Hublot Turns Novak Djokovic's Rackets & Shirts Into Rare Watch
Inspired by Novak Djokovic's incredible record-breaking achievements, Hublot designed a watch that captures its ambassador's agility on the court and highlights the brand's approach to sustainable innovation.
Together, they present an extraordinary watch inspired by the strength and determination that led Djokovic to become the greatest tennis player of all time.
Driven by Hublot's commitment to innovation and unique mastery of materials, the Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic is made of Djokovic's HEAD racquets and Lacoste polos. Djokovic's racquets and shirts are metamorphosed into an exceptional watch that takes on a second life as a unique talisman.
Journalists and special guests gathered in Paris for an immersive experience into Olympic gold medalist and 24 Grand Slam titles holder Djokovic's winning mindset, brought to life through a unique performance, a discussion between Hublot CEO, Julien Tornare and Novak Djokovic, and the official reveal of the Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic.
The tone was set by the charisma of Djokovic, an unmatched player, who earlier this year in the City of Light aced another remarkable career title, winning Olympic gold; with this brilliant triumph, Djokovic made history as only the 5th player to complete the Golden Slam, winning all four major titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles.
Novak Djokovic became a part of the Hublot family in 2021. Since then, the Swiss luxury watchmaker has been there to support the tennis player's greatest achievements and watch Djokovic reaffirm himself as the tennis GOAT.
Djokovic's story is now legendary. Djokovic turned professional in 2003 and has rewritten tennis history, breaking records, defying the odds, achieving the impossible, and overcoming adversity.
Since winning his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in 2008, Djokovic has dominated the most competitive period in tennis history, elevating the game at every turn. Now a 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, Djokovic's passionate will and determination have shone through in his journey and solidified his ongoing legacy.
By striving to be the best and giving his all-in pursuit of his dreams, Djokovic embodies the same powerful values that define Hublot's unique approach to fine watchmaking. The bigger the challenge, the more glory in overcoming it.
"To reach where I am today, it has required extensive work both physically and most importantly, mentally. The psychology of the game is very important, and when I play, each moment needs to be precise and intentional. This is especially true with what I wear during preparation and competition, as it becomes part of my body, my mind," said Djokovic.
He continued, "Every detail is critical to my ability to stay focused and determined. This new watch is an extension of this mindset and represents key moments from my 2023 season, a landmark year in my career. It is a symbol of every game, every moment. It has been an incredible experience to collaborate with Hublot to create this special watch."
Hublot was given a challenge: to create an incredibly light watch with a sustainable component. Known for pushing the boundaries in terms of research and development, Hublot was able to not only create a new material but a highly personal one at that.
Hublot developed a composite made up of 25 HEAD rackets as well as 17 dark blue and 15 light blue Lacoste polos used by Djokovic during his 2023 season, the year in which the world witnessed Djokovic make history and break records with 24 Grand Slams singles titles.
These materials have been developed and used to make the watch as light as possible without losing any strength or resilience. In many ways, the R&D process for this watch mirrors Djokovic's determination to aim for excellence.
The composite that makes up the case and bezel of the watch is made of Epoxy resin reinforced with quartz powder and glass veil that has been fused with the recycled rackets and shirts. The resulting material is speckled with fragments of light & dark blue textiles and black carbon to create a singular camo aesthetic. An innovative approach, representative of Hublot's ambition for endless reinvention.
To ensure a feather-light feeling on the wrist, Hublot had to find a way to reduce the weight of the watch. Instead of using traditional sapphire crystal, the Swiss luxury watchmaker has chosen tempered Gorilla glass, a material used in high-end electronics and two times lighter than sapphire.
An achievement made possible by the relentless drive of Hublot's innovation and materials teams to create singular watches while pursuing the brand's engagement to move towards meaningful products made with awareness. At the heart of the watch lies the Unico manufacture chronograph movement.
Synonymous with the bold and always different character of the brand, the movement was a natural choice for this special piece. Nonetheless, the standard Unico movement in brass had to be reinvented to reduce the weight of the watch.
To do so, Hublot chose aluminum, prized for its lightness, and anodized in light blue or grey to echo the camo color scheme of the case.
In doing so, Hublot's engineers were able to reduce the weight of the movement by 27%, shedding almost a third of its weight. Aluminum has also been used for some case components such as side pieces (3H-9H), sub-bezel, bezel lugs, pushers, crown and case-back.
The Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic comes with four straps for four different styles. The first bracelet is a "Lacoste" tennis wristband that attaches to the watch head with the One Click System, making the watch the perfect tennis companion.
The second style is a blue elastic strap, this combination weighs a total of 49.5 grams, lighter than a tennis ball! The third style features a light blue Velcro strap with a polished blue aluminum sports buckle. The last style is a white rubber strap with titanium deployant buckle.
Fans of the tennis player and collectors alike will appreciate the details that have been added to the watch, such as a yellow second pusher or the slightly domed and curved bezel screws reminiscent of a tennis ball.
The Novak Djokovic logo is visible on the second hand and on the oscillating weight. The Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic, limited to 100 pieces, is housed in Hublot's sustainably sourced, high quality wooden watch box. Created entirely from oak, including its hinges, it is carved from mostly massive, traceable wood, whose sourcing and manufacture both promote short supply chains.
The watch box features a unique design created exclusively for this limited edition. Owners of the watch will also receive a Lacoste sport wristband and a Lacoste polo signed by Hublot Ambassador and all-time record-holder of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, Novak Djokovic.
Fans can be among the first to own the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic. Available now online at Hublot.com and in their Boutiques. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.