What makes Hublot different from every other luxury watch brand?
In this episode of On Time: A Collector’s Journey, Lex sits down with Hublot CEO Julien Tornare during Miami Art Basel to unpack the real DNA of the brand, from the disruptive Big Bang era and the iconic “new watch, Hublot” cultural moment to what comes next in materials, product strategy, and collector community.
The conversation explores how a 45-year-old house can move faster than century-old competitors by preserving a startup mindset inside a global luxury organization. Julien explains why creative freedom remains central to Hublot’s process, how fusion thinking redefined category norms, and why emotional value and belonging now matter more than utility in mechanical watchmaking.
They also discuss the pressure of following a massive hit in public perception, the challenge of balancing trend relevance with true watchmaking legitimacy, and what Hublot is doing to communicate deeper movement expertise while keeping its disruptive identity intact.
From ceramic and sapphire leadership to proprietary material development, independent collaborations, and long-term plans toward Hublot’s 50th anniversary, this is a candid look at where modern luxury is headed and who it is being built for.
What This Episode Covers
- How Hublot defines itself beyond hype cycles
- Innovation speed in a younger Swiss luxury brand
- From gold + rubber controversy to industry norm
- What comes next in ceramic, sapphire, and new materials
- The challenge of following the Big Bang in public perception
- Why Hublot prioritizes emotion, experience, and community
- Leadership philosophy for scaling a 1,000+ person team
- The role of independent watchmaking collaborations
- Signals toward Hublot’s 50th-anniversary vision
