THE WATCH AFFAIR

HUBLOT & USAIN BOLT

1. Yes, you guessed it, it’s collaboration time. Again. Teaming up with yet another of their numerous ambassadors – in this case athletic superstar and current world’s fastest man Usain ‘Lighting’ Bolt – Hublot presents the creatively titled King Power Usain Bolt.
   The Lighting Bolt
   Subtle jibes about the name aside, this latest ‘dedication’ from Hublot is actually pretty cool, if a bit egomaniacal. Presented in an over-sized 48mm King Power case, the color scheme is predominantly black with gold highlights across the dial, colors strongly associated with Mr. Bolt.
   As you would expect the King Power Usain Bolt is powered by a chronograph movement – the Calibre HUB4100 to be precise. Functions include a central 60-second hand and a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, as well as a 12-hour chronograph counter at 6 o’clock decorated with a touch of green in a nod to the colors of the Jamaican flag. At 9 o’clock there is a permanent small seconds counter with an anthracite grey transfer of Bolt’s silhouette, assuming the iconic pose he is world renowned for, contrasting against the black background. A date window at 4.30 completes the design.
   
   For the final touch the strap is made from exactly the same gold-colored synthetic leather as the shoes Bolt wore when he broke the world records in Beijing in 2008. This is stitched onto black rubber – a Hublot signature – to guarantee comfort, strength and flexibility and really provides a striking contrast against the black case and dial.
   The King Power Usain Bolt will be produced in an individually numbered, limited edition series of 250 pieces.
   
   
   
   It’s no secret that Hublot is the king of limited edition timepieces. It almost feels like the brand comes out with a new “collaboration” every month sometimes but hate them or love them, I must say they occasionally make some pretty cool timepieces and they seem to have a good time doing it. And of course it’s always amusing to hear the spin that Hublot visionary and chairman Jean-Claude Biver puts on the brand’s latest variant, the King Power Usain Bolt being no exception;
   “It’s perfectly natural to be associated with the fastest man, not just on the planet, but the fastest since the Big Bang”
   Genius!
   For more information please visit the official Hublot website: www.hublot.com