SpotlightFootball Fever: Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Europa League Ceramic

Every major tournament thrives on sports sponsorship, a marketing strategy that commercialises the game to target a wider audience. Among the advertisers, there are several clothing and shoe brand contenders, and sport watch brands partner as official timekeepers or to endorse star players, such as Hublot. The Swiss watchmakers count Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, Swiss cross-country skier Dario Cologna, Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic as brand ambassadors, especially for their Hublot Big Bang and Classic Fusion lines. However, out of the multiple sporting disciplines they support, Hublot’s heart lies in football. This is evident from the fact they are official timekeepers for all FIFA World Cups and UEFA tournaments, and partners with the Chelsea, Boca Juniors, and Juventus football clubs. And evident from their latest launch, the 42mm Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Europa League Ceramic.

Hublot: UEFA Edition

Since November 2022, football fans were glued to FIFA 2022, where Brazilian footballer Pelé, who died days after the tournament ended, endorsed the digital black-and-burgundy 44mm Big Bang e FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™—a tech marvel that displays team line-ups and player profiles 15 minutes before a match. Plus, Hublot brand ambassador Kylian Mbappe was spotted wearing the 41mm Hublot Big Bang Steel Blue Diamonds chronograph while accepting the ‘leading scorer’ trophy. Like FIFA, however, is Hublot’s association with the UEFA Europa League, a partnership that goes back to a 2008 collaboration for the UEFA Euro. Hublot were the official timekeeper and official licensed watch for the 2015 Europa League and Champions League tournaments, and in 2019 expanded to their international and club football competitions for both genders. For their seventh anniversary in April 2022 as the official UEFA watch, Hublot unveiled the Big Bang Unico UEFA Champions League, a 42mm bead-blasted blue ceramic chronograph.

For those of a philosophical bent, the black and orange hues of the latest Classic Fusion could signify lava emerging from molten rock like the victory of true potential against all odds

Hublot's ‘H’ emblem continues its role as a counterweight to the central sweeping chronograph seconds hand

Six H-shaped titanium screws keep the bezel in place with two screws on each of the lugs

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Glowing Embers Of The New UEFA Model

A year later, Hublot have unveiled a second watch, the 42mm Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Europa League Ceramic, in the official colours of the Europa League—black and orange. Explaining the vivid colour scheme in an official statement, RedBee, the creative agency behind the tournament logo, state: “Our palette for the brand was inspired by colours found in the Europa League’s famous trophy. The trophy lines are two tones of grey, taken from the reflective silver trophy outer. The orange halo around the trophy was inspired by the golden hue found in the interior of the real trophy.” However, for those of a philosophical bent, the colours could signify lava emerging from molten rock like the victory of true potential against all odds. Anyway, the logo of the UEFA Europa League cup as the backdrop brightens up the small seconds sub-dial.

Like the 2022 model, the Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Europa League Ceramic is lightweight, stain- and scratch-resistant, and available as a limited edition of 100. The Hublot ‘H’ emblem continues its role as the counterweight of the sweeping chronograph seconds hand, wile the logo also figures prominently below the 12 o’clock hour marker and on the fluted crown. Six H-shaped titanium screws keep the bezel in place, with two screws on each of the lugs. A lined rubber straps with a black-treated steel deployant clasp completes the look.

The UEFA Europa League cup logo is visible as the backdrop of the small seconds sub-dial of the Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Europa League Ceramic

The self-winding automatic watch is powered by the in-house chronograph movement, HUB1153, which provides 42-hour power reserve

The UEFA Chronograph In Orange And Black

Unlike the 2022 model, the Classic Fusion settles for a smooth satin-finished black sunray dial and sub-dial but has an openworked display at the caseback. Instead of the mixed hour markers, Arabic numerals and stick indices, this model maintains uniformity with single baton indices except for double indices at 12 o’clock, with matching hands. Slivers of orange are noticeable on the central chronograph seconds hand, as well as other markers. At 42mm, the ceramic case is satin finished and polished, while it houses the automatic in-house chronograph calibre HUB1153, which offers a 42-hour power reserve.

Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot CEO, says, “We are delighted and proud to strengthen our relationship with UEFA through the launch of the Classic Fusion Chronograph UEFA Europa League Ceramic. Becoming an official UEFA partner in 2015 was a great honour and privilege. We predicted then that our partnership would last, and time has proven us right.”