CLASSIC FUSION TRIBUTO: A GOLDEN RETURN TO THE 1980 ORIGIN

MILAN, Italy, Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty-six years later, Hublot pays tribute to the watch that built Hublot with the Classic Fusion Tributo in yellow or white gold. This is not merely a reinterpretation, but a return to the origin crafted with all the expertise the Manufacture has acquired and integrated since its creation in 1980. Gold and rubber, black and contrast: the same defining codes of the original watch are now elevated through 46 years of watchmaking expertise in movements, finishing, materials, and construction. What began as an idea – the roots of the Art of Fusion – has become achieved full horological depth. This is Hublot's origin, rebuilt with the Manufacture's present mastery, where the connection to its founder remains a rare privilege.

A simple glance is all it takes. You see the watch from which it was born, and you feel the craftsmanship and innovation that have shaped it into what it is today. In 1980, Carlo Crocco shook up the watchmaking industry with a single fusion: gold and rubber. Under the MDM Genève name, Mr Crocco unveiled at Basel Fair a watch called Hublot, now known as the original Hublot. It marked a radical break: luxury stripped to its essentials, beginning with a bold material contrast that had never been seen before. Like a porthole, twelve screws secured a bezel reduced to its purest function. A plain dial with almost no embellishment. Minimal, graphic, immediate, unmistakably different. That watch did not follow the conventions of Swiss watchmaking; it challenged and broke its rules. Forty-six years later, the Classic Fusion Tributo brings that foundational design into the present. It connects the watch that started it all with the Hublot of today, uniting the full evolution of the Manufacture's expertise. It is both a tribute to its origins and an expression of everything Hublot has become. What began as a disruptive idea has become one of the most recognizable design languages in watchmaking.

CLASSIC FUSION TRIBUTO

In terms of design aesthetics, the Classic Fusion Tributo stays true to the 1980 original: a gold case, a black rubber strap and the immediate black-and-gold tension that has defined Hublot from day one.

The case evolves from 36 to 38 mm without compromising proportion, while the twelve slightly domed bezel screws, tactile to the touch, retain their original function, marking time on a dial stripped of indices, with the date positioned at 3 o'clock exactly as intended in the original design language. A screwed crown ensures 100 meters of water resistance, reinforcing its functional integrity. The black lined rubber strap pairs with exposed lugs, revealing the construction's architecture, while the absence of the One Click system is a deliberate choice that preserves the watch's DNA. Every detail is deliberate.

Internally, everything changes. What was originally a quartz watch in 1980 became a Manufacture automatic movement. A self-winding architecture delivers approximately 50-hour power reserve thanks to an optimization of the gear train. Built around an open-worked oscillating weight shaped as the iconic Hublot "H", visible through the sapphire case back, it reflects exactly what Hublot has become: sharper, deeper, more technical, without losing the original idea.

TWO ATTITUDES. ONE ORIGIN.

Both versions (in yellow or white gold) share the same DNA, same architecture, same technical base, and execution. However, their attitudes differ. The yellow gold Classic Fusion Tributo stays closest to the first Hublot ever made. It echoes the original gold-on-rubber contrast with a black lacquered dial, finished with a subtle charcoal effect. Inside, the oscillating mass in yellow gold reinforces full material continuity. At 6 o'clock, the gold MDM pad-printing is featured on the dial – a direct link to Carlo Crocco and the original MDM Genève signature seen on the very first Hublot. This signature also extends beyond watchmaking, celebrating a cause close to Mr Crocco. MDM also refers to the Main Dans la Main Foundation, founded in 1998, reflecting his long-standing philanthropic commitment.

The white gold version adopts a different stance: more formal, more ceremonial, drawing from the elegance of Italian tailoring. The polished black onyx dial and black screws add depth and intensity, evoking the refined rhythm of sartorial detailing. Inside, the black tungsten oscillating mass sharpens its identity, reinforcing a disciplined, highly sophisticated expression of the design.

From its gold construction to its Hublot Manufacture movement, the Classic Fusion Tributo carries forward a design born in 1980, proof that a bold fusion of materials can endure. That same endurance defines Hublot's confidence in its watchmaking. Conceived, developed and assembled in Nyon, it reflects the precision, reliability and mastery of the Manufacture. Built to last and backed by a 5+5 warranty extending coverage up to ten years, it embodies a single conviction: at Hublot, design, craftsmanship and trust are built to stand the test of time.

"When I created MDM Genève, it was a deeply personal endeavor – hands-on, heart-involved, driven by a singular idea: gold and rubber. Entrusting it to others, even good and talented hands, was never easy for me. Yet, returning to Nyon, visiting the Manufacture, and discovering the latest creations, I see profound continuity and mastery. I see what those hands have collectively built. Witnessing Hublot's evolution, I realize it was the best decision I ever made. It fills me with immense pride and deep gratitude. Today, seeing the very first design and the origins of the Art of Fusion brought back to life is deeply emotional," said Carlo Crocco, Founder of Hublot in 1980.

"To respect Hublot is to honor its origins, not by freezing it in time, but by keeping it in motion. The Classic Fusion Tributo perfectly embodies this philosophy, creating a direct link between 1980 and the present. Carlo Crocco's vision remains – sharp, disruptive and vibrant. Now, this vision is realized with the full extent of our manufacturing expertise. It reflects minimalism by design, precisely as he envisioned it, and horological depth, as Hublot brings it to life today," stated Julien Tornare, Hublot CEO.

As a tribute to Carlo Crocco's vision and values, CHF 100,000 will be donated to his Main Dans la Main (MDM) Foundation. This initiative reflects the brand's desire to contribute to a cause that remains deeply important to its founder. Founded in 1998 by Carlo Crocco, the MDM Foundation supports humanitarian and educational projects aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable children and communities in need.

The Classic Fusion Tributo in yellow or white gold is available at selected Hublot points of sale and online at hublot.com.

HUBLOT 

In 1980 and for the first time, a watch dared to put a gold case on a rubber strap, turning the luxury watch world upside down in the process. Named for the porthole-shaped bezel with its exposed screws, Hublot was born and with it, the Art of Fusion.

In 2005 the brand took this exercise in creative thinking to a new level with the Big Bang and its iconic design, size and layered construction case. That same year, Hublot received the Best Design award at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Since then, spurred by this revolutionary mindset, the Big Bang has never stopped reinventing itself. The twenty-first century has its first watch Icon.

The concept of fusion is omnipresent, the guiding principle for every collection. Big Bang timepieces reshape the geometries of time; Classic Fusion balances boldness and restraint, while the Exceptional Timepieces overwrite expectations to create unprecedented horological objects. With its disruptive approach of challenging convention, Hublot's DNA is transcribed in the Unico, Meca-10 and tourbillon in-house calibers, to add another tier of meaning to the Art of Fusion.

Since 2026, Hublot's commitment to technical excellence has been backed by an evolved warranty structure for eligible timepieces purchased from January 1, 2026 onwards, featuring a 5-year basic warranty and the possibility of an additional 5-year extension for eligible timepieces through the Hublotista program, provided the basic warranty is still active at the time of registration. This would extend the coverage up to ten years.

Alchemy is ingrained into Hublot and not just at La Manufacture. Magic can take place on a football pitch, producing partnerships with major events (UEFA Champions League and UEFA Euro^™). Sometimes it happens at a concert, a basketball match, an artistic performance or at a unique gastronomic experience with Hublot's family of starred Chefs. And so, the Hublot Vibes come to life, through shared moments of exaltation amongst the Hublotistas, its very own community of proud Hublot owners. The Art of Fusion goes beyond the tangible. It is a way of being, the Hublot way of life.

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