The purpose of the wind tunnel test is to determine how air flows around a speeding object. It’s an indicator of overall aerodynamics, but with the test, you also get to visually plot how air bends to accommodate your moving vehicle, and how it regathers once it gets to the back. Although mainly a function-driven exercise, it’s also rather pretty to look at, and it looks like the kind of aesthetic Seongmin Kim was going for while designing the Cadillac A-RROW, a conceptual car that’s exterior is dominated by continuous lines.
Designer: Seongmin Kim
Look at the car and you instantly notice how dominant these straight continuous lines are. They stretch from the front to the back, wrapping the top and sides, but not defining their surfaces entirely. The car still has its own character in between those lines, which looks beautiful, but there’s something exhilarating about the A-RROW’s design, and that probably stems from the fact that it looks like it’s in movement even when it’s standing still, giving it a sense of speed.
“I was deeply moved by the beauty of the continuous line,” mentions Seongmin. “The lines seemed to represent the past and the future, the universe and the flow of existence. They reminded me that they contain the flow and change of time, and that they harbor infinite possibilities.”
Envisioned as a futuristic EV, the car treads into luxury territory with its gorgeous design and swooping silhouette. It sports a stunning panoramic windscreen that arches all the way from the front to the rear, covering even the sides to create a bubble-like cockpit for the driver and the lucky passenger! The metallic paint job, and LED-strip headlights and taillights enhance the automobile’s futurism, and let’s just say that I wish more car manufacturers turned their branding logos into glowing light patterns!
Some things seem to inspire awe and marvel just by their very nature, probably because of their sophisticated appearances or their otherworldly concepts. This list of things ranges from the mundane to the mystical, from the intricate machinery behind mechanical watches on one end to myths and legends of ancient cultures on the other. In most cases, these two opposite ends of the spectrum don’t exactly mix, except perhaps in some fictional setting. But when they do mix, they create a visual experience like no other, generating a unique aesthetic that enhances the sense of mystery and wonder behind ancient symbols and civilizations, just like this one-of-a-kind timepiece that feels like it’s calling forth the power of the gods to expose the mystery behind time, turning each tick and movement into a magical moment.
If you’re in any way familiar with fictional stories involving treasure hunters who try to unlock ancient mysteries, you might have imagined or even seen how those long-forgotten sites would sometimes have mechanisms that seemed far too advanced for their ancient cultures. It’s this combination of mechanical marvels and ancient mysteries that has always captured the fancy of people for ages. It doesn’t matter if they’re historically inaccurate, it’s the power of story-telling that inspires and elevates the mind, almost like gazing at another plane of existence.
Triangle Seconds Hand – It resembles the Eye of Horus, an emblem of protection, luck and rejuvenation drawn from ancient Egyptian mythology.
It’s this kind of potent imagery that the Eye of Horus watch from the CIGA Design X Series tries to harness, blending Egyptian mythology and modern craftsmanship into a mesmerizing timepiece. The Eye of Horus has always enjoyed a special place in ancient Egypt and contemporary symbolism, representing power, luck, and rejuvenation, among other things. Embedded inside a triangle that also serves as the seconds hand, this powerful symbol becomes the visual and spiritual center of the watch, creating an air of mystery and spirituality, regardless of your beliefs.
Majestic Obsidian Crown – A unique and powerful symbol of transformation and healing properties.
Luminescent Glow – Makes the hands and indices glow mystic green bringing the Eye of Horus to life in the dark, and the diamond cuts on the dial offer a reflective shine from all angles in the light.
The watch’s back-to-front transparent design accentuates the timepiece’s otherworldly character, giving a 360-degree view of all the intricate machinery for everyone to see. The X-shaped skeleton perfectly complements the Eye of Horus, providing not only structural stability but also a path to guide the eyes towards the center of the watch where the mystical Eye sits. The black case, strap, and obsidian crown seemingly fade into the background, making the sophisticated machinery and design really pop out. Luminous green elements in the hands, scales, and the Eye give off an eerie glow that not only emphasizes the otherworldly character of the watch but also makes it effortless to tell the time in the dark.
