Hublot was created in 1980, when the Italian Carlo Crocco moved to Switzerland, where he established his own company, MDM Geneva. +
There, he sought to design an elegant sporting watch, and created the world’s first watch with a natural rubber strap. He named this model Hublot after the French word for “porthole”.
As soon as the Hublot brand was set up, its Hublot Classic line was born, which featured a gold watch with a rubber strap, available in four different sizes, and has since become a classic in watchmaking history. The rubber bracelet is nowadays the only one used on Hublot watches.
In 2003, Crocco was looking to pass on his duties as head of the company when he met Jean-Claude Biver, who became Hublot’s new CEO in 2004. Not even a year after Biver’s arrival, Hublot unveiled its Hublot Big Bang chronograph at BaselWorld in April 2005. It was a huge success and was awarded internationally, receiving the “2005 Design Prize” in the “Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix”, the “Sports Watch Prize” at the “Watch of the Year” ceremony in Japan, and the Middle Eastern Prize for the “Best Oversized Watch” at the Editor’s Choice “Watch of the Year” in Bahrain.
Today, the brand reinterprets its original concept in numerous ways, combining rare materials such as gold or titanium with rubber, merging the traditional processes of watchmaking with modern interpretations – being a champion of the “art of fusion”.
Kylian Mbappé knows only too well what it takes to carve a career that is successful, passionate and brimming with excellence. Regarded as one of the world’s greatest footballers, it came as no surprise to us when we heard that he was collaborating with the equally creative and virtuous Hublot.
