ceramic, which is a very similar watch on paper.
But the wearing experience is vastly different, and Big Bang buyers are more likely to be cross-shopping with far more expensive and expressive designs; next to an RM011, the Big Bang is a bargain summer watch.
Mint cladding
The new Big Bang in mint green ceramic is a testament to the power of colour. Light, delicate colours like mint green are difficult to render in ceramic, due to the way the coloured pigments behave at the high temperatures required to manufacture the components.
Hublot has managed to overcome these challenges in the past and produced ceramic watches in pale blue, bright orange, and fire engine red. In this case, the pleasing pastel green colour and deep, glossy finish help tone down the intensity inherent to the design of the Big Bang.
It’s worth dwelling for a moment on the rich glossy texture of the ceramic, which looks like a high-end automotive coating. At arm’s length, this texture gives the Big Bang a look quite unlike anything else.
The case is built up from several components, but features a mid-case made from injection-moulded plastic. The tell-tale signs of this technique are the flash lines visible near the ‘wings’ on either side of the case.
It’s not ideal, but I’d speculate the slight elasticity of the plastic is what enables the bezel and case back to be made from ceramic, since most ceramic watches have metal case backs screwed to a metal case core to avoid cracking. If that’s indeed the case, no pun intended, it’s a worthwhile trade-off given the overall effect.
The plastic mid-case reveals flash lines from the injection-moulding process, but the titanium crown and pushers are spectacular.
In addition to the bezel and case back, the Big Bang features ceramic cladding on its lugs, which are angled to flow over the curve of the wrist and feature a spring-loaded button to release the strap for quick changes.
This is one of my favourite stylistic elements of the Big Bang design, and it works well – the quick release button has to be depressed quite far to release the strap making it unlikely to happen unintentionally.
And while the Big Bang doesn’t have much of a dial, the 60-minute counter for the chronograph and other dial elements are rendered in a matching hue, with the open-worked hands given a highly textural painted finish that contrasts with the glossy texture of the case.
The logo is printed in the underside of the crystal, which accentuates the three-dimensional feel of the dial. Visual tricks like this can come off as gimmicky when applied to more traditional designs, but are well-suited to a watch like the Big Bang.
The unique Unico
Spend any time with a Hublot Big Bang, and you’ll likely come away impressed by the feel of the chronograph pushers. This has always been a strength of the Unico platform, both in the original HUB1242 which entered service in 2010, and the second generation HUB1280 which debuted in 2018.
The pushers themselves are substantial and lavishly sculpted, grooved like piston heads and faceted at the ends. A gentle push is enough to trip the chronograph levers, which break crisply.
Built in-house at the brand’s manufacture in suburban Geneva, the HUB1280 relies on an integrated, dual horizontal clutch design, which has been organised to reveal the column wheel and chronograph wheels under the transparent dial. This departs from conventional where the chronograph mechanism is usually integrated on the back, perhaps reflecting the modular approach taken by the first-generation HUB1242.
One of the notable features visible near seven o’clock is a wheel comprised of spring-loaded teeth, which is the chronograph coupling wheel. This design reduces backlash and helps mitigate the momentary jitter of the seconds hand that often occurs when starting a chronograph with a horizontal clutch design. Hublot hasn’t shared many details about this, but it is almost certainly fabricated via LIGA; Rolex uses a similar design in the cal. 4131 that powers the Daytona.
The primary component groups for the chronograph, including the spring-loaded chronograph coupling wheel and branded column wheel, are visible on the dial side.
The Unico platform evolved pretty substantially between first and second generations. Not only does the HUB1280 now offer flyback functionality, but the entire movement was slimmed down from about 8 mm to just 6.75 mm; it’s now just a hair thicker than the segment-leading Rolex cal. 4131.
Watches like the Big Bang are not really intended to be showcases for hand finishing, so the HUB1280 is finished in an appropriately minimalist, industrial manner. That said, the style and degree of finishing are a fit for the overall design and it looks good. The plates are bridges are treated with a matte grey texture that contrasts with the polished steelwork of the column wheel and screw heads.
The movement also features an escape wheel and pallet in silicon, reducing friction and prolonging the power reserve. This also makes the movement less susceptible to the deterioration of lubricant over time, which in theory should help extend service intervals.
All else being equal, I tend to prefer the romance of traditional materials for mechanical watches, but I think the use of silicon is the right choice for the HUB1280 since it’s coherent with the brand’s philosophy of material experimentation and is objectively superior in terms of function.
If I could change one thing about the movement, it would be the method of regulation. Equipped with an Etachron curb-pin regulator and a micrometric screw for fine adjustment, the HUB1280 could be improved with a free-sprung balance.
I know I complain about regulators a lot, but when the Unico prototype was first unveiled in 2009, the renderings clearly showed a free-sprung variable inertia balance with a full balance bridge. This feature never made it to production, which is unfortunate because it’s the only thing missing from an otherwise excellent industrial chronograph movement.
Closing thoughts
I appreciate the direction Hublot is taking with its coloured ceramics and this new mint green livery transforms the aggressive Big Bang design into something fun and easy going. All of the elements of the design are cohesive, and there’s an undeniable consistency in approach to the construction of both the case and the movement. It’s not for every budget and it’s a little rough around the edges, quite literally, but the tactile feel of the watch, from the feel of the ceramic to the break of the pushers, is seductive.
Key facts and price
Hublot Big Bang Unico Mint Green Ceramic Ref. 441.GS.5221.RX
Diameter: 42 mm Height: 14.5 mm Material: Ceramic and polymer Crystal: Sapphire Crystal Water resistance: 100 m
Movement: Cal. HUB1280 Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date and flyback chronograph Winding: Automatic Frequency: 28,800 beats per second (4 Hz) Power reserve: 72 hours
Strap: Mint green rubber strap with titanium folding clasp
Limited edition: No Availability: Now at Hublot boutiques and retailers Price: US$24,100 excluding taxes