Precision Crafted Automatic Movement
Of course, the Eye of Horus watch isn’t just a work of art, it’s also a reliable timekeeper as well with a movement frequency of 21,600 times per hour. The automatic mechanical movement offers long-lasting precision, thanks to CIGA Design’s first-ever custom-created Caliber CD 01 Movement that deviates for as low as 15 seconds every 24 hours and boasts a reserve power of approximately 40 hours. As a member of the X series, it incorporates a self-finding movement that recharges automatically as you wear it. Even with this kind of precision, the Eye of Hours barely makes a sound, but hold it close to your ear and listen closely to hear the mechanical song it creates deep within.
All those intricate components are housed inside a bioceramic frame, a material famed for its lightweight durability, and topped by a heat-hardened mineral glass that can easily withstand scratches and accidental bumps and drops. The skin-friendly silicone strap brings unparalleled comfort and durability, combining practicality and style in perfect harmony. And with a 3 ATM water resistance, the Eye of Horus can stand the passage of time and the wear and tear of daily life, achieving near-immortality like the Egyptian deity it is named after.
The watch’s exquisite mechanics are available in three color options of Black, Silver, and Rose Gold, letting you chose the style that best suits your tastes. With a body that’s only 47.3 x 48.0 12.1 mm small (without the crown) and weighing only 67.4g (with the 20mm strap), it feels as if it’s simply gently resting on your wrist. Timeless both in function and form, the CIGA Design X Series Eye of Horus watch lets you tell your hero’s story through a stunning timepiece that harnesses the power of myths and design.
They say the teardrop shape is considered one of the most aerodynamic profiles ever, given how it effortlessly bends the air around it to glide through with minimal drag. The tail of a teardrop plays a crucial role in this process, explaining the importance of tails in birds, planes, and boats. The Porsche Mission S by Zhe Huang brings that feature to automotive design. Created as a hyper-racing MPV, the Mission S recreates the professional racing experience for regular folk with its 911-esque proportions, supercar-esque cockpit, and unique teardrop rear that takes the term ‘boattail’ to new lengths.
Designer: Zhe Huang
The Mission S was designed as a part of Huang’s internship at studiokurbos, Shanghai. Although unaffiliated with the Porsche brand, the Mission S builds on the German marque’s automotive legacy, channeling the same energy that Porsche had when it debuted the Mission X or even the 919. This isn’t your friendly-looking Cayman or 911. It eschews the rounded-headlight curvy design language for something that’s more purpose-built for a racetrack.
The car sports a rather smooth design with flowy surfaces that come together cleanly, instead of being overrun with vents, grooves, and other dramatic details you’d see in overtly aggressive racecars from the likes of Lamborghini. The Mission S doesn’t completely surrender its curves, but rather limits the use of them to the front fenders, keeping its silhouette rather simple. A highlight of its design is its unconventional tail, which tapers off when viewed vertically, resulting in a centrally-located edge-lit taillight. “The design inspiration comes from the waterdrop in ‘Three Body’, which gives the car an extremely dynamic and pure body shape like the Porsche 908 and Porsche Vision Gran Turismo,” Huang says.
The Mission S measures 5.6m (18.3 feet) long and 2.1m (6.8 feet) wide, allowing five passengers including a professional racer to sit inside its cockpit. It stands at 1.26m (4.1 feet) tall, matching the height of the 911, while having the occupants inside sit in a more supercar-esque posture.
Embracing its futuristic demeanor, light-strips make quite an appearance in the Mission S’ design, with their presence on the front in the form of the headlights, as well as the back where the centrally located taillight is also accompanied by lights on each side.
The Mission S experience can be divided between its two variants, rather appropriately named the White and the Black versions. For the faint of heart, the White version prioritizes comfort and friendliness… but if you’re looking to put the pedal to the metal and taste the adrenaline, the Black variant offers faster speeds, a more thrilling experience, and sports a spoiler at the back to maximize downforce for that asphalt-hugging speed experience.
