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In 2021, LVMH-owned Hublot won a horological coup by signing Serbian tennis prodigy Novak Djokovic to an ambassadorship. One of the best players to ever swing a racket, the then 34-year-old joined fellow athletic legends Pelé and Usain Bolt in repping the Swiss brand. He’s since gone on to wear Hublot’s bold pieces in front of millions of avid fans while clinching an embarrassment of titles around the globe.
MASON, OHIO – AUGUST 20: Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the trophy after defeating Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the final of the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 20, 2023 in Mason, Ohio. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
This week, as Djokovic accepted the Rookwood Cup at the Western & Southern Open in Mason, Ohio, he sported a watch that’s hard to miss: A bright and sunny Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic, which paired beautifully with his blue-and-yellow Lacoste zip-up. Measuring 42mm in ceramic and boasting the brand’s automatic HUB1280 movement, this bold dual-register chronograph is a cutting-edge, highly technical timepiece—and one that makes for perfect wrist candy on the arm of one of the world’s best athletes.
Released in 2005, the Big Bang is one of the brand’s most forward-thinking collections, boasting references in ceramic, carbon, titanium, and sapphire. In 2018, Hublot launched a red ceramic version of the watch in the first salvo of a colorful barrage. (It took four years of R&D to develop a process for sintering the material without burning it!) The juice, however, was worth the squeeze, and resulted in a material that is harder than traditional ceramics and is available in multiple bright colors.
While some watch collectors dismiss Hublot for its oversized, in-your-face wares, the maison is one of the more innovative with respect to technological savoir faire, integrating new materials with in-house movements and striking aesthetics. While certainly not for everyone, these are seriously impressive watches “in the metal.”
Djokovoc, by the way, is no stranger to fine watches. He became an Audemars Piguet brand ambassador in 2011 before signing with Seiko three years later, and he remained with the Japanese brand until joining the Hublot roster in 2021. Besides the horological showmanship, Djokovic likewise put on an athletic spectacle this past week, beating Carlos Alcatraz in the men’s singles final at what remains the oldest U.S. tennis tournament still held in its original city. And with the US Open just days away, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled on Djokovic’s wrist for even more major grails to come.
