Hands-On Debut: Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic City Limited Edition

Amidst the bustle of Design Miami 2023, Hublot launched a new limited edition watch in tribute to the vibrant city. The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic City has an ‘80s inspired (think Miami Vice) color scheme on the dial and is housed in a sleek black ceramic case. Naturally, since this is a limited edition watch the production numbers are going to be low at only 35 pieces produced. 

The basics of the Big Bang Unico Magic City are in line with the standard model: a 42mm wide case that measures 14.5mm thick with 100 m of water resistance. The in-house HUB1280 chronograph movement was totally redone a few years back in order to be properly housed in the smaller 42mm case (previous iterations were 45mm). An integrated flyback column wheel chronograph , the HUB1280 is comprised of 354 components and has a 72-hour power reserve. 

The real magic, so to speak, about this limited edition is the playfully retro purple and blue color scheme on the dial. And then there is my favorite touch, which is the bi-color palm tree at 9 o’clock where the running seconds sub-dial is. The watch comes with a classic black rubber strap but it’s the gradient strap that transitions from hues of pink, light purples, and blue that matches the dial that brings the whole piece together. 

Hublot showed excellently balanced restraint in designing the Big Bang Unico Magic City which is demonstrated by the question I always ask myself when judging a themed limited edition: does the watch stand on its own? The Magic City certainly does and as my esteemed colleague Zach Blass noted, it’s perfectly timed with the release of the new Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer that dropped a few days ago.

Limited to 35 pieces the Hublot Big Bang Unico Magic City is priced at $24,700 and will available at the brand’s two Miami boutiques in the Design District and Bal Harbour as well as their e-commerce site. 

To learn more, visit Hublot, here.