There are plenty of Hublot releases that make their point from across the room. The Big Bang Original Soft Touch is a little different. At first glance, the All Black and All Red versions still look unmistakably like Big Bang watches. The surprise is what happens when you get closer.The case, bezel, dial and strap all use a specially textured rubber treatment, giving the watch a softer, almost fabric-like appearance instead of the harder visual finish normally associated with ceramic, titanium or polished metal. That change sounds small on paper, but in person it could completely alter how the watch feels.For readers following Hublot replica watches, this is also the sort of release worth paying attention to because the difficult part to reproduce is unlikely to be the case shape. It is the surface itself.
The Big Bang Has Always Been About Materials
Hublot has spent years building watches around unusual combinations of rubber, ceramic, carbon, sapphire and titanium. The Soft Touch continues that habit, but instead of introducing another visibly technical material, the brand has concentrated on texture.According to Hublot, the soft finish is not simply a coating added on top of the rubber. The texture is created as part of the material structure itself. That distinction matters because coatings can sometimes look convincing without feeling convincing.That is why this release is more interesting than another colour update. The appearance is only half of the story. A large part of the character comes from something photographs cannot communicate particularly well.
All Black Is the More Convincing Version for Me
The All Black version feels like the natural home for the Soft Touch treatment. Hublot has used monochrome black for years, and the absence of bright colour means the eye starts paying more attention to surfaces, edges and depth.The rubber-covered elements soften the visual impact of the 43mm case. It is still a substantial sports chronograph, but the finish gives it a less metallic and slightly less aggressive appearance.That also makes the small details more important. The raised counters, case architecture, bezel screws and transitions between the rubber and titanium have to do more work because there is little colour contrast to distract the eye.For anyone comparing a future high quality Hublot Big Bang Soft Touch replica, those transitions would be among the first things I would inspect.
All Red Takes the Opposite Approach
The red version is far less restrained. Hublot has never been afraid of strong colour, and covering most of a Big Bang in textured red rubber gives this watch an almost sculptural appearance.What makes it work is that the finish is not glossy. A shiny red Big Bang could easily become overwhelming. The softer surface takes some of that visual intensity away and gives the red a deeper, more muted character.It is still a loud watch, but it does not feel loud in quite the same way as polished ceramic or brightly finished metal.
The Movement Is Familiar but Still Important
Inside is Hublot’s HUB1280 Unico automatic flyback chronograph movement. It uses a column-wheel chronograph construction and offers roughly 72 hours of power reserve.The case measures 43mm, while water resistance is rated to 100 metres. Those numbers put the Soft Touch firmly in everyday sports-watch territory rather than making it purely an experimental showcase.That matters because unusual materials are far more interesting when they are attached to a watch that can actually be worn regularly.
The Replica Challenge Is Not the Colour
This is where the Soft Touch becomes particularly relevant to a replica-focused site.A convincing red or black colour can be reproduced reasonably well in photographs. Case dimensions can also be measured. Dial layouts and bezel shapes are visible reference points.Texture is much harder.If factories eventually attempt this model, the real comparison should not simply be whether the replica looks red enough or black enough. The important questions will be whether the rubber has the same fine surface, whether the material wraps cleanly around the titanium structure, and whether the dial finish matches the case rather than looking like ordinary moulded rubber.That is why readers browsing our Hublot replica watches section should treat this model differently from a conventional Big Bang. On this particular design, the quality of the rubber texture may matter more than small differences in dial printing.
It Is Also a Useful Reminder About Replica Photography
Soft Touch is the sort of watch that could look excellent in seller photographs and still feel wrong on the wrist.Studio lighting can hide coarse rubber grain. Image sharpening can make edges look cleaner than they are. Dark photographs can also disguise poor transitions around the bezel and pushers.For UK buyers researching a future replica version, close-up photographs taken in ordinary light would therefore be much more useful than heavily edited promotional images.A convincing Hublot Big Bang replica should be judged by construction as well as appearance, especially when the original watch is built around a tactile material concept.
Would This Make Sense as an Everyday Big Bang?
Potentially, yes.The 43mm size is still substantial, but it is more manageable than some older oversized Hublot designs. Titanium underneath the rubber helps keep the structure relatively light, while the rubber-covered exterior should make the watch feel less cold and industrial than a full metal case.The All Black is probably the easier version to wear regularly. The All Red makes a stronger statement and will naturally suit fewer wardrobes, although that may be exactly why some buyers prefer it.My only real question concerns long-term appearance. Rubber surfaces can behave very differently depending on their composition, and it will take real-world wear to see how the finish responds to repeated contact, dust and everyday handling.
The Big Bang Original Soft Touch is interesting because it does not rely on a dramatic new case shape or complicated display. Hublot has taken a familiar Big Bang and changed the way its surfaces are experienced.That makes it one of those watches that is easy to underestimate from specifications alone.For genuine-watch collectors, the attraction is the unusual tactile construction. For the replica community, it creates a different benchmark: copying the silhouette will be relatively straightforward, but reproducing the material convincingly could be much harder.That distinction is exactly what makes the Soft Touch worth following. It is not simply another black or red Big Bang. The material is the design.