Quite like the Mission X which was revealed in June of this year, it seems like the Mission S concept embraces an electric drivetrain too. It doesn’t discard the venting on the front, which would be a telltale sign of an EV, but rather retains it perhaps for cooling and airflow purposes. One rather elongated door on either side gives access to the Mission S’ interiors, which seat up to 5 people in a 1+2+2 format. The car’s windshield extends all the way from the front to the back, creating a bubble-like effect that is interrupted by the car’s same-color pillars and roof but still strives to offer a panoramic view for its occupants with windows that stretch from the front to the back, and that expansive windshield.
The Mission S aims to deliver the thrill of racing to non-racers with its S trifecta – Speed, Spaciousness, and a Subversive Experience. Although currently just a fan-made concept (with no official endorsement from Porsche), it serves as a great case study for a new car format – with a 5-seater design that doesn’t sacrifice spaciousness… and that gorgeous tail that allows the car to cut through air like a sizzling hot knife through butter!
Combining luxurious architecture and natural camouflage together, Mertcan Güldilek’s Nordic Breeze hotel is easy to miss when viewed from above. As you descend into the valley, however, the gorgeous hotel becomes more apparent with its unique blend of the snow-white facade and wrap-around glass. Created using AI, Güldilek’s architectural concept shows how organic design can blend beautifully into a landscape, complementing it rather than contrasting it.
Designer: Mertcan Güldilek
The AI experimentations take on a rather organic design reminiscent of Ross Lovegrove’s work. The hotel’s facade is difficult to really describe as it flows quite like the mountain slope. In the negative areas created by the facade, Güldilek adds running edge-to-edge windows that help residents/patrons get a sprawling panoramic view of the landscape ahead of them.
“The hotel emerges in the heart of the Swedish valley, inviting guests to a refuge that seamlessly blends with its breathtaking surroundings,” says Güldilek. “The organic approach to design ensures that the hotel becomes an extension of the surrounding nature, creating a sense of unity that calms and inspires.”
Envisioned for Storglaciären, Sweden, these hotels are located in the valleys of a snowcapped mountain range, alongside a glacial river that adds to the hotel’s charm. Multiple iterations of the hotel’s design see it nestled on top of the glacial river, giving patrons a stunning shimmering view of the snowcapped landscape along with its reflection. Sunrises and sunsets would look amazing here for 6 months in the year!
“As the sun descends, casting its golden rays across the land, the hotel radiates a warm and inviting aura that draws guests in,” adds Güldilek. “The golden hour lighting envelops the building, illuminating every detail and infusing the surroundings with a magical quality.”
Different iterations also play with volumes, adding multiple wings and levels to the architecture for a dynamic appeal. Each hotel room therefore has a unique view of what’s around them, creating a bespoke experience for everyone who comes to visit the conceptual Nordic Breeze hotel!
The adjective “Scandinavian” carries a lot of weight in the production and design industry. The term “Swiss-made” is a distinction given to products that have achieved a high degree of quality and craftsmanship thanks to the spirit and practices embraced by denizens of Switzerland, characteristics best embodied by the mechanical timepieces hailing from that country. Unfortunately, that same level of quality and elegance has made these products well beyond the reach of most people, which is good for their image but bad for spreading the appreciation of Swiss-made products. Fortunately, there are brands that strive to cast their nets wider, and this handsome mechanical watch is a glowing example of a well-made Scandinavian product that isn’t just a beautiful fashion accessory but also a loyal companion for all occasions and environments.
It’s almost as if Switzerland itself was created to embody the traits of good design. From the majestic peaks of the Swiss Alps to the breathtaking landscapes of the French Riviera down south, everything about the place serves as an inspiration for designers and makers across the globe. But unlike these natural galleries of beauty, Swiss-made products, particularly watches, have traditionally been kept behind expensive walled gardens accessible to only a few. Worse, many of these glamorous timepieces seem to be made to be worn only on very special occasions, limiting the enjoyment of their external and internal beauty to a very small number of opportunities.
