At the Baselworld 2011 trade show, the brand which is known for its radical approach to conspicuous consumption has presented a somewhat unexpected take on the concept of invisible opulence. I am talking about the ultra-luxury Hublot Big Bang Black Caviar (Ref. 346.CX.1800.BR): a high-jewelry piece that has every square millimeter of its surface paved with glossy black ceramic blocks.
Sellita SW300
A Modern Cassic: IWC Portofino Automatic 3565
This is certainly going to be a great year for the refreshed Portofino range of entry-luxury watches. Besides the dressy Portofino Dual Time and the elegant Portofino Hand-Wound Eight Days, IWC has also presented a face-lifted Portofino Automatic (Ref. 3565): a modern-classic three-hander with a simple calendar.
Hublot Big Bang 38 mm Automatic Ladies
Hublot has recently presented a new Big Bang 38 mm collection equipped with a Sellita SW300-based HUB 1110 automatic movement. There is also a more practical -albeit not as *ahem* classy- “Swiss Made” quartz caliber. The HUB 1110 is a very basic mechanism that is only slightly refinished and fine-tuned above the basic specs to meet stricter standards of the ultra-luxury segment. Yet, you may still want to consider acting fast if you are interested in this gadget. Luxury wristwatches featuring self-winding movements (instead of, you know, quartz) are rare species in this niche and, something tells me, the collection won’t stay in production for long.