Who says squares are boring? Hublot’s latest Square Bang has a tourbillon twist
Tom Austin- The Square Bang Tourbillon 4-Day Power Reserve pushes Hublot’s in-house capabilities further, with a specifically designed movement to match the square case.
- The watch comes with a list of firsts – it’s the first Square Bang with just two central hands, the first with a 3D carbon fibre case, and the first to feature a tourbillon calibre.
- Expanding the Square Bang collection, this new release puts Hublot’s often-overlooked manufacturing and design prowess firmly in the spotlight.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “a round peg in a square hole” — and when it comes to square watches, that’s often exactly what happens. Most watch movements are inherently circular, and forcing them into a square or rectangular case rarely results in a perfect fit, either technically or visually. Watch movements are complicated machines, and making them work in unconventional ways can be a challenging task, but if someone is going to tackle it, there’s one brand out there that will have a damn good shot. Hublot have unveiled their latest creation, which at a glance doesn’t immediately strike you as anything different from before, but under the skin, they’ve taken the concept of the Square Bang and evolved it, this time in a time-only configuration.
Hublot’s Square Bang has consistently housed the automatic Unico 2 chronograph movement – a calibre typically seen in several of the brand’s round watches. That’s not to say that the movement looked odd in the Square Bang, but it’s clear now that Hublot were not satisfied with it, either. Now, enter the Hublot Square Bang Tourbillon 4-Day Power Reserve. A time-only Square Bang, with a specifically developed, manually wound movement that reinforces the square geometry of the watch.
There are a lot of changes with this watch, some more subtle, while others are a little more striking. The 42 mm square case is crafted from 3D carbon fibre – a material not yet seen in the Square Bang. Usually, the Square Bang is reserved for titanium, gold, and ceramics, so it’s interesting to see Hublot expand its horizons with this model. The weave of the carbon fibre is laid in such a way that it gives the perception of a three-dimensional material, with each layer offering more and more depth. It looks pretty cool, and is a nice departure from the usual twill weave or forged varieties.
The case proportions remain similar to the other models, with a slight increase in thickness to 13.2mm, presumably to facilitate the tourbillon. It will never be a dainty watch, but it shouldn’t be; it’s a Hublot, and in reality, there are plenty of other watches out there that come in much larger and heavier than this.
Missing are, of course, the pushers on the side of the case, because this new model is no longer a chronograph. Inside is the new MHUB602 calibre, a manually wound, time-only movement, specifically developed for this watch. It’s another first for the Square Bang, and one that brings, dare I say, some refinement. The simplicity of a time-only calibre contrasts nicely with the busy, technical aesthetic, but then, in typical Hublot fashion, it goes all-out and throws in a tourbillon escapement for good measure.
A tourbillon has been missing from the Square Bang range until now, and given that this is now a time-only piece, it makes sense to add one, even if only for the excitement of a pseudo-complication. As I mentioned before, movements like this are often variations of others used in totally different watches, but the MHUB602 has been developed with square geometry in mind.
Sitting below a sapphire sheet, each black-plated, skeletonised bridge has been modelled in a square configuration, and the main components are distributed over the four sides of the square: winding on the right, power reserve on the left, large barrel on top, and the tourbillon below. Visually, this creates a balance that we’ve not seen before from the Square Bang, and the artistry with the bridges looks fantastic, almost reminiscent of a Mondrian, the Dutch painter famous for his horizontal and vertical lines.
As the name suggests, the movement is a powerful one, boasting a minimum of 96 hours of power reserve, thanks to that huge barrel at 12 o’clock, with the power reserve displayed by a large indicator on the left of the dial.
Finishing the watch is the typical textured, integrated rubber strap, with a black ceramic and titanium deployant buckle. These are indeed interchangeable, as is always the case with the Square Bang, but the stealthy black look is great, and it matches the texture of the case well.
Hublot Square Bang Tourbillon 4-Day Power Reserve pricing and availability
The Hublot Square Bang Tourbillon 4-Day Power Reserve is available now from Hublot retailers. Price: CHF 95,000
| Brand | Hublot |
| Model | Square Bang Tourbillon 4-Day Power Reserve |
| Reference | 805.QD.0170.RX |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 13.2mm (T) |
| Case Material | 3D carbon fibre |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Open |
| Strap | Black textured rubber, ceramic and titanium deployant buckle |
| Movement | MHUB6023, in-house, manual-winding |
| Power Reserve | 96 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, power reserve, tourbillon |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | CHF 95,000 |