The Montoir Dive Watch, however, breaks down those walls to wrap the spirit of adventure inspired by these locales in a beautiful Swiss-made timepiece and make it available to more people around the world. The watch bears a contemporary yet clean design, hallmarks of the famed Scandinavian minimalism, that make it look quite at home in any setting. The Swiss-made classic Sellita SW200-1 Automatic Movement provides the accuracy, reliability, and ease of servicing that you’ve come to expect from such luxurious watches.
Making a timepiece accessible for all isn’t just about price or location, either. It’s about making sure it can stay on your wrist wherever you are, whether it’s in a boardroom meeting, a raving party, or even a quick dive in a pool. With a brushed 316L stainless steel body topped by a top hat double dome sapphire crystal glass, the watch exudes both elegance and durability at the same time, while quick-release recycled FKM (fluoroelastomer) straps enhance the watch’s resilience in any environment. It also boasts a 20ATM water resistance of up to 200 meters in depth, and Superluminova BGW9 markings allow you to tell the time even in the darkest depths or the blackest nights. On the back is an embossed relief of a diver in old yet iconic equipment, emphasizing the watch’s all-around usability even in places where most Swiss-made watchers would never dare tread.
We’ve gone past an age when high-quality products are things that only the elite can afford. Good design, after all, is something everyone can enjoy, and this Swiss-made watch embodies that goal to perfection, with a super early bird VIP price of $375. Available in five colors, including Black, White, Blue, Cyan, and even Orange, the Montoir Dive Watch puts a beautiful reminder on your wrist that the spirit of adventure calls anyone and everyone, and this timeless watch is the perfect companion for those exciting and memorable journeys.
What happens when one of the most luxurious automotive brands in the world teams up with one of the most luxurious bicycle brands in the world? That would be the J.Laverick Aston Martin .1R — the direct offspring of a fruitful partnership between the two high-flying British luxury brands, who are jointly calling it the “world’s most bespoke, advanced and meticulously engineered road bicycle”. This design is definitely bespoke, considering that no two Aston Martin .1R bikes will be created the same —and it isn’t exactly clear how many will be constructed in total — seeing as how every purchaser who orders from Aston Martin’s “multi-award-winning” online configurator will receive a personal invitation to get their own unique Aston Martin .1R fitted at Aston Martin’s HQ in Gaydon, UK.
Evidently, Aston Martin’s Gaydon HQ is where a new owner can individually select and install their bells and whistles (literally) after mixing and matching Aston Martin’s signature color schemes — which mirror those of the prestige British auto designer’s most popular luxury vehicles — on the tubes, lugs, forks, stem, seat post, and handlebar drops via the aforementioned configurator. For what it’s worth, yes, you can also choose between saddle and handlebar type. Right now, it’s not clear how much this will all cost, but it makes sense to expect a higher price than most other J.Laverack bicycles, which start at around $5,000.
This advanced titanium road bike design uses a mixture of 3D-printed titanium lugs and sculpted carbon fiber tubes for a lightweight yet sturdy build without any exposed bolts on the outer body. Aston Martin’s designers call this a world first, and I can’t deny it looks like a cross between a bike and a sports car. Though, calling it a “sports bike” would be redundant. That said, Aston Martin’s Executive VP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, dug into this idea even further in an official press release, calling the Aston Martin .1R a “titanium hypercar on two wheels.”
Its max speed probably doesn’t equal that of a shiny new Aston Martin supercar, but it’s likely the speediest (and sturdiest) bicycle we’ve ever seen. Several elements of the ($3 million) Aston Martin Valkyrie’s engineering and design process made their way over to the .1R, including the bicycle’s 40-micron badges. The wheels themselves, plus the stem, also use similar processes. According to Aston Martin, “The hypercar’s wheel design can be glimpsed in miniature in the titanium piston caps of the brakes on the bike, while if you inspect the beautifully machined cups on the threaded bottom bracket of the .1R and you will notice parallels with the central wheel nuts on an Aston Martin Valkyrie.”
