Hublot Mag Bang Chronograph in Magnesium and Titanium
The new ‘Mag Bang’ by Hublot pushes the use of new materials to the limits. Feather-light and extra-strong are the watchwords here. With its magnesium case and mechanical chronograph movement with titanium bottom plate and bridges, the ‘Mag Bang’ achieves two world firsts in one fell swoop.
Ultra-resistant, a third lighter than aluminium and 2.6 times lighter than titanium, magnesium has until now never been used in the manufacture of watch cases. And for good reason: while it offers an exceptional density/hardness ratio, magnesium is excessively difficult to machine. Its rigidity requires unprecedented tolerances, to which Swiss watchmaking experts have been unable to adhere. It was only therefore by joining forces with an Italian company specialising in the production of magnesium components that Hublot was able to develop the case for its new ‘Mag Bang’, thus taking watchmaking into a new dimension.
A vital element to health, widely used in medicine and pharmacy, magnesium can be found virtually all over the planet. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element of the Earth’s crust and is used in the cutting-edge sectors of the aeronautics, automotive, chemistry and pharmaceutical industries. Inflammable when exposed to air, magnesium powder revolutionised photography when the first flash guns appeared. One whole century later, magnesium is about to turn the watchmaking world on its head. Its exceptional resistance and light weight make it an ideal component for the watchmaking industry. Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot, is convinced: ‘The future of high-end technical watchmaking lies in weight reduction. The whole of the high-tech industry’s research is dominated by the quest to lose a few extra grammes and increase reliability. Weight is the enemy of high-technology, so with the Mag Bang, Hublot is heading precisely in this direction. This is the dawning of a new age for watchmaking.’
Inside the ‘Mag Bang’ magnesium case is a second world first: a mechanical chronograph movement with titanium bridges, bottom-plate and screws. In this sense, the HUB44 chronograph movement exclusive to Hublot, developed in conjunction with the La Joux-Perret workshop, has undergone a complete reworking to replace the ordinary nickel silver components with titanium. Now the movement weighs only 22g on the scales compared to its predecessor’s 45, and a total of 72 grammes for the finished watch!
The new high-tech ‘Mag Bang’ chronograph is distinguishable by its imposing 44.5 mm magnesium case with extra-large bezel in magnesium or ceramic.
Beneath the anti-reflection, double-faced sapphire crystal, the texalium dial accentuates the innovative nature of the timepiece. An interesting side profile is achieved with a composit fibre insert, which gives the impression that the Hublot black natural rubber bracelet passes directly through the body of the chronograph, and with the multi-layered construction of its case, which creates an intricate interplay of materials, such as the rectangular crown and push-piece heads containing natural black rubber inserts. In the same vein, the back of the watch case is blanked from titanium.
Crafted from magnesium, titanium, ceramic, synthetic fibre, texalium and rubber, the Hublot ‘Mag Bang’ chronograph raises new high-tech possibilities for high-end watchmaking. This exceptional timepiece is part of a limited edition of 250 individually numbered pieces.
A high-tech, feather-light, innovative timepiece, the Hublot ‘Mag Bang’ chronograph rests on the brand’s four mainstays: namely Swiss Tradition, the Visionary art of Watchmaking, the Fusion of Materials and Innovative Design.
It is a limited edition of 250 individually numbered pieces.
