Hublot Unveils Kobe Bryant Big Bang “Vino” Watch
Famed watch brand Hublot does everything with a Big Bang and that includes introducing the latest addition to their most popular line, this one named after brand ambassador Kobe Bryant. Since the basketball legend’s nickname is “Vino,” the timepiece reflects his love for the nectar of the grapes and appropriately made its official debut at a Napa Valley winery.
When Hublot made the announcement that Bryant would become the brand’s latest ambassador back in 2013, the King Power Black Mamba Chronograph was introduced in his honor and soon became a best seller. Now Hublot has unveiled the Big Bang UNICO Chronograph Retrograde Kobe “Vino” Bryant, the first mechanical watch created specially to time the two halves of a basketball game.
The Big Bang “Vino” reflects its name in the Burgundy dial, stitching and strap highlighted by black ceramic or Hublot’s exclusive King Gold. On the dial a basketball design is integrated into a multilayer matte burgundy disc. The anti-reflective green glass of the case back bears Bryant’s signature.
Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe explained how the watch operates, saying: “We did a chronograph with a retro seconds that you can calculate basketball time, 48 minutes—4×12 minutes—the display of the chronograph is quite different. It never existed before in the watch industry.”
Guadalupe also revealed the process behind the watch’s unique color scheme. “We worked on the color—the watch is dark burgundy like the color of wine; on the case back we put green sapphire glass like the bottle; it’s going to come in a box like a case of wine. There are some [other] touches linked to the wine world. I think that’s interesting because Kobe also likes wine. He’s passionate about wine.”
The Big Bang “Vino” King Gold will be made in a limited edition of just 100 pieces while the Big Bang “Vino” Ceramic will be made in only 200 pieces. Each will include two interchangeable straps, one of black rubber with burgundy stitching and the other of burgundy python with burgundy stitching.
