Reviewing: The Hublot Classic Fusion Tourbillon Skull

The idea of integrating skulls in a watch would’ve been unthinkable ten or fifteen years ago. Even today, skull watches aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. But they do reveal a shift in the personality and the way watch enthusiasts buy watches. The hunt for the one daily wear that will last a lifetime is no longer the standard. Of course, serious collectors must have those classic watches, but today, they also want to rebel and add a bit of fun to their collection.

Hublot is one of the brands that caught the trend early on with its skull series, and this year it continued to expand on the ‘vanitas’ theme, by releasing the Classic Fusion Tourbillon Skull, a striking watch with a ceramic-coated aluminum case.

This is the first time Hublot uses the material, obtained through a treatment known as MAO (Microarc Oxidation). The ceramic layer it creates is then manually sanded to give each case a unique and totally unconventional finish.

The result is a 45 mm case that boasts excellent resistance to corrosion and friction, and is twice as light as ceramic. A good thing considering this watch is best suited for a dissident night out, or a swim in the pool the next day to nurse you back to health. It’s certainly built that way, and has a water-resistance of 30 meters. But its darker colour-scheme means this is one of the rare skulls that can also be worn with a suit.

The openworked dial features hours and minutes, and showcases the manufacture’s famous HUB6014, a manual winding movement with a 5-day power reserve.

A closer look reveals the 3-D machining and electroplating process used to create bone-shaped bridges. The skull motif is also incorporated into the tourbillon barret, which rotates fully in one minute.

A final, less obvious statement made by the watch are the Roman numeral indices on the dial, which is another first for Hublot, after the ceramic-coated aluminum case. Those novelties are the reason why skull watches aren’t just fashion accessories. They have some brains behind them too.

The Classic Fusion Tourbillon Skull comes with a vintage-style black calfskin strap with a black rubber deployant buckle, and is limited to only 50 pieces. For more, please visit Hublot.