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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchHublot’s “13 watches with ultimate transparency” refers to a specific run of sapphire-cased models announced in 2016 and 2017—not a current catalog. The sequence, published by Time+Tide on 18 October 2017, moves from the technically complex MP-05 LaFerrari to transparent, smoked, colored, gem-set and one-off editions. Hublot continued announcing sapphire watches afterward, so the 13 are best read as a historical snapshot of the material’s early evolution at the brand.
What sapphire means in these Hublot watches
In its 2017 feature, Time+Tide describes watch-case sapphire as crystallized aluminium oxide, the same material used for watch glass and display backs. For the cases discussed, the case middle, bezel and back are milled from solid blocks. Time+Tide gives sapphire a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, below diamond at 10, and says it can be cut only by diamond. These are figures and technical descriptions reported in that feature, not independent test results.
The challenge was not simply making a transparent case. The feature describes Hublot working with a Swiss specialist to machine and polish complex forms in an exceptionally hard material. Its reported process figures illustrate the work involved: the MP-05 LaFerrari sapphire case took more than 600 hours of machining, polishing and assembly and weighed 53.5 grams; the Spirit of Big Bang Sapphire case required almost 100 hours of milling and polishing. Time+Tide also reports that the crystallization process for vivid blue and ruby-red sapphire reached up to 2050°C.
For Hublot, transparency also served a display purpose: it made the movement and its components visible from more angles. Across the 13 watches, that idea takes different forms, from open chronograph layouts to perpetual-calendar rings, vivid case colors and gemstone settings.
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The 13 watches, in chronological order
1. 2016: MP-05 LaFerrari
Time+Tide identifies the MP-05 LaFerrari as Hublot’s first sapphire-cased watch. Its unusual case comprises seven components made from seven sapphire blocks, shaped around a vertical tourbillon and rolling time display. The feature reports more than 600 hours for machining, polishing and assembly, and a case weight of 53.5 grams. Transparent display cylinders and a semi-transparent silicone strap continue the see-through design beyond the case.
2. 2016: Big Bang Unico Sapphire
This 500-piece limited edition uses three sapphire blocks for its case middle, bezel and back. A transparent resin dial and skeletonized layout expose the HUB1242 automatic flyback chronograph movement; a nearly transparent silicone strap completes the look. It is the most direct expression in the sequence of a conventional Big Bang form made visually open.
3. 2016: Big Bang Unico All Black Sapphire
A metallic coating gives the sapphire a smoked appearance that reads as black while retaining transparency, according to Time+Tide. Rather than abandoning the material’s defining quality, this version filters and darkens what the wearer sees through it.
4. 2017: Big Bang Unico Magic Sapphire
The Magic Sapphire introduced a revised case construction that the feature describes as more resistant and easier to assemble. Transparent composite-resin bezel lugs contrast with a matte-black skeleton dial. Time+Tide identifies the HUB124 calibre and an upper-side column wheel, making the movement architecture part of the visible design.
Rank #2
- Green sunray satin finished dial.
- Rose Gold Case
- Green Strap
- Hublot Caliber HUB1112, beats at 28,800 vph, composed out of 63 parts, contains 21 Jewels & has an approximate power reserve of 42 hours.
5. 2017: Big Bang Unico Perpetual Calendar Sapphire
This model pairs a sapphire dial with the HUB1270 perpetual calendar chronograph. Calendar and chronograph indications sit on concentric rings, while the case offers a clear lateral view of the movement. The complication is more information-dense than the open chronograph layouts, but the transparent case keeps the movement visible from the side.
6. 2017: Big Bang Unico Red & Blue Sapphire
These versions use vivid red and blue synthetic sapphire cases. Time+Tide attributes their uniform color and transparency to Hublot’s crystallization process, reporting temperatures of up to 2050°C. The result makes color part of the sapphire itself rather than merely an accent around a clear case.
7. 2017: Spirit of Big Bang Sapphire
The tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang Sapphire was made from four sapphire blocks. Its barrel-like form required a newly developed polishing machine, and the feature reports almost 100 hours of milling and polishing. It shows how the manufacturing problem changed with the case shape: a curved, sculptural silhouette demanded a different approach from the round Big Bang.
8. 2017: MP-07 Sapphire 40 Days Power Reserve
The square-form MP-07 brings together a vertical tourbillon and nine mainspring barrels coupled in series. Despite “40 Days Power Reserve” in the model name, Time+Tide describes a 42-day reserve, compared with 50 days for the MP-05 LaFerrari. The article’s wording and the printed name differ; the 42-day figure should be understood as the feature’s description, not inferred from the name.
Rank #3
- 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.
9. 2017: MP-05 LaFerrari Aperta
The Aperta applies smoked, nearly black sapphire to the MP-05 shape. It carries forward the original’s distinctive form while changing the visual effect from clear transparency to a darker, more concealed view.
