Switzerland’s master of disruptive watchmaking has teamed up with the world’s top capsule coffee brand on an intriguing luxury watch made using recycled aluminium coffee capsules and coffee grounds.
It sounds bizarre to say, but luxury watches are more sustainable than the vast majority of consumer goods. While the materials and processes used to create high-end timepieces aren’t always particularly sustainable, the fact that they’re built to last – and to be treasured – makes them stand out in an increasingly disposable world (especially when compared to smartwatches…)
Nevertheless, sustainability and the circular economy have never been more important to the luxury watch industry. Watchmakers have been experimenting in earnest in all sorts of sustainable enterprises: from embracing green energy sources to increasing the use of recycled materials in their products, the watch world is in the midst of a paradigm shift. Panerai and Ulysse Nardin are some great examples of luxury watchmakers leading the charge when it comes to sustainability.
But Hublot has taken things one step further by up with another iconic Swiss brand, Nespresso, to create the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin (ref. 441.UG.5220.RX.NES23): a luxury watch crafted from arguably the most disposable of all things, coffee capsules. And it’s cool as hell.
WATCH the reveal of the Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin below.
What makes the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin so cool? So, firstly, the watch’s case, pushers and crown are crafted out of recycled aluminium, of which 28{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} comes from Nespresso coffee capsules. On top of that, the bottom of its case and container are also made from recycled titanium, The titanium deployant buckle of the watch’s rubber strap also features a decorative recycled aluminium cap.
Speaking of the strap, it’s also made out of recycled materials, including 4.1{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} coffee grounds and 8.2{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} recycled white rubber. A fabric strap is also available for the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin, which is made out of 100{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} recycled materials: 5{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} coffee grounds and 95{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} recycled polyester, the first time such a material has been used to make a watch strap.
Hublot’s One-Click interchangeable strap system makes it a cinch to swap out one sustainable strap for another, of course.
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On top of all that, the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is the first watch to come packaged in Hublot’s new sustainable Greenbox case. Created entirely from sustainable oak, including its hinges, 98{d50be331f874ba152c228b59e0c48988849547f33c2aa06dbd7102fb78b76b37} of its removable interior is made from eco-friendly and recycled components, and for the collaboration with Nespresso, the printing on the case is affixed using coffee grounds. As you can see, Hublot isn’t messing around with its commitment to sustainable materials.
Just because it’s eco-friendly doesn’t mean Hublot’s compromised on its craftsmanship – not at all. It’s functionally identical to a regular Big Bang Unico, which is to say it’s a pretty impressive piece of modern watchmaking: a sporty and high-tech chronograph with a distinct avant-garde look.
Under the hood of the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin beats the calibre HUB1280 ‘Unico’, Hublot’s in-house automatic flyback chronograph movement, which boasts a 72-hour power reserve, a double coupling system and a column-wheel, all of which is visible from the dial side of the watch thanks to its trademark semi-skeletonised dial.
But if you’re asking us, the best part about this collab is the watch’s colour, a very verdant green – a nod to Nespresso’s popular Master Origins Peru Organic capsule. It’s a colour we’re very familiar with here at DMARGE: the office Nespresso machine is actually our hardest working employee. Other than me, of course.
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Actually, everything about this collab is cool. One problem that luxury watchmakers have to overcome when it comes to using recycled materials in their products is, simply put, how do you make trash sexy? As concepts, ‘recycling’ and ‘luxury’ aren’t natural bedfellows.
That’s why this is such a genius watch. By turning something so superficially disposable like coffee capsules into something desirable like a high-end Swiss watch, it’s the ultimate conversation starter; the ultimate proof that recycling can be cool.
Hublot has always been a disruptive brand but the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin might be the most disruptive watch they’ve made yet. Naturally, we love it.
The one thing that might be hard to swallow about this watch is the price: AU$33,600. For that amount of money, you could buy around 38,000 Nespresso capsules. But we bet you couldn’t turn them into a watch, no matter how many long blacks you chug a day. Limited to only 200 pieces, you can find out more about the Hublot Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin at Hublot’s online boutique here.