The night sky is full of beauty and marvel, but nothing evokes images of romance and mystery more than our faithful companion, the Moon. A celestial body that has given birth to many myths and legends since ancient days, the Moon has always been a source of fascination for both artists and scientists alike. Thanks to recent space explorations, interest in the stars has been at an all-time high, whether it’s just traveling in space in luxury or setting up colonies on the Moon and Mars. Space and beyond is no longer just science fiction but a part of our history, and what better way to preserve and honor that history than with a timeless watch that puts the elegance and mystery of the moon on your wrist.
The Moon is our lone satellite and the closest celestial body to our home planet, yet there are still many things about it that beguile and confound scientists. The dark side of the moon that we never get to see from Earth has always been a source of mystery and even omens, especially considering how much the Moon can actually influence life on the planet. Still, the Moon feels near yet so far, but this luxurious watch puts it right on your wrist, with a small yet significant nod to history and a tribute to mankind’s achievements, both past and future.
Meteorite Moon Dust – Their meteorite, with the ID#NWA11515, was found in 2017 and provided by MSG Meteorites, a British company specialized in certified space rocks and licensed by the IMCA (International Meteorite Collectors Association).
Lunar1,622 Watch with Integrated NASA Logo – The project respects the necessary permissions and aligns with NASA’s guidelines.
Named after the surface gravity on the Moon, the LUNAR1,622 is a handsome mechanical watch that goes beyond simply putting the face of the moon on the timepiece. Just like the previous Mars-inspired Interstellar timepiece, it holds a relic of the moon, specifically a small amount of moon dust at the three o’clock position (the standard model gets the footprint shape of Neil Armstrong instead). This moon dust was taken from rare lunar meteorites, specifically the Moon Meteorite ID# NWA11515 that was found in 2017 in Northwest Africa. The back of the watch also boasts the official NASA logo, which would delight space exploration fans even more. There will only be 2025 Premium editions made, in honor of the next lunar mission Artemis 3 in that year.
LUNAR1,622 commemorates Neil Armstrong’s iconic words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
On the edge of the dial all the way around it, you’ll find all successful Apollo missions numbered. All missions that landed on the moon are marked in gold.
Commemorating the historic Apollo 11 mission, this timepiece features the mission’s name, date and Neil Armstrong’s initials.
Of course, the Interstellar LUNAR1,622 isn’t just a one-of-a-kind science collectible, it is also a piece of horology craftsmanship as well. Both Standard and Advanced models bear the famed Miyota automatic movement, while the Premium variant boasts a Swiss Sellita automatic movement, both delivering the precision and reliability expected from high-quality mechanical watches. Sandblasted 316L stainless steel cases (titanium for the Premium model), in classic Black or stylish Silver, give the watch both durability and finesse, while the black leather strap accentuates its luxurious character. The LUNAR1,622’s subtle elegance perfectly embodies the timeless beauty of the Moon, captivating without being overwhelming.
NFC Technology
Whether you’re a space buff, a horology connoisseur, or an avant-garde collector, there is perhaps nothing more beautiful and mystical than having the moon on your wrist, quite literally even. Inspired by lunar expeditions and carrying a pinch of authentic moon dust inside, the Interstellar LUNAR1,622 is more than just a beautiful and historic timepiece, it is also a testament to humanity’s ambitions to reach for the stars and our perseverance to make that dream a reality.
Billed as the world’s lightest mechanical watch, the MING LW.01 boasts an impressive weight of just 8.8 grams (0.31 ounces) for the manual variant and 10 grams (0.35 ounces) for the automatic variant. For reference, that’s lighter than one AirTag… or about as much as two AirPods WITHOUT the case.
The LW.01 takes the idea of minimalism a little bit further by going beyond just the visual sense of the word. “We wanted to push the envelope further than we – or any other brand – has ever done,” the folks at MING said. This includes some brilliant design hacks, the use of novel materials, and basically removing everything non-essential. In short, the folks at MING Marie Kondo-ed the hell out of this watch… and the result definitely sparks joy.
