Zach Brass
Luxury watches, especially tourbillon watches, are very expensive, but still, the average fan is willing to drop a pretty penny on a great timepiece. That’s why it’s great to see a watch brand put their complicated, expensive products to good use. For many years, Hublot has supported SORAI (Save Our Rhinos Africa and India), a rhino conservation organization founded by former cricketer and Hublot ambassador Kevin Pietersen. The “Art of Fusion” watchmaker has once again created a limited edition timepiece in support of Pietersen’s organization: the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5 Day Power Reserve SORAI.
Why is rhino conservation so important?
A fond yet solemn memory for me is traveling to South Africa after graduating from high school and seeing a white rhino on safari. I was in awe of seeing this animal in the wild, but I also remember how long it took us to track it down, as it was classified as “near threatened” at the time and, like other rhinos, was a target for poaching and its horn was traded for a considerable amount of money due to myths about medicinal properties that have long since been disproved by science.
In January 2024, CNN reported that a biorescue group had successfully transferred an IVF embryo into one of only two female northern white rhinos left on the planet, marking the first-ever rhino pregnancy via IVF. It was a miracle, but how did it happen?
Thus, the Northern White Rhino is extinct in the wild, with only two remaining in captivity. Although this is only one subspecies of rhino, all five species of rhinos in the world are classified as endangered. According to the World Wildlife Fund, at the beginning of the 20th century, there were around 500,000 rhinos living in Asia and Africa, but in 1970 there were around 70,000, and today there are only 27,000 worldwide. So Hublot’s fourth collaboration with SORAI comes at a crucial time, with a portion of the proceeds from the new 30-piece limited edition Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve SORAI being donated to support the organization’s work. With that in mind, let’s now turn our attention to the watch.
Incident
While collaboration watches can sometimes be very overtly stylistically conscious, this limited edition Spirit of Big Bang is actually quite stealthy in nature. There is no co-branding on the front of the watch, only on the caseback, where the movement is visible, you can see that it is a limited edition of 30 numbered pieces, with SORAI engraved on the sapphire crystal. The 42mm diameter, 13.25mm thick, 30m water resistant case is made from microblasted and polished grey ceramic, reminiscent of the color of a rhino and extremely robust in terms of scratch resistance. However, unlike a rhino, which can weigh thousands of pounds, ceramic is extremely lightweight, which adds an added bonus to everyday wear.
Dial and movement
At the centre of the dial sits Hublot’s in-house movement, the HUB6020, openworked with dark bridges that act like hanging cables. The 5-day movement’s power reserve is displayed by an off-centre subdial at the 8′ position, while a larger off-centre subdial to the right displays the hours and minutes. At the 6′ position the tourbillon is in full view. It’s a very exposed caliber, with virtually all of its components in full view. This makes for a very visually cluttered dial, but Hublot has managed to strike a balance and maintain legibility.
strap
The piece comes with two interchangeable straps that can be swapped out with just your fingers: a grey fabric Velcro strap and a black camo rubber strap. The grey fabric strap maintains a low-key monochromatic look, but ironically, the camo strap makes a bold statement on your wrist.
Verdict
While $110,000 is certainly not in the budget of the average watch buyer, I personally think it is a very reasonable price for an attractive 5-day in-house tourbillon caliber in a beautifully finished and trendy tonneau-shaped ceramic case. And after all, this is only a limited edition of 30 pieces. Not only does the rarity make it even more intriguing, but it will be sold in sufficient quantities that the donation of proceeds will likely be substantial. Honestly, this is a design that Hublot should have made into a regular production model. I think the stealthy grey, black, and optional camouflage color scheme will appeal to brand loyalists even without the charitable motivation. But frankly, I’m convinced it makes the proposition even better.
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5 Day Power Reserve SORAI Price and Availability
The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve SORAI is available now as a limited edition of 30 pieces. Price: USD 110,000
Brand Hublot Model Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon 5 Day Power Reserve SORAI Reference 645.FX.8020.NR.SOA24 Case Dimensions 42mm (D) x 13.25mm (T) Case Material Microblasted and polished grey ceramic Water Resistance 30m Crystal Sapphire crystal front and back Dial Openwork Strap Set of 2 interchangeable straps:
Grey fabric strap with Velcro closure
Black rubber strap with camouflage decoration (dark grey, light grey, beige) Movement HUB6020, in-house, manual winding Power reserve 120 hours Functions Hours, minutes, power reserve indicator, tourbillon Availability Limited to 30 pieces Price USD 110,000
