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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe Hublot Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia was a real, limited-edition smartwatch—not a mechanical Big Bang with a football-themed dial. It put 2018-era Android Wear/Wear OS software, live World Cup information and referee-oriented timing tools inside a large titanium Hublot case. Its appeal today is chiefly its design and place in Hublot’s history; its original match features and ageing smartwatch hardware make it a risky choice for anyone seeking a dependable modern wearable.
What the Big Bang Referee was
Hublot introduced the Big Bang Referee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, serving both match officials and consumers who wanted tournament alerts on their wrist. Hublot later identified it as the brand’s first connected watch. The retail edition was limited to 2,018 pieces and carried reference 400.NX.1100.RX. Contemporary coverage put its launch price at about CHF 5,000; WatchTime reported CHF 4,900. These are historical launch figures, not a current asking price or a guide to present resale value. Hublot’s product history and WatchTime’s launch coverage document the model and its limited run.
The Referee was a full smartwatch, with a touchscreen, apps and phone connectivity, housed in a watch designed to look unmistakably like a Big Bang. It should not be confused with the later Big Bang e: that is a separate Hublot connected-watch model, not a smaller specification variant of the Referee.
How it looks and wears
The Referee’s 49mm case is the first thing to understand about wearing it. At roughly 13.9–14mm thick, it has substantial height as well as width, and the combination makes it conspicuous rather than discreet. The satin-finished titanium case and bezel, prominent Big Bang-inspired bezel, lugs, crown and pushers give it the visual mass of a luxury sports watch, while the large screen makes clear that this is a digital device. It is likely to overwhelm smaller wrists or catch on cuffs; the generous dimensions also accommodate the watch’s electronics.
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- Made of non-allergic natural resin, waterproof, soft, light, durable, comfortable to wear
- 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
A sapphire crystal covers the 35.4mm display area. The case material keeps the watch from being as heavy as its size might suggest, but does not make it small or slim. The crown and pushers preserve the familiar Big Bang silhouette, yet interaction is principally digital: tap and swipe the screen, change the watch face, open apps or check notifications.
Straps and changing them
The standard black lined-rubber strap was joined by a World Cup cuff-style option and team-coloured straps associated with the 32 participating nations. Hublot used an interchangeable strap system, but contemporary hands-on coverage found changing straps less intuitive than swapping a conventional watch strap, particularly with the cuff-style buckle. Strap condition and the availability of the specific version you want matter on a used example. Wareable’s hands-on review describes the fit and strap experience.
Screen, hardware and 2018 software
The Referee’s round AMOLED touchscreen has a reported resolution of 400 × 400 pixels, or about 287 pixels per inch. It could show digital information or an analogue-style face, creating a deliberate contrast between the mechanical-watch appearance of the case and the familiar swipe-and-tap interface beneath the crystal.
Rank #2
- Compatible Models: 44.5mm Hublot Big Bang Luna Rossa 301.CM.131.RX.LUN06 , 301-CM-131-RX-LUN06, 301/CM/131/RX/LUN06, 301CM131RXLUN06 watches which has 25mm at lugs and 22mm at the buckle
- Detailed Sizes: Lug Size: 25mm; Lug Smaller Size: 19mm; Width at Buckle: 22mm; Length: 100/80mm
- High-quality rubber and stainless steel watch band & clasp.
- Package Including: 1 set (2 rubber strap) And 1 Clasp
- Your Satisfaction Is Our Highest Priority. Pls Contact Us If You Have Any Questions, We Will Try Our Best To Serve For You.
At launch it ran the Android Wear/Wear OS generation available in 2018. The hardware reported in period coverage included an Intel Atom Z34XX dual-core processor at about 1.6GHz and 512MB of RAM. It also included GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, gyroscope, tilt/detector sensors, microphone and vibration feedback. Google Pay was advertised as a capability. Those details describe the original product, not a guarantee that present-day apps, phone pairing, account setup or payments will work.
| Specification | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Reference and production | 400.NX.1100.RX; limited to 2,018 pieces |
| Case | Satin-finished titanium; 49mm diameter; about 13.9–14mm thick |
| Crystal and display | Sapphire crystal; 35.4mm AMOLED area; 400 × 400 pixels; about 287ppi |
| Processor and memory | Intel Atom Z34XX dual-core, about 1.6GHz; 512MB RAM |
| Connectivity and sensors | GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, accelerometer, gyroscope, tilt/detector sensors, microphone and vibration |
| Battery and charging | About 410mAh; magnetic charging disc; launch coverage reported about 1 hour 50 minutes from empty |
| Water resistance | Reported as 50m / 5 ATM when new |
| Launch price | About CHF 5,000; WatchTime reported CHF 4,900 |
Specifications are reported in Wareable’s launch specifications and its hands-on review; WatchTime gives the reference, limited-edition quantity and a CHF 4,900 launch price. Minor differences in reported thickness and price reflect rounding or source variation.
What the football features did
The watch’s most distinctive software was built around the tournament rather than general-purpose fitness tracking. Its interactive football faces and match information could show the score, match time and status, team flags, the next fixture and a countdown. It was designed to alert the wearer around 15 minutes before kickoff and to provide updates for goals, scorers, yellow and red cards, and substitutions, with vibration for key events. Wareable reported that alerts arrived in a timely way during its review period; that is an account of the 2018 test experience, not evidence that the live service remains available now.
Hublot also supplied Referee and Chronometer apps. The Referee app was intended to track first and second halves, extra time, match duration and post-match timing. The Chronometer was a branded timing tool rather than a separate officiating breakthrough.
