The King Power Unico collection is already a staple in the Hublot’s lineup. Being the first collection to offer an entirely in-house developed and manufactured chornograph movement, the Unico collection has become a Hublotista favorite. While the original All Black and King Gold (Hublot’s own corrosion resistant red gold alloy) versions were both limited editions, last year Hublot introduced several Unico-equipped watches as standard offerings in their collection. This year at Baselworld, Hublot introduced another non-limited variation, the King Power Unico Black Magic.
When we think of Hublot, the first thing that comes to mind is black cases. Ceramic is an incredible material, especially for a 48mm watch case. It’s lightweight when compared to more traditional metals like steel, and its high scratch resistance makes it the ideal material for a sports watch case.
The Big Bang Black Magic was Hublot’s first full-ceramic Big Bang, and has become one of its most popular combinations to date. The King Power Unico Black Magic takes cues from the Big Bang Black Magic Evo, with it’s applied metal markers filled with copious amounts of Superluminova. The monochrome look adds a sense of understatement to an otherwise very visible watch.
The 48mm case is made of entirely matte finished black zirconium oxide, with raised attachment “H-screws” and a crown and pushers done in polished Titanium. The side of teh bezel is protected by a rubber layer which is also attached via the bezel’s six screws.
The original Unico limited editions used blackened rhodium-treated movements, but the Black Magic is finished in a relective metallic grey ruthenium. Visible through the dial, it adds some contrast to an otherwise black watch. The Unico movement was designed with a modular construction, meaning that different complications can be added on top (or under, from the watchmaker’s perspective) of the timekeeping top plate of the movement. The 60-minute chornograph’s column-wheel, fashioned in the emblematic “H-screw” can be seen at 6 o’clock.
The sapphire dial has a bi-compax layout, with the constant seconds at 9 o’clock and the chronograph minutes (60 instead of the more common 30) at the 3 0’clock subdial. The date wheel is made of an intricate skeletonized metal disk, visible through an aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock.
The automatic chronograph movement delivers a power reserve of 72 hours and uses a bi-directional winding system for more efficient winding. The escape wheel and pallet fork are made of high-tech silicium. The chronograph is a fly-back and uses a column-wheel instead of the cam/leaver system found in the HUB4100 movement for example.
The King Power Unico Black Magic is the first full ceramic non-limited edition Unico-equipped watch, and as any Hublotista knows, no collection is complete without a ceramic piece. The first examples are slowly making their way to Hublot boutiques and retailers near you.
