The Hublot Big Bang 44 reference 301.SB.131.RX is a later watch in the design language introduced by the Big Bang in 2005—not proof of the exact watch or specification Hublot launched that year. For Jean-Claude Biver, the Big Bang’s “Art of Fusion” meant bringing contrasting materials and watchmaking traditions together in one bold design. The distinction matters: the reviewed 44 mm reference, the 44.5 mm launch-era family and today’s 43 mm Big Bang Original Unico are related, but not interchangeable.
What is the Hublot Big Bang 44 “Original”?
The title-matched 2023 review identifies its watch as reference 301.SB.131.RX, a 44 mm model, and notes that the same style was also offered in a 41 mm version. The review characterizes the 44 mm watch as comparatively simpler and more classic than the Big Bang Unico. Those details describe the specific later reference, not every Big Bang from the model family’s 2005 debut. The 2023 review
“Original” is best read here as a description of the design’s lineage, not a claim that reference 301.SB.131.RX is an untouched 2005 launch model. Hodinkee describes the Big Bang debut at Baselworld in 2005 as an automatic chronograph with a 44.5 mm case in gold or steel. The later review names a 44 mm reference. The small numerical difference is only part of the distinction: the launch account describes a family and its materials, while the review identifies one subsequent reference. Hodinkee’s history of Biver and Hublot
What did Jean-Claude Biver mean by “Art of Fusion”?
Biver’s explanation was about more than putting rubber on a luxury watch. In Hodinkee’s account, he described rubber as an expression of a broader message: fusion. He contrasted rubber from a tree in Malaysia with gold from beneath the earth in South Africa, saying that only a “big bang” could bring such different materials together. The account says he recognized the name while explaining the metaphor. Hodinkee
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“Rubber is not the message! Rubber is an expression of the message! The message is fusion!” — Jean-Claude Biver, as quoted by Hodinkee.
Contemporaneous reporting gives the idea a wider frame. In a June 2005 JCK interview, Biver described fusion as capturing “the affinity between sea, land, and man.” He was then Hublot’s chief executive, and the article placed the idea within the company’s design and business strategy at the time. That is a historical description of Hublot’s 2005 thinking, not a statement of current company policy. JCK, June 1, 2005
How did the 2005 Big Bang put fusion into the watch?
Hodinkee’s description of the launch-era Big Bang lists a mix of materials that made the concept visible rather than merely verbal. It describes gold or steel cases, a stamped carbon dial, a ceramic bezel with titanium H-shaped screws, a black-PVD-treated tungsten rotor, Kevlar lug discs, rubber inserts in the crown and pushers, and a rubber strap. These are details of the 2005 launch family as reported by Hodinkee; they should not all be assumed to describe reference 301.SB.131.RX. Hodinkee’s launch account
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- It is suitable for Hublot Big Bang 25 * 19 * 22mm interface watch band , not for other watches
- It is very important to choose the correct model. To avoid the trouble caused by the return and exchange of goods, if you have any questions about the model and size of the watch, please feel free to contact us
- Package included: 1 * Rubber strap (without metal buckle), 1 * tool kit, easy replacement with our free tools. The watch has a new look! It is not the original and is a good substitute
The design’s argument was its combination of contrasts: precious metal alongside rubber, traditional watchmaking alongside conspicuous industrial materials, and a round porthole-inspired form presented with a forceful, layered construction. A separate interview with Biver discusses the evolution of Hublot’s porthole-inspired visual identity, but his account of a personally meaningful Bigger Bang Tourbillon Chronograph All Black concerns a different watch and should not be confused with the Big Bang 44 review subject. Men’s Folio interview with Biver
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteHow does the 44 mm reference compare with the 43 mm Original Unico?
