Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot and acclaimed chef Andreas Caminada have revealed the Big Bang Unico All Black Schloss Schauenstein.
The remarkable, limited-edition timepiece has been launched to coincide with the celebration of the Schauenstein castle restaurant’s two decades of innovation and excellence.
The story of the unique new watch goes all the way back to 2004 when Hublot redefined luxury watchmaking with the concept of ‘The Art of Fusion’, blending traditional craftsmanship with avant-garde materials.
Around the same time, Swiss chef Andreas Caminada took his culinary odyssey to new heights, taking over the historic Schauenstein castle and earning three prestigious Michelin stars for his innovative cuisine.
The Schauenstein castle is located in the village of Fürstenau, known as the smallest city in the world, in Switzerland’s Grisons canton. This captivating setting embodies the cherished ‘Swissness Attitude’ valued by Hublot.
Within the acclaimed triple Michelin-starred restaurant, Chef Andreas takes guests into an exploration of culinary awakening, echoing Hublot’s philosophy of perpetual exploration in crafting extraordinary pieces.
Groundbreaking Creations
Over these past two decades, both Hublot and Andreas have personified the art of individuality in their respective fields. Hublot’s groundbreaking creations, including the iconic Big Bang and Classic Fusion lines, mirrored Andreas’ unrelenting pursuit of perfection and culinary artistry at the castle.
This shared dedication naturally led to an inevitable partnership in 2017, when the chef joined the Hublot family as a brand ambassador.
Since then, Andreas has garnered more acclaim, including the Sustainable Restaurant Award, and continues to amaze with each passing year.
The Art of Fusion
Collaborating in events such as the Art of Fusion Night in 2019 alongside Hublot, this culinary maestro consistently reinvents the fine dining experience, remaining true to The Art of Fusion ethos. This relationship has resulted in a collaborative celebratory watch, the perfect tribute to such a talent.
Exclusivity and Craftsmanship
As the watch’s name suggests, the concept revolves around the colour black, highly prominent throughout the various features of the timepiece, a design philosophy inspired by Andreas’ looks and reflecting Hublot’s desire to explore ‘invisible visibility’ in high fashion style.
The timepiece features a 42mm micro-blasted black ceramic case, offering a sleek, modern aesthetic, with black-plated, H-shaped polished and micro-blasted titanium screws and a satin-finished, black-plated titanium with a black rubber crown.
The bezel, made of satin-finished black-plated titanium with black rubber inserts, complemented by the satin-ed and micro-blasted black-plated titanium pushers, adds depth and texture to the design.
The sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment ensures optimal visibility. Additionally, the micro-blasted black ceramic case back is engraved with a depiction of the castle in shimmering silver tones.
The matte black dial serves as a canvas for the applied silver-toned logo of Andreas on the small seconds counter. The black-plated, satin-finished titanium hands provide a striking contrast against the dial, emphasising legibility and style.
Inside the watch beats the in-house Hublot HUB1280 self-winding chronograph movement.
Enhanced Accuracy
Introduced in 2010 as the first movement designed by the manufacturer, the Unico calibre saw refinement in 2018 with the launch of the 1280 reference, a slimmer iteration tailored to a broader range of wrists, used in this new release in collaboration with chef Andreas.
The watch exhibits its inner workings with a skeletonised dial, offering a glimpse of the column wheel automatic winding mechanism that orchestrates its chronograph functions.
Boasting a 72-hour power reserve and enhanced accuracy, it incorporates five patents for facilitated assembly, modernized architecture, and increased performance. The Unico 2 calibre offers a sleek 42-mm case and notable technical developments, including gentler winding, a faultless chronograph display, and exceptional shock resistance.
The timepiece comes in a presentation case complete with a black ceramic and black titanium deployant buckle clasp on the black lined rubber strap.
Each watch is accompanied by a signed booklet by Andreas, a custom-engraved knife, and a knife block, reflecting the chef’s passion for precision and authenticity in watchmaking and gastronomy.
Limited to just 20 pieces, each watch is a symbol of exclusivity and craftsmanship. Additionally, a unique piece, customised with the Fundaziun Uccelin logo, was auctioned for charity during the AC Masters event.