Hublot & Kobe « Vino » Bryant

TIME FOR A TOAST! 

HUBLOT LAUNCHES ITS LATEST TIMEPIECE WITH KOBE “VINO” BRYANT IN NAPA

April 2015 (San Francisco, CA) – Luxury Swiss watch brand Hublot is thrilled to announce the debut of its latest timepiece with Brand Ambassador, Kobe Bryant, the Big Bang UNICO Chronograph Retrograde Kobe “Vino” Bryant, which coincided withthe opening of its first boutique in San Francisco.This is the second timepiece the brand has produced with the basketball legend, after the success of the King Power Black Mamba Chronograph coinciding with his 2013 ambassadorship announcement.

On April 29, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe welcomed guests to a private winery in the Napa Valley for an exclusive winemaking event and intimate press conference with Kobe Bryant, in honor of the star’s newest timepiece. Known as the Big Bang “Vino”, (a nod to Bryant’s nickname “Vino”), the timepiece is the the world’s first mechanical watch designed to time basketball.After the conference on the great lawn, guests followed Philip Norfleet, Managing Director of the winery, to tour the vineyard and the stunning caves located below the property. An “Art of Blending” session and gourmet wine-paired luncheon in the estate’s private dining room was the perfect finish to the morning’s launch. The setting connected both to the burgundy-colored watch’s namesake and inspiration, but also the star’s childhood spent in Italy and Hublot’s surrounding Vaudois countryside dotted with wineries.

Kobe Brant, Hublot Brand Ambassador, said: “It is an honor to launch my second Hublot Timepiece, Vino. When I joined the Hublot family, the Black Mamba was a natural fit, but we also discussed the relationship between basketball, watchmaking and wine; specifically, the dedication of the wine makers to making that perfect blend, the effort that goes into the maturation process and the attention to detail that goes into the art of watchmaking », he added.

Hublot CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe, shared: « We are thrilled to celebrate these two exciting milestones for our brand – our first store opening in San Francisco with Justin Rose and our latest timepiece with superstar Kobe Bryant. At Hublot, we strive to be first, be unique and be different, and we work with the best of the best. San Francisco’s diverse culture attracts an eclectic mix of consumers, making this Northern California enclave the perfect location for Hublot. Given its close proximity to San Francisco, Napa is the ideal destination to honor Kobe Bryant, “Vino,” who, like a fine wine, only gets better and more legendary with age. With these launches, Hublot continues to celebrate the Art of Fusion by blending the worlds of luxury, innovation, sports and, now, wine. »

« Westime is thrilled to partner with Hublot in the best cities on the West Coast, first Beverly Hills and now San Francisco », says Greg Simonian, President of Westime. « As Northern California’s trend-setting capital, San Francisco is a perfect city for Hublot’s groundbreaking timepieces. »

The Big Bang UNICO Chronograph Retrograde Kobe “Vino” Bryant, available in Ceramic and King Gold, features a sleek design that reflects Kobe’s personal style off the court. Burgundy embellishments are reflected on the strap, stitching and dial of the timepiece. The Chronograph Retrograde is designed to time the two halves of a basketball game – an innovative concept that Hublot has produced specifically for this timepiece. The dial features a prominent basketball design integrated into a matte burgundy multilayer disc. On the case back, a green glass in rare earth minerals with an interior anti-reflective treatment carries Kobe Bryant’s signature. Available in two versions, 18K King Gold and Black Ceramic, each piece will be delivered with two interchangeable straps – one black rubber and burgundy stitching and one burgundy python with burgundy stitching.

BIG BANG UNICO RETROGRADE KOBE  »VINO » BRYANT

Reference: 
413.CX.4723.PR.KOB15 (Ceramic – Limited edition of 200 pieces) 
413.OX.4738.PR.KOB15 (King Gold – Limited edition of 100 pieces)

Diameter: 45.5 mm 
Thickness: 16.95 mm 
Water Resistant: 10 ATM (100m)
Case: “Big Bang” – Diameter 45.5mm 
Ceramic or King Gold, polished and satin-finished
Bezel: Ceramic or King Gold, polished and satin-finished and black composite resin 
Screws « H »: Titanium, polished black PVD
Glass: Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment 
Crown: Black rubber and satin-finished Black PVD Titanium or 18K King Gold 
Pushers: Black PVD Titanium or King Gold with burgundy and black rubber
Case back: Ceramic, satin-finished – engraved « 200NUM » or King Gold, satin-finished – engraved « 100NUM » and green glass in rare earth minerals with interior anti-reflective treatment + the signature of Kobe Bryant printed 
Dial: Mat Burgundy multilayer dial
Hands: White or Gold retrograde minute hand
Red retrograde second hand 
Satin-finished and microblasted black-or gold-plated minute, hour and small second hands with red luminescent
Movement: Caliber Hublot HUB1261 
UNICO Manufacture self-winding Bi-retrograde movement with central chronograph and column wheel 
N° of Components: 385 
Jewels: 44 
Frequency (Hz): 4 Hz (28’800 A/h)
Power Reserve: 72 Hours 
Strap: Black rubber and burgundy python strap + burgundy stitching 
Buckle: Black PVD Titanium with black ceramic or King Gold insert deployant buckle clasp