Manufacturer
Hublot
Also recorded as: Hublot SA · MDM Genève
Founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco, Hublot paired gold cases with natural rubber straps and later built the Big Bang.
Carlo Crocco founded Hublot in Geneva in 1980. Its first watch, with a porthole-shaped case ('hublot' is French for porthole), was among the first luxury watches on a natural rubber strap — then a provocative combination with a gold case.
Under Jean-Claude Biver, who joined in 2004, Hublot launched the Big Bang in 2005 and built its strategy around the 'art of fusion' of unusual materials. LVMH acquired the company in 2008.
How to recognise the work: early watches were made by Crocco's company MDM Genève and carry that name with Hublot — the catalogue includes a 1990s MDM quartz model, ref. 140.10.4. The porthole-shaped case with a screwed bezel on a black natural rubber strap is the signature. The Big Bang of 2005 introduced layered cases mixing ceramic, carbon, titanium and gold, and was later fitted with Hublot's own Unico chronograph movement.
Carlo Crocco came from the family behind Italy's Binda group. His first watch was shown at the Basel fair in 1980 and sold more than US$2 million in its first year. Jean-Claude Biver, previously head of Omega, became chief executive in May 2004; sales rose from 24 million Swiss francs that year to nearly 100 million by the end of 2006, and the Big Bang won the design prize at the Geneva watchmaking Grand Prix in 2005.
LVMH bought the company in April 2008. In 2009 Hublot opened its first manufacture at Nyon, near Geneva, and introduced an anti-counterfeiting system that authenticates each watch with a smart card.
- Country
- Switzerland
- City / centre
- Geneva; Nyon
- Founded
- 1980
- Status
- Active (LVMH)
- Key people
- Carlo Crocco (founder); Jean-Claude Biver
Innovations & specialities
- Luxury watch on a natural rubber strap (1980)
- Big Bang (2005)
Timeline
- 1980Carlo Crocco launches the first Hublot at the Basel fair
- 2004Jean-Claude Biver becomes chief executive
- 2005Big Bang chronograph; design prize in Geneva
- 2007First Hublot boutique, Paris
- 2008Acquired by LVMH
- 2009Manufacture opens in Nyon; smart-card authentication
Works by Hublot in the catalogue
Open in the catalogue →
Wristwatches · 1980s
Hublot Classic MDM Geneve Yellow Gold Diamond Pavé, 1980s
Watches of Knightsbridge (dealer), London
Wristwatches · 1984
Hublot Classic MDM Geneve Yellow Gold, 1984
Watches of Knightsbridge (dealer), London
Wristwatches · c. 1990s
Hublot MDM Quratz, ref. 140.10.4, c. 1990s
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · 1998
Hublot MDM Chronograph Super B Automatic Panda Dial, 1998
Vintage Portfolio (dealer), Vienna
Wristwatches · 2014
Hublot Classic Fusion Ceramic Black, 2014
Vintage Portfolio (dealer), Vienna
Wristwatches · c. 2018
Hublot Big Bang Unico Sang Bleu, ref. 415.NX.7179.VR.MXM18, c. 2018
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · originally sold in 2018 (per the lot record)
Hublot wristwatch, ref. 400.NX.1100.RX, Limited of 2018 Pieces, originally sold in 2018
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 2018
Hublot wristwatch, ref. 441.NX.1170.RX.1104, Big Bang Unico Diamond, circa 2018
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · originally sold in 2020 (per the lot record)
Hublot wristwatch, ref. 440.NX.1100.RX, Big Bang E, originally sold in 2020
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · originally sold in 2024 (per the lot record)
Hublot wristwatch, ref. 456.VX.0130.VX, Big Bang Integrated Time Only Unworn, originally sold in 2024
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 2025
Hublot wristwatch, ref. 441.NM.1171.RX, Big Bang Unico, circa 2025
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Wristwatches · c. 2025
Hublot wristwatch, ref. 451.CX.1170.CX, Big Bang Integrated Black Magic, circa 2025
Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
Linked through the Atlas maker authority list, which reconciles the spellings used by different institutions. Attributions are as stated by each holding institution or auction house.
