The gold watch with a black rubber strap that upended luxury watch design conventions is reimagined 46 years later in the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo.
In 1980, watchmaker Carlo Crocco disrupted the traditional Swiss watch industry by introducing a gold watch on a black rubber strap. The juxtaposition of the two materials—one precious and the other humble—was unprecedented in a luxury watch. Crocco named the watch Hublot, which is French for porthole, for its distinctive round bezel featuring 12 screws that closely resembles a ship’s window.
The original Hublot watch’s dial was pared down to the bare essentials, with no hour markers or numerals, and a discreet date window at 3 o’clock. The bezel’s 12 h-shaped screws’ placement corresponds to the 12 hours of the day. The name Hublot featured prominently at the 12 o’clock position, and MGM Genève, Crocco’s watchmaking company, was placed at 6 o’clock.
Hublot’s Classic Fusion Tributo’s dial retains the original watch’s scaled-back aesthetic, with subtle updates. While the original Classic Fusion’s date numerals were indicated in black on a white background, the new watch’s are white-on-black, blending more seamlessly with its black dial. And Hublot removed the “Genève” from the new Tribute, while the MGM retains pride of place at 6 o’clock.
A Singular Idea
“When I created MDM Genève, it was a deeply personal endeavor—hands-on, heart-involved, driven by a singular idea: gold and rubber,” Crocco said. “Witnessing Hublot’s evolution, I realize it was the best decision I ever made. It fills me with immense pride and deep gratitude. Today, seeing the very first design and the origins of the Art of Fusion brought back to life is deeply emotional.”
An Upgraded Movement
The new Tributo watch is available in 18-karat yellow gold with titanium screws and a black lacquered dial. An additional version in 18-karat white gold has blackened titanium screws and a black onyx dial. In contrast to the original’s quartz movement, the 38-millimeter timepieces are equipped with Hublot’s in-house self-winding HUB1711 movement. The yellow gold’s movement features a yellow gold rotor, and the white gold’s is crafted of black tungsten.
“To respect Hublot is to honor its origins, not by freezing it in time, but by keeping it in motion,” said Jilien Tornare, CEO of Hublot. “The Classic Fusion Tributo perfectly embodies this philosophy, creating a direct link between 1980 and the present. Carlo Crocco’s vision remains—sharp, disruptive and vibrant. Now, this vision is realized with the full extent of our manufacturing expertise. It reflects minimalism by design, precisely as he envisioned it, and horological depth, as Hublot brings it to life today.” Well done.