Thursday, April 7, 2016

Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic Gold 411.CM.1138.RX Review

In 2011 Hublot unveiled its Magic Gold – still the only scratch-resistant gold – a noble material protected by patents, certified as 18 carats by the Central Office for Precious Metals Control, and developed by Hublot in Switzerland alongside the prestigious EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). Magic Gold is the hardest in the world, it can only be successfully machined using diamond. Its hardness of almost 1000 Vickers eliminates the traditional weak point of gold and its alloys, which are very easily scratched. Standard” well-designed 18 carat gold is only rated at 400 Vickers, most hardened steels at around 600 Vickers. Hublot has equipped itself with the means to produce this material in-house from start to finish. The high-tech foundry at the Nyon Manufacture is home to the ceramic sintering and high-pressure metal casting processes.

This material is a fusion of 24 carat gold and the latest high-tech materials expertise. Components made from this material are produced using a complex process: A boron carbide powder is pre-formed in moulds very similar in shape to that of the finished parts, in this case the watch’s bezel. The pre-formed powder is then hardened at a very high temperature, creating a rigid, porous structure. After this operation, 24-carat gold alloyed with 3% molten liquid gold is injected under very high pressure with inert gas at a high temperature, allowing the metal to fill the ceramic pores and creating a “fusion” of the two to produce Magic Gold.

Replica Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic Gold 411.CM.1138.RX

Case: Diameter 45.5 mm, made from micro-blasted black ceramic with polished sides

Bezel: Polished Magic Gold 6 H-shaped black PVD treated titanium screws, countersunk, polished & locked

Crystal: Sapphire with interior/exterior anti-reflective coating and gilt Hublot logo

Bezel Lugs: Black composite

Lateral inserts: Black composite

Crown: Black PVD titanium with Hublot logo and black overmoulded rubber

Push-pieces: Black PVD titanium

Case-back: Sapphire crystal with interior/exterior anti-reflective treatment Micro-blasted black PVD titanium

Water resistance: 10 ATM, i.e. approx. 100 metres

Dial: Matt black varnished skeleton Red varnished minute track Satin-finished gilt counter ring at 9 o’clock (small second) Satin-finished gilt counter ring at 3 o’clock (chronograph minute) Gilt plated indices with black SuperluminovaTM

Hands: Satin-finished gilt plated with black SuperluminovaTM Gilt plated and red varnished chronograph hand

Movement: HUB 1242 UNICO movement with black PVD treatment, developed and manufactured in-house by Hublot Automatic flyback chronograph with column wheel and double clutch visible on the dial side

Date: Dark grey window at 3 o’clock

Oscillating weight: Black PVD coating

Power reserve: Approximately 72 hours

Strap: Structured, ribbed black rubber. Interchangeable system.

Clasp: Black PVD titanium deployant buckle with black ceramic inserts

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