The watch itself is a work of art, featuring a dial that’s as minimal to look at as its bill of materials. In fact, there isn’t a dial at all. The LW.01’s minute hand sits on a disc that obscures the movement, while the central portion comes with a gradient print that hides the skeletal view of the watch, while also having the watch’s minimal markings on its periphery. Every part of the watch is art and engineering combined to its nth degree, creating something that really stands at the intersection of great design and immaculate engineering.
“We set ourselves some ‘conventional’ constraints, though: the watch had to be a wearable size, and retain certain tactile qualities such as the texture and thermal transfer of metal,” MING’s team mentioned. “More importantly, it would have to be practically wearable and not technically compromised purely for the sake of lightness. As it turns out, it would take us a couple of years longer than expected and an exhaustive amount of metallurgy and testing.”
Those constraints, however, don’t in any way diminish the end product. The watch has a spectacular body that’s crafted from a special metal alloy that’s lighter than carbon but has the premium feel of metal. The lugs are turned into bars that allow the strap to through without any additional elements (which would add to its weight), and the face isn’t layered with sapphire crystal. Instead, it opts for equally resistant Corning Gorilla Glass – similar to the slim glass sheet found in smartphones, but with a separate hardening treatment done by UK-based Knight Optical.
“We explored a wide range of ultralight materials including carbon fiber derivatives and hollow-core 3D printing, but ultimately found that AZ31 Magnesium-Aluminium-Zinc-Manganese alloy from Smiths High Performance was both lighter than carbon (1.77g/cc, vs ~2g/cc density), more consistent to produce than hollow 3D printing, and more importantly retained the feel of metal,” MING mentioned. “It is further surface treated by plasmaelectrolytic oxidation by Keronite for corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, with a further composite protective layer.”
Every element of the watch, including the screws made of PEEK composite, the hollowed bezel, and the angled case buttressing, was meticulously optimized to achieve the perfect balance between durability and weight. The crown, crafted from anodized aluminum, ensures durability and smooth threading. To ensure overall torsional rigidity, finite element simulation was employed to assess the watch case. The fixed integral bars, machined from the same billet as the case, not only enhance rigidity but also weigh less than traditional steel spring bars.
As a result, the watch boasts an impressively lightweight head, weighing just 8.8 grams with manual winding, 10.8 grams with automatic winding, along with an additional 0.6 grams for the matching AZ31 buckle and 1.2 grams for the ‘record’ spec Alcantara strap. This translates to a total weight of 10.6 grams or 12.6 grams for a fully assembled, ready-to-wear timepiece… but don’t expect all that innovation to come cheap. The “World’s Lightest Watch” may be lighter than an AirTag, but it’s half the cost of a Tesla Model Y. With a brain-imploding asking price of 19500 Swiss Francs ($21,623 USD), you’re kind of better off buying a Patek Philippe instead.
In just about a year since AI technology’s gone mainstream, it’s gotten shockingly good. The amount of realism they’re capable of is mesmerizing, especially with tools like Midjourney doing an incredible job at creating even minute details. Gone are the days when AI botched up faces, fingers, and other aspects of the human body or even the real world. It’s reached a level where to an untrained eye, we’re way past that uncanny valley. In fact, if I hadn’t mentioned it in the title, it’s entirely conceivable that some people would think the image above (or even the ones below) were concept renders either by Bugatti or by a transportation design enthusiast. They are, however, an exploration of Bugatti’s aesthetic using Midjourney and Photoshop’s AI tools. The results help us understand and appreciate two things – not only do they remind us of how spectacular AI is at understanding design cues, these images are also a reinforcement of Bugatti’s own design language, showing how the company’s cars are all a part of the same visual DNA. Let’s dive into that DNA a bit further…
The AI still has a tendency to mess up certain elements like logos, which is why it’s possible that these were edited to put the actual Bugatti logo in place. That aside, they almost look like they were created by the French marque’s automotive design division. Look at them long enough and you see hints of the Centodieci, Divo, La Voiture Noire, and even the Bolide.
