Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon for Novak Djokovic

For the world, the new year naturally begins on January 1, but for the watch world, 2026 truly starts with the LVMH Watch Week.

This is the first major watch exhibition of the season - in some sense, one of the four "Grand Slams" of the watch industry. These include LVMH Watch Week, Watches and Wonders, Geneva Watch Days, and Dubai Watch Week, which will now be held annually instead of every two years. Why use a tennis analogy? Today, we're looking at the new Big Bang watches from Hublot presented at LVMH Watch Week 2026 in Milan, including the brand new Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition.

Hublot Big Bang Original Unico Collection

Before moving on to the main event - the Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition, it should be noted that Hublot also released the Big Bang Original Unico collection as a regular production item. At Watches and Wonders last year, the Big Bang was one of the key highlights, as 2025 marked the 20th anniversary of the brand's signature design. To celebrate the anniversary, 5 limited models debuted, each clearly referencing the original Big Bang from 20 years ago but incorporating modern technical solutions.

Examining the new Big Bang Original Unico models, one can understand some confusion about novelty. Of the five limited releases at Watches and Wonders, one was made of titanium with ceramics, another entirely of black ceramics, and another of King Gold, all with a dial featuring embossed and satin-finished "carbon effect." So what's new?

For LVMH Watch Week 2026, four new Big Bang Unico Original variants are presented with satin-finished "carbon effect" dials: three are crafted from titanium with ceramics, black ceramics, and King Gold. The fourth model - Big Bang Original Titanium - is the most innovative as it is the first full-titanium watch of the current generation Big Bang Original, previously existing only with a black ceramic bezel. The differences between the three models resembling the Watches and Wonders 2025 versions are more subtle.

The limited 20th anniversary editions had anniversary emblems on the crown, and the rotor on the Unico mechanism was made of solid raw gold. For the Titanium Ceramic and King Gold models, there were red accents on the dial, and the Black Magic model was not entirely black, like the All Black limited edition - the bezel's functional screws, hands, hour markers, numbers, and luminescent coating were not darkened.

Despite visual nuances, it is essential to remember: both in the regular Big Bang Original Unico models and in the preceding limited 20th-anniversary versions, the Big Bang Original Unico combines key design elements of the 2005 original - carbon effect dial, fluted outer bezel, and rectangular chronograph buttons - with the entirely in-house manufactured automatic Unico HUB1280 caliber with column wheel and vertical coupling, replacing the base ETA 7750 from 2005.

The ergonomics of the case have been reworked and improved: the case with 100-meter water resistance now has a diameter of 43 mm and a thickness of 13.2 mm, while the finish has become softer and more elegant with bevels and smoothly curved lugs. Additionally, all watches are equipped with the One-Click quick-release strap system, which appeared about ten years after the debut of the Big Bang. Thus, this is the closest to the original 2005 execution, considering all the modern improvements Hublot has made over the subsequent decades.

Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition

Now to the main event. For Hublot, collaborating with Novak Djokovic, the greatest tennis player of all time, has been a world-class event. Naturally, a limited series Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic was released, where the brand showcased its mastery of materials, creating 100 pieces with cases made from composite materials recycled from 25 tennis rackets and 32 Djokovic polo shirts from the 2023 season - the case weight turned out to be less than a tennis ball.

Now, Hublot raises the bar by introducing the Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition in three versions. The case diameter is 44 mm, thickness is 14.4 mm, water resistance is 30 meters. The case is available in matte blue, orange, or green composite, made from recycled Djokovic polo shirts and rackets, with an open-frame case construction similar to the Unico Novak Djokovic model. The mid-section of the case uses Titaplast - according to Hublot, the strongest polymer in the world, possessing titanium properties and the ability to be colored by anodizing. These watches are designed to be used in real matches.

The first Hublot Djokovic model already captured my interest as a tennis fan due to its case filled with tennis artifacts. But this novelty goes further - not only due to the tourbillon complication. Special attention is deserved by the unique construction of the MHUB6035 movement's main plate. Instead of a traditional solid plate, Hublot created a three-dimensional grid that replicates the structure of tennis strings.

This is a single piece, skillfully crafted using high-tech laser engraving and covered with black PVD, with a contrasting white "ND1" logo - Djokovic's personal sign. The thickness of each "string" is only 0.55 mm, and the detailing accurately conveys the texture of real tennis strings. The uneven gaps in the grid mimic string displacement during play.

The tennis details are flawlessly crafted: the grid attachment points resemble racket knots, the white calfskin strap is styled like tennis grip tape, and the screws are shaped like a tennis ball in the form of an S, which required the creation of a special processing program and a unique screwdriver with an S-shaped tip.

The colors of the cases are not random or merely decorative - they pay tribute to the court surfaces on which Djokovic achieved victories: blue for hard courts, orange for clay, and green for grass. Instead of a limited series, the watches are released in a limited edition. They will be numbered according to the number of Djokovic's victories on each surface.

Currently, there are 72 pieces in blue - symbolizing hard court victories, 21 in orange - on clay, and the rarest series - 8 green watches for victories on grass. Hublot states that with each new victory, the brand will add another piece of the corresponding color. Thus, with $115,000 and patience until the end of Djokovic's career, one can own a unique piece of tennis history.

Final Remarks

Despite significant differences in models and price categories, objectively, the new Big Bang versions demonstrate Hublot's ability to accurately replicate key details of the original inspiration and transfer them into materials and construction. Whether it's the spirit of the 2005 original design or the complex imitation of tennis strings, Hublot remains a leader in innovation and craftsmanship.