Hublot released its latest stunning watch on Thursday and it honors future Hockey Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin.
Entitled the Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Carbon Alex Ovechkin, the stunning accessory features Ovi’s ‘Great Eight’ logo at 8 o’clock on the dial and has his signature on the back. The tip of the chronograph hand is finished in red, white, and blue, which is both a nod to the Russian flag as well as the colors of the Washington Capitals. The timepiece is powered by Hublot’s in-house UNICO chronograph mechanism and its column wheel on the dial side.
The watch is being sold exclusively in Russia for the next 30 days before going on sale worldwide after that. It retails for $26,200.
“To work with my favorite watch brand and design a watch, as well as have it named after me is a huge honor,” Ovechkin said in a statement. “When Hublot asked which model we should work on together, it one hundred percent had to be the Big Bang Unico. I love this watch. It’s bold, technical, innovative, daring, strong, and fits perfectly on my wrist. I am so happy to share this story of the watch with hockey and Hublot fans around the world.”
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The watch also comes with a lightweight carbon fiber case fused with bright red inserts and comes on a red velcro strap. According to Hublot, “the red accents consist of micro-glass fibres in the form of ‘Non Woven Fabric’ (NWF), which is used to strengthen the composite material from which the case is made. During the preparation of the composite, this NWF and carbon fiber are fused with a resin-tinted adhesive. This high-tech, high-performance material combination was chosen to reflect both Alexander’s hockey equipment and his own extraordinary resilience and longevity.” Ovechkin has also signed a Hublot branded hockey puck for every person who purchases the watch.
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Ovechkin, who is officially considered a Hublot “Friend Of The Brand”, received a celebratory watch from the company after scoring his 700th career goal in February 2020.
The Capitals captain modeled the new watch in photos for the company.
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Here’s the full press release from Hublot:
HUBLOT AND THE GREAT EIGHT
Hublot announces the limited edition Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Carbon Alex Ovechkin, made to honour the Russian ice hockey superstar, the greatest ice hockey player of his generation.
Hublot and Hublot Friend of the Brand Alexander Ovechkin have teamed up to create the Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Carbon Alex Ovechkin, a limited edition watch made in honour of ‘The Great Eight’, as the Russian ice hockey superstar is affectionately known.
The new watch has a lightweight carbon fibre case fused with bright red inserts and comes on a red velcro strap. The red accents consist of micro-glass fibres in the form of “Non Woven Fabric” (NWF), which is used to strengthen the composite material from which the case is made. During the preparation of the composite, this NWF and carbon fibre are fused with a resin-tinted adhesive. This high-tech, high-performance material combination was chosen to reflect both Alexander’s hockey equipment and his own extraordinary resilience and longevity. Now 35, “Ovi”, as he is called by his fans, was drafted in 2004.
There are no two ways about it; Ovi is one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time. On February 22, 2020, in a game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, NJ, the captain of the Washington Capitals ice hockey team, Alexander Ovechkin, scored his 700th career goal. That’s a landmark only seven other players have reached in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL), and one that puts him well ahead of any other athlete playing in the league today. No other athlete currently playing in the NHL comes anywhere near his scoring record. Commentators calculate it could be decades before another player reaches the 700 goals mark.
This incredible moment reaffirmed Alexander’s status as one of the all-time greats of the game and a global sporting icon. Also known as ‘The Great Eight’ because of his jersey number, the 35-year-old Russian is one of the most decorated players in NHL history. In 2018 he led the Capitals to their first ever Stanley Cup win.
Ovi is a legend of the hockey and we are thrilled to welcome him as a Hublot Friend of the Brand in 2018,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, HUBLOT CEO. “We love working with Ovi! He’s a winner, both on and off the ice. It’s been a huge pleasure creating this special watch with him. The carbon fiber, the red, the in-house UNICO mechanical movement, the fusion of materials – it’s the perfect expression of Hublot’s bold watchmaking philosophy and of our partnership. Thank you Ovi!”
The red accents tie in with both the Russian national flag, and the color of the jersey he wears as captain of the Washington Capitals. The timepiece is powered by Hublot’s in-house UNICO chronograph mechanism and its column wheel on the dial side. It is limited to just 100 pieces.
The Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Carbon Alex Ovechkin has some further personalized touches. To celebrate his jersey number, a ‘Great Eight’ logo sits at 8 o’clock on the dial. Additionally, Ovi’s signature appears on the sapphire crystal case back. Finally, another special detail is the tip of the chronograph hand, which is finished in red, white and blue: A nod to the Russian flag, as well as the colors of the Washington Capitals. Thanks to the “One-Click” fastening system, allowing the strap to be changed safely and quickly, the watch will include a second strap in black rubber. And the icing on the cake: there will also be a limited edition custom hockey puck signed by Ovi as a memento for fans to treasure.
Photos and video courtesy of Hublot
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