The first Hublot was created in 1980, though at the time Hublot was the name of the watch itself and not the brand. The brand was called MDM Genève, founded by Carlo Crocco, and it only rebranded to Hublot fully in the early 2000s because it had become so heavily associated with its flagship model. Now they’re paying tribute to their roots and 46 years of heritage by producing a modern reinterpretation of that very first watch, the new Classic Fusion Tributo.
We got hands-on with the new collection at Geneva Watch Days last month and by seeing the modern watch in the metal, it’s easy to understand why the original Hublot was able to launch a major brand. The premise is uncompromisingly simple: a gold watch with a rubber strap. The ultimate prestige metal paired with the most convenient, everyday wear type of strap – this is the fusion that has defined Hublot for close to five decades.
Strapping the watch on, you can feel the juxtaposition of the materials. The gold is weighty while the rubber is soft and comfortable. It’s available in either yellow gold like the original or white gold (the version we saw in Geneva) to give it a slightly less flashy appearance while still being true to that original premise. It is a bit larger than the 1980 model, measuring 38mm in diameter instead of 36mm, modernising the dimensions for contemporary collectors and also making space inside the watch to upgrade the original quartz calibre to a mechanical automatic one.
The overall case shape is broadly similar to the existing Classic Fusion with its flat bezel and integrated lugs, but the styling is different. The visible screws are domed instead of flat, giving it a more vintage feel. Additionally, there 12 screws in the bezel rather than the six used in modern Hublot design, the idea being that the screws themselves function as the hour markers, leaving the dial completely clear.
Speaking of the dials, they are matte black with the modern Hublot logo at 12 o’clock and the retro MDM marking at 6 o’clock. Pencil hands in gold show the time display while a date window at 3 o’clock matches the position of the date on the original. The name MDM is a shortened acronym for Main Dans la Main, which translates from French to hand-in-hand and is also the name of Carlo Crocco’s charitable foundation. As part of the launch of the Classic Fusion Tributo, Hublot are donating CHF 100,000 to the foundation.
I noted earlier that part of the reason for the increased case size is the use of a modern automatic movement and that specifically is the HUB1711. It operates at a 4 Hz frequency with a 60-hour power reserve. Through the exhibition caseback you can see the automatic rotor, which is customised to match the yellow or white gold case. In the yellow gold edition, the rotor is also made from yellow gold while in the white gold version, it’s made from black tungsten instead.
The Classic Fusion Tributo is a fun call-back to the origins of the brand. Ultimately, it does feel more like a sub-variant of the standard Classic Fusion rather than a standalone model but that’s not necessarily a bad thing because the Classic Fusion is my favourite modern Hublot. Both versions are priced at £23,600, which puts it in the same bracket as the large 45mm full gold Classic Fusion rather than the similarly sized 38mm Classic Fusion – likely due to the upgraded movement with extended power reserve.
Price and Specs:
More details at Hublot.