Bugatti’s visual language pretty much was defined after the Veyron was first announced. Designed by Jozef Kabaň, the Veyron eventually become the starting point off of which the company’s entire fleet was based, as following cars emulated the same elements of Veyron’s design. The silhouette became a common element as did things like a softer front profile around the front fenders. Bugatti cars always had a horseshoe-shaped grill on the front and this further went on to becoming a strong element in future cars, as did the C-cut window which can’t really be seen in the front view, but is highly recognizable once observed from the side.
With newer models, as carbon fiber outer shells became more of the norm, the cars started experimenting with more aggressive designs that eschewed the Veyron’s otherwise ‘bubbly’ aesthetic. The headlights began evolving too, with the Divo first breaking apart from the Veyron and Chiron’s headlight aesthetic. Finally we began seeing headlights like the one in the Bolide, which the AI image above mimics rather well, with its X-shaped pattern hinting at the car’s extreme capabilities.
All these AI explorations play rather well within the parameters of the ‘constraints’ set by Bugatti’s design team. You’ve got hyper-aggressive forms like the one below, but relatively smoother ones like the image above. All the cars opt for a classy bubble cockpit with a line cutting through quite similar to the Bolide concept. The AI also does a great job of sticking to Bugatti’s brand colors of black and shades of blue, interspersed with small carbon fiber trims in between. It’s remarkable that despite how hyper-realistic they are, none of these cars are real… but they still feel unapologetically like they were designed by the French luxury supercar brand. Which carmaking brand do you want to see AI take over next??
Hublot is back again with another limited edition luxury watch, and this time it’s a unique Big Bang Tourbillon made in collaboration with British artist Samuel Ross – best known for his modern luxury brand, A-COLD-WALL. Called the Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A, this limited edition $127,000 mechanical tourbillon watch is 44 millimeters of incisive craftsmanship, using gorgeous micro-blasted titanium throughout the body and selectively-colored rubber in the straps and on the crown.
Don’t be shocked by the price; tourbillons are the most luxurious watches you can find on the market. The Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A watch is a luxury item of the highest caliber, which is why it’s staggeringly expensive compared to the already eye-watering Porsche Design Chronograph 1 Utility – Limited Edition watch – in fact, a single Tourbillon SR_A piece is more expensive than both the aforementioned Porsche Design watch and a brand-new 2023 Porsche 911 combined. The explanation for that is simple: only 50 pieces will ever be produced.
Evidently, this collaboration has been an ongoing effort between Hublot and Samuel Ross since 2020, and it shows. The entire watch is filled with thoughtful visual and mechanical design, right down to the honeycomb-like hexagonal pattern proliferating the entire watch, including its strap.
The Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A strap comes in three different colors, most notably the Vivid Green smooth rubber strap equipped with a shiny titanium clasp. The watch can also be fitted with a black or white rubber strap, both of which look just as elegant thanks to the SR_A’s micro-blasted titanium case and bezel which are covered in little hexagonal holes, matching the visual style throughout the design.
From a purely mechanical perspective, the SR_A impresses with its 72 hour power reserve and HUB6035 automatic tourbillon movement, which is built for gravity-defying precision. Unlike chronograph watches, tourbillon movement relies entirely on balancing a rotating wheel inside of a contraption. In this case, it uses a device called a “mainspring” to maintain the wheel’s balance. The internal powering mechanism must eventually be recharged – by hand, mind you – by winding the crown a certain number of times after the power reserves run out. The SR_A can keep a charge for 72 hours, as previously mentioned, while surviving water submersion up to 30 meters.
The automatic tourbillon system is made up of 243 moving components in an intricate array that measures 33.8mm x 33.8mm x 7.37mm. At the center is a micro-rotor that drives its automatic winding system. Watching all the moving pieces in the Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A work in unison is a sight to behold, especially when the entire thing is dismantled – as you can see in the official Hublot collaboration video linked below:
