SpotlightThe PGA Championship 2018 Special: Putting It Right With Hublot

Swiss luxury watchmaking company Hublot has a penchant for bringing together exceptional men and women who have altered history and have left their mark on the history of their sport. With the ‘Art of fusion’ dogma dictating their practices to excel, Hublot keeps expanding its collections and investing in their craftsmanship. Its watches have come to symbolise a unique, inimitable creative impulse. This impulse is the outcome of constant research and development that has enlivened visionary concepts such as the dynamic fusion of different materials.

The brand has channelled this impulse to act as a catalyst by forming collaborations with explosive international golfers such as Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Patrick Reed, serving as brand ambassadors. Before the commencement of the PGA Championship (being held from August 9 to 12, 2018) at the Bellerive Country Club, Missouri, USA, we take a stroll along the golf course with a special focus on Hublot timepieces.

Dustin Johnson

Monikered as ‘DJ’, Dustin Johnson has been hogging the limelight since he went professional in 2007. According to the Official World Golf Ranking, the 34-year-old American golfer currently occupies the world number one status. Globally recognised as one of the most gifted players on the circuit, Johnson has been dominating the scene by displaying pure determination and unmatchable grit. Such virtues, which run through the DNA of Hublot as well, are a reflection of this wondrous association.

Dustin’s choice: The Classic Fusion Ceramic Blue Chronograph 45 MM

Flaunting a satin-finished and polished black ceramic 45mm case, this striking timepiece is the epitome of understated elegance. The toughness of ceramic—touted as a ‘scratch-proof’ material that will never show any signs of wear or ageing—makes it perfect for a tenacious player like Johnson. Powered by the HUB1143 self-winding chronograph movement, this watch offers a 42-hour power reserve. The satin-finished blue sunray dial harmonises beautifully with the blue rubber and alligator straps.

Justin Rose

This 38-year-old English professional golfer, ranked third in the world, occupies a coveted spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame as one of only five golfers to win official tournaments on all six continents on which golf is played. Rose is a seven-time PGA Tour Champion and has relished seven victories on the European Tour in the past. He first came to prominence as an amateur at the 1998 Open Championship.

Justin’s choice: The Big Bang Unico White Ceramic 45 MM

Powered by the in-house Unico movement—constructed with 330 individually hand-assembled components—the Big Bang Unico White Ceramic is a testament to the brand’s impressive technical prowess in haute horlogerie. Crafted within a microblasted and polished white ceramic 45mm case is the matte black dial with rhodium-plated counters, satin-finished and microblasted rhodium-plated appliques and white luminescent hands. The mechanism of this self-winding chronograph is the HUB1242 Unico Flyback movement with column wheel. The whopping 72-hour power reserve offered by this watch makes it a clear winning choice. But what makes it a complete stunner is the black and white structured lined rubber strap.

Patrick Reed

This young American professional golfer has been fondly nicknamed ‘Captain America’, owing to his success in representing the United States in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup competitions. The bearer of one of the most impressive records in world golf, Reed is recognised as the youngest winner of the WGC-Cadillac Championship (2014) and only the fifth player to win three PGA Tour titles before his 24th birthday. The recently held 2018 Masters Tournament took Reed’s stature to a new level with him emerging as the champion and clinching his first major title.

Patrick’s choice: The Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic 42 MM

This self-winding chronograph, running on the HUB1280 Unico manufacture calibre, features a flyback movement with column wheel. The juxtaposition of the satin-finished and polished titanium 42mm case, a satin-finished and polished black ceramic bezel, and a magnificent matte black skeleton dial is a sign of sheer brilliance. The black, structured, lined rubber straps give it a dramatic look and a unique personality of its own.

These perfect alliances between the watchmaker synonymous with the art of fusion and the men blazing a trail through professional golf are all the ingredients for success coalesced perfectly, culminating in definite excellence. With the application of inventive design aesthetics and an undying dedication to innovation, the idiosyncratic brand is upping the game constantly.