The new Hublot Classic Fusion Essential Taupe is a stylish, minimalist online exclusive
Zach Blass- Hublot debuts the Classic Fusion Essential Taupe in 42mm and 45mm sizes.
- These mark the fourth edition in Hublot’s Essential monochrome series, and are the first to pivot away from grey.
- Regardless of size, the Essential Taupe is priced at US$8,900 and is an online exclusive.
The defining element of Hublot is its bold sense of watchmaking expression. For better or worse, depending on your tastes, Hublot has built its disruptive reputation by often being the antithesis of traditional watchmaking, creating watches in coloured ceramics, synthetic sapphires, and even totally left-field reclaimed materials such as Nespresso pods. That said, Hublot debuted its Essential series as a monochrome space for exercising restraint. What began with the Essential Grey trilogy continues with the Classic Fusion Essential Taupe in two different sizes.
As has become commonplace for Hublot, the 50-metre water-resistant cases are fashioned from titanium and display handsome mixed finishes. The bezel top and end link feature a rich satin brush, with the remaining surfaces rendered in an elegant mirror polish. The sunburst dial, as its name would suggest, is executed in a tame taupe that, though still subdued, feels a bit more lively than the previous grey outings. Faceted, applied indices surround the dial to indicate the hours, except at the 3 o’clock position, where a black-on-white date disc takes the real estate. The other injection of taupe comes from the strap, effectively a rubber strap with a central portion in fabric, adding texture.
I won’t go all War and Peace again and deconstruct why I think the Classic Fusion has yet to fulfil its potential, but I will outline the main themes. The Essential Taupe, like the Classic Fusion in general, remains somewhat plagued by its 50-metre depth rating and Sellita-based movement. Yes, the Essential series is meant to keep things more tame, and I appreciate that a Classic Fusion is much less expensive than a Big Bang Unico, but I suspect that for US$8,900, the watch community would prefer to see a more elevated calibre and at least 100 metres of water-resistance to eliminate any daily-wearer anxiety.
I don’t think there is much debate to be had in terms of aesthetics. The Classic Fusion Essential Taupe is handsome. As for the colour itself, you either like taupe or you don’t. Personally, I like its sandy hue, and could see fashion-forward watch wearers seeing its potential in completing a wardrobe. I would have been curious to see this watch in taupe ceramic rather than titanium to maximise the monochromatic theme, but that would have raised the price rather significantly.
The US$8,900 question is ultimately how far down the watch rabbit hole prospective buyers are, and if the basic specifications give them cause for pause. I have repeatedly asked LVMH execs to put a Zenith Elite-based calibre inside, get the water-resistance to 100 metres, and keep the price as close to US$10,000 as possible. With those improvements, the Classic Fusion would be borderline unimpeachable in my mind.
Hublot Classic Fusion Essential Taupe pricing and availability
The Hublot Classic Fusion Essential Taupe 42mm and 45mm are available exclusively from Hublot’s online store. Price: US$8,900
| Brand | Hublot |
| Model | Classic Fusion Essential Taupe |
| Reference | 542.NX.4610.NR.HEC25 511.NX.4610.NR.HEC25 |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 10.4mm (T) 45mm (D) x 10.95mm (T) |
| Case Material | Titanium |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Taupe, sunray finish |
| Strap | Taupe rubber/fabric hybrid strap, steel folding buckle |
| Movement | HUB1112, Sellita SW300 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Hublot online exclusive |
| Price | US$8,900 |