Samuel Ross on working with Hublot: ‘A rhythm has been established’

Samuel Ross and Hublot continue to build on their creative collaboration with a new watch, the Big Bang Tourbillon Carbon SR_A. In chromatic blue, it is inspired by Ross’ love of bold colour and sharp geometric silhouettes, with Hublot’s distinctive mixed materials reflected in grey carbon lugs, a sapphire dial and a bezel featuring both a satin and microblasted finish. Here, Ross talks us through the design.

Samuel Ross on the design of the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Carbon SR_A watch

Wallpaper*: What do you enjoy about working with Hublot?

Samuel Ross: There’s a sense of purity and liberty in their creation process. By that, I mean Hublot's manufacture has the capacity to produce and engineer new materials and realities, on what a watch of the future can be, be it composites of unseen grades of material - or purely form studies. Or be it the ability to stir and question expectations within the luxury watch industry with total freedom.

It’s a semblance between engineering innovation and disruption. It’s also youth. Hublot is young. It's raw. But astute. Thats exciting. There's a sharp edge in the conversation. there is emotion.

W*: What inspired you with this design?

SR: From the start of our dynamic, establishing structure and continuity has been at the crux of how the final watch comes to be. As we debut 3.0, incremental refinements continue to deploy, it’s a unique approach to iterative design based on a deep rapport rooted in constant dialogue, one that is made possible by on-site engineering and artisans in Geneva. Each is fundamentally a unique piece – this opens up much that is possible. Subsequently, updates micro-refinements, and choices continue to come into fruition across each model.

Such as the redeveloped closure mechanism on 3.0 – completely new tooling, and new grade of titanium. Or the first introduction of compressed carbon fibre to display the dynamism, and uniqueness offered by the watch face, whilst retaining our aspiration of producing a lightweight tourbillon capable of functioning as a luxury, leisure-based watch through choices tied to weight, material and colour. I’m inspired by dynamic supply chains and hyper-emotive, potent possibilities in both luxury and culture. 3.0 catalyses both of these matters.

W*: The previous watches united vivid colours with clean, minimalist lines. How does this new watch build on those you have created with Hublot in the past?

SR: A rhythm has been established. Octaves and parameters you could say. This methodical approach enables us to express and isolate the development to particular components of the watch. Each model illuminates a design revelation of the watch's core architecture. Shifts in material, colour profile or tooling. You can see my thinking, in real time. We are focused on engineering the future of luxury watches – through the purist lens possible.

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