In 1980 Carlo Crocco created the Hublot watch featuring a gold case and natural rubber strap. For the first time in the history of watchmaking, a precious underground material was combined with an above-ground natural substance. Soon thereafter, leading watchmaking brands started using rubber, thus validating our concept. In 2004,... industry legend Jean-Claude Biver becomes CEO of Hublot. Under his leadership, Hublot revisits its founding principles and launches “The Art of Fusion” concept. Fusion means combining exotic materials like gold and ceramic, tantalum and red gold, or even magnesium and titanium. But it also means blending classical and modern Swiss watchmaking tradition. In 2010, The first King Power models equipped with the UNICO movement go on sale. With its first chronograph movement entirely made in-house by Hublot, the King Power UNICO became the emblem of the brand’s progress towards verticalization. As of the 1st of January 2012, Ricardo Guadalupe was promoted from Managing Director to CEO of Hublot, in charge of the brand’s daily operations. Present in almost every country, and with over a quarter billion dollars in annual sales revenue, Hublot has become a horology force to be reckoned with worldwide.
