The Big Bang Unico “Magic Gold” by Hublot
Hublot has recently unveiled its latest creation: the Big Bang Unico “Magic Gold”, the fusion of a revolutionary material – the famous Magic Gold, the world’s only scratch-resistant gold, certified as 18K and developed by Hublot and the iconic design of the Big Bang, with its Manufacture Chrono: the Unico.
The Big Bang Unico “Magic Gold”
Hublot‘s Magic Gold is the hardest gold in the world, and by some margin: it can only be successfully machined using diamond.
Its hardness of almost 1000 Vickers eliminates the traditional weak point of gold and its alloys, which are very easily scratched. It is worth noting that “standard” well-designed 18 carat gold is only rated at 400 Vickers, with most hardened steels at around 600 Vickers.
Since November 2011, when Magic Gold was unveiled to the world’s press, Hublot has equipped itself with the means to produce this material in-house from start to finish thanks to its high-tech foundry at the Nyon Manufacture, which is home to the ceramic sintering and high-pressure metal casting processes.
This revolutionary material is a fusion of 24 carat gold and the latest high-tech materials expertise. Components made from this material are produced using a complex process: a boron carbide powder is pre-formed in moulds very similar in shape to that of the finished parts, in this case the watch’s bezel.
The pre-formed powder is then hardened at a very high temperature, creating a rigid, porous structure. After this operation, 24K gold alloyed with 3% molten liquid gold is injected under very high pressure with inert gas at a high temperature, allowing the metal to fill the ceramic pores and creating a “fusion” of the two to produce Magic Gold.
Almost three years of collaboration and research have gone into achieving this impressive result: a completely new type of gold, an almost inalterable precious metal which retains its own characteristics.
Hublot has now decided to produce the Big Bang Unico with a bezel in Magic Gold. The bezel is indeed one of the components most susceptible to scratches.
Its unique, instantly recognisable colour and mechanical properties will be of particular interest to enthusiasts.
To discover more revolutionary watches, have a look here.