Hublot announced the Big Bang Original Unico on January 19, 2026, as a renewed interpretation of the design. It keeps recognizable Big Bang cues but changes the case size, movement generation and several construction details. The comparison below separates the 2023 review subject from Hublot’s current announcement; it does not imply that every launch-era 2005 feature is present on either later model.
| Comparison point | Big Bang 44 reviewed reference | Big Bang Original Unico (2026 announcement) |
|---|---|---|
| Reference and case diameter | 301.SB.131.RX; 44 mm, according to the 2023 review. The review also says the style had a 41 mm version. | 43 mm, according to Hublot’s January 19, 2026 announcement; no reference number is stated in that announcement. |
| Movement and generation | The review identifies the watch as a later Big Bang 44; a movement caliber is not stated in the cited description of this reference. | In-house Unico chronograph caliber, according to Hublot. |
| Materials and construction | The review describes this 44 mm version as simpler and more classic than the Big Bang Unico. The cited reference-specific description does not establish a complete materials specification. | Hublot describes a sapphire caseback, refined lugs, rubber-clad crown, rectangular pushers and a multi-layer construction. The brand says the six functional bezel screws and signature ears remain. |
| Strap interchangeability | Not stated in the cited review description. | Updated strap with One Click interchangeability, according to Hublot. |
The 43 mm model is therefore a successor or reinterpretation, not the same specification as reference 301.SB.131.RX. Hublot’s announcement calls the new dimensions “ideal proportions”; that is the manufacturer’s assessment, not an independent finding. Hublot’s January 19, 2026 announcement
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- It is suitable for Hublot Big Bang 25 * 19 * 22mm interface watch band , not for other watches
- It is very important to choose the correct model. To avoid the trouble caused by the return and exchange of goods, if you have any questions about the model and size of the watch, please feel free to contact us
- Package included: 1 * Rubber strap (without metal buckle), 1 * tool kit, easy replacement with our free tools. The watch has a new look! It is not the original and is a good substitute
Was the reviewed 44 mm watch the exact 2005 launch model?
No. The available descriptions point to different specifications: the 2023 review identifies reference 301.SB.131.RX as a 44 mm watch, while Hodinkee describes the 2005 automatic chronograph family as 44.5 mm. The Big Bang 44 can be understood as a later expression of the launch design, but calling that particular reference the exact 2005 production model would collapse two distinct descriptions into one.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why was the Big Bang important to Hublot’s history?
JCK’s June 2005 coverage places the launch within a strategic review under Biver, then Hublot’s CEO. The article reports that the company intended to strengthen its position in the United States and expand distribution, while using fusion as a guiding design idea. Those goals describe the company’s plans at that moment; they should not be read as present-day strategy. JCK’s contemporaneous report
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Hublot’s own retrospective history, published around 2009, says orders increased three-fold in 2005 versus the previous year. It also reports turnover of CHF 24 million in 2004 and nearly CHF 100 million by the end of 2006. These are claims from the company’s retrospective, not independently audited figures in the cited material. Hublot’s historical document
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Hodinkee, in a circa-2018 profile, reports that Hublot lost $2.5 million on sales of 13,000 watches in 2004, and says sales rose from $20 million in 2004 to $195 million in 2008, attributing the latter comparison to a Harvard Business School study. These figures come from Hodinkee’s account and attribution; they are not directly comparable to Hublot’s turnover figures in Swiss francs. Hodinkee’s account
Taken together, the sources support a narrower conclusion than a simple success story: the Big Bang became both a material statement and a central part of Hublot’s strategy under Biver, while the specific business figures remain claims reported by Hublot or Hodinkee, with different currencies and measures.
What is established about the 301.SB.131.RX—and what is not?
The cited 2023 review supplies an exact reference, case diameter and broad design characterization, but the evidence here does not establish independent wrist testing or a complete reference-specific specification. Hodinkee’s richer material list applies to the 2005 launch family, not automatically to this later reference. Hublot’s 2026 announcement supplies details for the Original Unico, a different model generation.
No verified current market price, live stock status or authenticated listing for 301.SB.131.RX is established by these sources. Anyone considering a listing should check that it names the exact reference and verify the seller, condition, authenticity documentation and return terms before buying.
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