Hublot and Nespresso, two Swiss icons, have joined forces to reveal a fusion of innovation and sustainability with the creation of a Big Bang timepiece based on recycling and circularity. The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is the first watch to be made using recycled Nespresso aluminum capsules and coffee grounds.
As part of its Second Life initiatives over the last seven years, Nespresso has partnered with prestigious Swiss brands to create new products from used aluminum capsules. In a world’s first, Hublot’s and Nespresso have transformed the used coffee grounds from the capsules into watch straps; the recycled aluminum fused with the aluminum capsules becomes the case, the bezel, the crown and the pusher.
The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin shares the values of innovation, excellence and sustainability, which are at the core of both brands. Founded in 1980, Hublot is renowned for its Art of Fusion, developing new alloys, materials and composites, pushing the boundaries of different materials and placing rubber at the heart of the watchmaking industry by using it for its straps.
Since 1986, Nespresso has not only revolutionized the Art of Coffee with its portioned system that perfectly blends precision with an unforgettable taste, but has also added even greater value with its recycling system, designed in 1991, that separates the aluminum from the coffee grounds, enabling each component to be repurposed. And that’s how a coffee capsule can now become a watch, from strap to case.
This is an unprecedented collaboration, signaled by Nespresso’s iconic “N” engraved on the crown, and its iconic colour – a nod to the Master Origins Peru Organic capsule. The density of the two materials is expertly blended to ensure the durability of the product. The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin’s 42-mm case is crafted in recycled aluminium, of which 28% comes from Nespresso coffee capsules, anodised in vibrant green, then satin finished and polished. The crown and pusher undergo the same treatment. The bottom of the case and the container are both made from Eco-Titanium (recycled titanium). The titanium deployant buckle of the rubber strap, with its decorative recycled aluminium cap, and the sport buckle of the Velcro strap are also in the same anodised green colour.
The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin takes the recycled coffee grounds from Nespresso capsules and applies the magic of Hublot’s patented One Click interchangeable strap system to them. To create the rubber strap, Hublot has skilfully balanced the ratio of each ingredient to achieve the perfect colour and quality. For the fabric strap, Hublot has collaborated with SingTex, one of Nespresso’s partners who was already using recycled coffee grounds to produce a fabric called Scafé. This 100% recycled fabric (composed of 5% coffee grounds and 95% recycled polyester) is being used for the first time to make a watch strap. A subtle balance, to ensure the durability of the bracelet, which also sees the rubber strap fusing 4.1% coffee grounds, 8.2% recycled white rubber and the usual Hublot formula.
It took Hublot an entire year of R&D, working closely with Nespresso, to finally achieve the perfect harmony of colors between seven different materials that make up the watch, from its case to its straps (anodized aluminum, the varnish on the dial and hands, the Hublot logo decal on the glass, the rubber of the strap, and the fabric, lining and hook & loop tape of the Velcro strap) and to ensure that this uniformity of color would stand the test of time.
In another first, the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin will come in the Hublot Greenbox case, a brand new case developed by this watchmaking manufacturer that will be used for all its watch collections in the future. Created entirely from oak, including its hinges, it is carved from mostly massive, traceable wood, whose sourcing and manufacture both promote short supply chains. It is designed to be a reusable item, with 98% of its removable interior made from eco-friendly and recycled components. It is made from recycled fabrics, plastic yarns and PET, as well as recycled paper and cardboard that are eco-labelled. For the collaboration with Nespresso, the Hublot Greenbox case is specially decorated with the two brands’ logos, affixed using coffee grounds.
“The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin is a watch born out of a close collaboration between the product development teams of Nespresso and Hublot, two pioneering Swiss brands, both of whom were founded in the 1980s. This is a watch that delivers three world firsts: a symbol of the infinite possibilities for upcycling: a Big Bang made from the recycled aluminum of Nespresso coffee capsules; the first watch with a rubber strap containing 4.1% recycled coffee grounds from Nespresso capsules and 8.2% recycled rubber; and finally, the first watch with a Velcro strap made with SCafé, a fabric containing 5% recycled coffee grounds and 95% recycled polyester. It took the R&D teams a whole year to achieve the uniformity of colour of the watch’s seven different materials, find the right balance of ingredients and perform the quality and durability testing on all the product components.” Said Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe.
Images via Hublot