Replica Hublot’s somewhat over-the-top luxury Clone watches have gained a cult following among those like Ferrari heir Lapo Elkann who espouse maximalist style. Subtlety may not be their strong suit, but thanks to a number of high-profile partnerships, most notably in the sports and especially motorsports worlds, their branding as an uncompromising symbol of contemporary luxury has been a big success and no doubt makes parent LVMH very happy.
Not everything they do is motivated by money, however. Their latest limited edition watch project is decidedly philanthropic, created in partnership with Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for friendship, employment, and leadership training for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Limited to just 100 pieces, the Fake Big Bang Unico Best Buddies Limited Edition is inspired by the world of cycling and designed to be extremely lightweight.
The 45mm case is made of “nearly weightless” Texalium, a coated carbon fiber material, containing the in-house UNICO self-winding chronograph flyback movement with column wheel, which has become Hublot’s horological signature. The orange highlights on the otherwise all-black skeletonized watch are inspired by Best Buddies’ iconic Pop Art logo designed by the late Keith Haring, which appears on the caseback. It has a black composite resin bezel and a satin-finished titanium black PVD crown and pushers.
It also comes with two straps: black Velcro with orange stitching, and black rubber and orange alligator with orange stitching. A portion of proceeds from the watch itself will benefit Best Buddies, in addition to the partnership support provided by replica Hublot. To celebrate the new watch, President of Hublot North America, Jean-François Sberro, and Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Best Buddies International, Anthony Kennedy Shriver, JFK’s nephew, hosted an intimate launch event near San Francisco.