10. 2017: Big Bang Unico Sapphire Baguettes
This clear sapphire-cased Big Bang sets baguette-cut diamonds into the bezel. Time+Tide emphasizes the difficulty of setting stones into sapphire, combining gem-setting work with the precision required to shape the case.
11. 2017: Big Bang Unico Sapphire Rainbow
The Rainbow version uses 48 baguette-cut stones—sapphires, rubies, topazes and tsavorites—in eight graduated colors. Here, the transparent case is paired with a multicolored bezel rather than a single colored sapphire body.
12. 2017: Big Bang Unico Sapphire Usain Bolt for Only Watch 2017
This 45 mm one-off edition combines gold, green and black and places a miniature Usain Bolt sculpture at 9 o’clock. Time+Tide says it was created to raise funds for Duchenne muscular dystrophy research. Its status as a one-off distinguishes it from the limited-production models in the list.
Rank #4
- 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
13. 2017: Big Bang Unico All Black Sapphire Rainbow
The final entry combines smoked sapphire with rainbow-colored gemstones. It brings together two recurring ideas in the sequence: sapphire that appears dark while remaining transparent, and gem setting used to add color around the case.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the 13 differ
| Model | Case and visual treatment | Movement or complication noted by Time+Tide | Edition or construction detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP-05 LaFerrari (2016) | Seven-component sapphire case; transparent cylinders | Vertical tourbillon; rolling time display | Seven sapphire blocks; more than 600 hours reported for machining, polishing and assembly |
| Big Bang Unico Sapphire (2016) | Clear round case | HUB1242 automatic flyback chronograph | 500-piece limited edition; case middle, bezel and back from three blocks |
| Big Bang Unico All Black Sapphire (2016) | Smoked sapphire that appears black | Unico chronograph | Metallic coating described as retaining transparency |
| Big Bang Unico Magic Sapphire (2017) | Transparent case with composite-resin bezel lugs; matte-black skeleton dial | HUB124 calibre; upper-side column wheel | Revised case construction described as more resistant and easier to assemble |
| Big Bang Unico Perpetual Calendar Sapphire (2017) | Sapphire dial; clear lateral movement view | HUB1270 perpetual calendar chronograph | Calendar and chronograph displays arranged on concentric rings |
| Big Bang Unico Red & Blue Sapphire (2017) | Vivid red or blue synthetic sapphire | Unico chronograph | Uniform color and transparency attributed to crystallization |
| Spirit of Big Bang Sapphire (2017) | Tonneau-shaped sapphire case | Not stated in the feature | Four blocks; almost 100 hours of milling and polishing reported |
| MP-07 Sapphire 40 Days Power Reserve (2017) | Square-form sapphire case | Vertical tourbillon; nine series-coupled mainspring barrels; feature reports 42-day reserve | Model name says “40 Days Power Reserve” |
| MP-05 LaFerrari Aperta (2017) | Smoked, nearly black sapphire in MP-05 shape | MP-05 architecture | Not stated in the feature |
| Big Bang Unico Sapphire Baguettes (2017) | Clear sapphire case; baguette-cut diamond bezel | Unico chronograph | Feature highlights the challenge of setting stones into sapphire |
| Big Bang Unico Sapphire Rainbow (2017) | Clear sapphire case; multicolored gemstone bezel | Unico chronograph | 48 stones in eight graduated colors |
| Big Bang Unico Sapphire Usain Bolt for Only Watch 2017 | Gold, green and black; 45 mm | Unico chronograph | One-off; miniature Usain Bolt sculpture at 9 o’clock |
| Big Bang Unico All Black Sapphire Rainbow (2017) | Smoked sapphire with rainbow-colored gemstones | Unico chronograph | Not stated in the feature |
The table reflects the distinctions reported in the 2017 feature; it is not a shared durability, value or performance test. Its article-era prices are historical and do not establish what a watch costs or whether it can be bought now.
What came after the 2016–2017 sequence
The 13-watch count belongs to the feature’s 2016–2017 scope, not to every sapphire watch Hublot has announced. Hublot announcement copy in La Cote des Montres’ archive records later examples, including the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire and Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Orange Sapphire in 2021, followed by Sapphire Sky Blue and Winter Sapphire announcements in 2026. Those dated announcements establish that the material story continued; they do not establish current stock, pricing or catalog availability.
Sources and scope
The 13-model sequence and the attributed material, construction and process details above come from Sandra Lane’s Time+Tide feature, “LIST: Ultimate transparency — Hublot’s sapphire evolution, in 13 watches,” published 18 October 2017: Time+Tide’s 2017 feature. Later announcement dates are supported by La Cote des Montres’ Hublot watch-news archive.
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