Contemporary coverage reported that tournament referees would wear the watch, connecting it to the event’s officiating environment. That should not be mistaken for the watch making calls: goal-line technology and VAR were separate systems, and the Referee’s role was timing and information on the wrist, not deciding whether a goal or infringement stood. WatchTime’s account describes the tournament officials and the wider technology context: WatchTime.
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When new, the Referee was a roughly one-day smartwatch. Period reports gave the battery capacity as about 410mAh and an empty-to-full charge time of around 1 hour 50 minutes using its magnetic charging disc. Wareable’s review found that heavy use of match alerts, GPS and other features made it difficult to stretch use beyond a day. Those figures describe launch-era expectations and testing; a lithium-ion battery in an eight-year-old watch may perform very differently.
Rank #4
- Compatible Watch Models: Perfect Compatible with Hublot Big Bang 19mm×25mm×22mm Series Watches,
- Product Include: 1× replacement watch band with mental buckle+ 1× strap removal tool+ 1×screwdrivers+ 2× Spring Bar+strap outer packaging. Using the included replacement tool, you can quickly install the strap.
- Select The Appropriate Width: Compatible with Hublot Big Bang size (19mm×25mm×22mm) straps, Measure the size near the strap buckle or the inside of the strap.
- High Quality Materials: High quality Leather material, waterproof and sweatproof, dust-free. Compatible with Hublot Big Bang size (19mm×25mm×22mm) straps.
- Have any questions on how to choose the size, please contact customer service
Contemporary specifications list 50m or 5 ATM water resistance. That was the original rating, not a present-day promise for a used watch. Seals and other components can age, particularly if the watch has been opened or damaged. Do not swim with a second-hand example unless an authorized service provider has recently pressure-tested it and documented the result.
What remains after the 2018 World Cup
The tournament data was the Referee’s signature feature, but it was inherently tied to a specific event. A buyer should not expect the 2018 live match service, faces or alerts to provide current football coverage. If the watch still pairs and its software remains usable, basic timekeeping, notifications and other generic smartwatch functions may remain; its original capabilities do not establish that current phone support, app installation, account authentication or NFC payments will work in 2026.
Hublot’s later Big Bang e announcement is useful for product history, but its claims about that newer model do not establish compatibility for the Referee. The original watch belongs to an older software generation, and a factory reset can expose setup or service problems that were not apparent when it was last used. Treat it first as a collectible wearable whose individual operation must be demonstrated, not as a guaranteed plug-and-play smartwatch.
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Best Value
- Made of non-allergic natural resin, waterproof, soft, light, durable, comfortable to wear,Surface linear texture design, fashionable and beautiful
- 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
Its place in Hublot’s connected-watch lineage is real: Hublot described the Referee as its first connected model before the later Big Bang e. The latter has different dimensions and hardware, so its specifications should not be attributed to the 2018 Referee. Hublot’s Big Bang e announcement provides the historical context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is it worth considering in 2026?
As a 2018 smartwatch, the Referee paired an unusually focused World Cup experience with a recognizable luxury-watch design. As a current smartwatch, it is difficult to recommend: the battery was modest even when new, the hardware and platform are old, and core services may no longer work. Its approximately CHF 5,000 launch price reflected Hublot branding, materials, limited production and FIFA association—not an assurance of better software longevity than a mainstream wearable.
As a collector’s object, the calculation is different. Its 2,018-piece run, tournament connection and status as Hublot’s first connected watch make it a distinctive artifact. That does not establish a current market value: a resale asking price is not a completed sale, and condition can dominate the practical value of a smartwatch this old. Buy for the object and provenance only if you are comfortable with uncertain functionality and serviceability.
- Best fit: Hublot or football memorabilia collectors who value the limited-edition design and can verify condition.
- Poor fit: Anyone prioritizing current health tracking, dependable payments, long battery life, modern app support or low-risk daily wear.
- Key trade-off: Strong historical and visual character against substantial software, battery, parts and water-resistance uncertainty.
Used-watch inspection checklist
Before buying, ask the seller to demonstrate the individual watch rather than relying on old product specifications or a listing title. The reference should be 400.NX.1100.RX; check that the serial is intact and matches available paperwork. Listings can confuse it with other Big Bang connected watches or mechanical Big Bang models.
- Confirm identity and provenance: Check the reference, serial, papers and consistency of the case and packaging. Ask whether the watch has been opened, repaired or serviced.
- Test power and setup: Request a video or in-person demonstration of booting, charging, touchscreen operation, pairing to a current phone and completing account setup. Ask for the firmware version and whether the watch has been factory-reset.
- Check battery and charger: Ask how long it lasts from a full charge and whether the original magnetic charging disc is included and works. A missing or faulty proprietary charger can make the watch impractical.
- Test the controls and functions: Check the crown, pushers, display touch response, GPS, microphone, vibration and NFC. Do not assume that historical Google Pay support means payments currently work.
- Inspect condition and accessories: Look for display burn-in, dead pixels, delamination, touch defects, case damage, damaged charging contacts, battery swelling, and cracks or hardening in the rubber straps. Check the strap-release mechanism and whether both straps are present if promised.
- Verify water resistance separately: Request recent pressure-test documentation from an authorized service provider before exposing a used example to water.
- Protect the transaction: Prefer a seller who accepts returns if pairing or setup fails, and arrange an inspection by a qualified watch service provider when possible.
For the identity and original specifications, consult Wareable’s launch report alongside the Hublot declaration of conformity. Neither an old specification nor a seller’s claim substitutes for checking the particular watch’s current condition.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
