The timepiece is the swiss brand’s first co-creation with a hotel
When Hublot was founded in 1980, the Swiss brand made watchmaking history by producing the first luxury gold watch on a natural rubber strap. Twenty-five years later, under the stewardship of CEO Jean-Claude Biver, Hublot once again made waves with the introduction of the Big Bang, a sporty mechanical chronograph incorporating a blend of high-tech materials. The piece reflected an intriguing philosophy known as “fusion” by mixing traditional horological art and 21st-century watchmaking.
The brand has taken that philosophy in an inventive direction with the debut of the Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Eden Roc, a limited edition of 50 timepieces that honour its partnership with the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, the Cap d’Antibes luxury landmark hotel that has welcomed the world’s rich and famous to its seaside playground for nearly 150 years.
“At Hublot, we like to create a fusion between different worlds to develop singular products,” says Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe. “The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc is one of those mythical places whose very name is enough to instantly conjure up dreams and memories. Today, these moments are enshrined in time with a Hublot watch.”
Housed in a 45mm satin-finished and polished black ceramic case, the Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Eden-Roc features markers, hands, and hour counter in shades of blue inspired by the Mediterranean Sea. It comes on a choice of straps: aged blue leather or perforated black calfskin with blue topstitching.
On the dial, a second counter at 3 o’clock is emblazoned with a rendering of the iconic buoy that bobs beside the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s famed seawater pool. The watch is powered by the HUB1155 self-winding skeleton chronograph movement, which has a power reserve of 42 hours.
The Eden Roc partnership marks the first time Hublot has created a timepiece in collaboration with a hotel. But it’s not the brand’s first experience with the hospitality industry. In 2015, Hublot designed a suite for the Giardino Hotel Group’s new five-star hotel in Zurich, and in 2014, it created the “Hublot Palace” for World Cup 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, which involved a rebranding of the Orla Copacabana Hotel for the duration of the sporting event.
The Eden Roc limited edition is available exclusively at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc for US$19,600 (RM81,244).
