Hublot has announced a truly remarkable 100-piece limited edition in collaboration with and in honor of legendary tennis player Novak Djokovic. Over a long and prolific career, the Serbian superstar has amassed 24 men’s singles Grand Slam titles, the most of any man in the history of the Open Era, and tied with Margaret Court for the most major singles titles in total.

Roger only made it 20. Rafa managed 22. Serena came close but bowed out on 23. But after more than a decade of men’s tennis being dominated by the Big Three, and even longer since the name Williams hasn’t been one to dread seeing on your side of the draw, only Djoko remains active. His longevity is fast becoming the most remarkable thing and what is increasingly viewed as the most remarkable body of work ever put together by any tennis player, male or female.

Despite Djokovic going through the entirety of the 2024 season without adding to his tally — the first time he’s finished a season without major silverware in his hands since 2017 — the younger generation that has struggled to dethrone the ATP’s most experienced and savvy warrior is well aware of the threat the man they call “the Joker” still poses. With an off-season to rest and reset, 2025 could be the year we finally see someone make it Grand Slam title number 25.

Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic

Although renowned for his mental toughness, this watch launch comes at an excellent time for the popular Hublot, Lacoste and HEAD ambassador. At this late stage of his career, standing on the precipice of history, knowing that one more win, however gutsy, or canny, or scrappy it may need to be, will be enough to break the tie with Court, and move him to the top of the mountain, alone and unchallenged as the most successful singles player of all time, is likely to place an enormous amount of pressure on a mind he needs to quieten, now more than ever. And so the co-design and release of his very own (and exceedingly personal) Big Bang Unico is certainly a welcome distraction.

But watch lovers do not buy watches because their creation was possibly a therapeutic process for a brand’s ambassador alone. No, there must be at least one good reason to choose any particular watch over any other. Thankfully, the Hublot Big Bang Unico “Novak Djokovic” chronograph offers several.

Firstly, the aesthetics. While this is inarguably subjective, the combination of the translucent hazy blue case and the neon yellow (tennis-ball-inspired) accents are striking, characterful and not a colorway you’re likely to find on many other watches out there (especially not those in the price bracket of Hublot).

Secondly, this watch is a Hublot. The Swiss brand is one of the most important in the watchmaking industry for the work it does behind the scenes. Based in Nyon, not too far from Geneva, Hublot’s foundry sees the birth of weird and wonderful composite materials, many of which never see the light of day (not in a Hublot watch, at least).

Pioneering research into material fusions no one else would ever even have considered pursuing (squid-ink-infused Kevlar, anyone?) may seem like a lot more fun than it is useful, but that isn’t the case. The constant experimentation, successes and failures mean the know-how trickling out of Hublot and into the wider world of watchmaking is vast.

Often nicknamed “the Formula 1 of Haute Horlogerie,” many things that Hublot did first and when they seemed wild and faintly ridiculous proved to be trailblazing, market-leading, era-defining moves. Hublot has succeeded over the past 44 years of its existence in making the wild workaday. And anyone who enjoys wearing a rubber strap on their luxury watch (especially if it’s made of precious metal), probably has brand founder Carlo Crocco to thank for it being en vogue.

The real magic of the perfect Hublot, however, is in the combination of three things. Not every release from the brand has all three because Hublot knows well enough that not all of its clients want all of what it can do at once, but whenever they do, you won’t forget it in a hurry.

If you see a watch powered by a Unico caliber, wrapped in a never-before-seen material that is itself closely connected to or inspired by the ambassador, partner, charity or even story behind the watch, you see the brand in its purest form.
Here, with the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic, we have exactly that.

Game On, Hublot

The caliber is the Unico manufacture automatic chronograph with a power reserve of 72 hours. It sits inside a case made from multiple materials. The most commonplace of which is the caseback and the watch’s “ears” with flare out at the three and nine o’clock positions, giving the Big Bang its classic look. Both are made from aluminum and anodized blue. They harmonize well with the semi-transparent composite which has been made from (if you can believe it) a bio-sourced epoxy resin that has been mixed with 25 HEAD tennis rackets (crushed) and 17 dark blue and 15 light blue Lacoste shirts used by Djokovic during the 2023 season (shredded). The resulting material is subtly speckled with inclusions, randomly arranged, and not in the least overbearing or distracting thanks to the moody darkness of the blue color chosen to obscure these highly personal artifacts of one man’s success.

This watch (reference 441.QKB.5120.NR.DJO24) measures a very wearable 42mm across, stands 14.5mm tall on the wrist, and comes in at 52mm lug-to-lug. As far as Hublot Big Bangs go, it’s extremely petite and appears even more demure on the wrist thanks to its relative height-versus-width ratio, the translucent case material and the wide bezel, which makes the matte sky blue dial with luminescent indexes appear a bit smaller than you’d find in some watches, ultimately reducing the watch’s visual weight (to its credit).

Visual weight aside, however, it is the actual weight of this watch that is the most amazing. At just 49.5 grams when worn on the elastic sweatband (one of two provided), it is lighter than a tennis ball.

Speaking of tennis balls, the references to one of the key tools used in Djokovic’s trade do not stop with the dial accents, chrono start/stop pusher, and the tip of the chronograph seconds hand. If you look closely, you’ll see a familiar form popping up 10 times more…

The slots of the bezel screws and their convex polished surface recall the shape and binding style of tennis balls used the world over. Interestingly, tennis balls weren’t always the iconic shade of yellow they are today. In fact, they used to be white. However, in 1972 the International Tennis Federation introduced the highly visible color on the back of a research paper, believing it would make it easier for television viewers to see the ball in flight. Wimbledon followed suit in 1986 and since then, the color and the sport have been indelibly linked.

These screws are a crucial element of the design. If they had been poorly executed they could have looked goofy. As it is, the masterful finishing and restrained, sensible application that makes the ball-binding-inspired slot a functional element of the screw, which itself is functional and not decorative, helps the entire design and concept hang together so elegantly (which isn’t a word you might have expected to see written about a watch whose case comprises shattered tennis rackets and torn-up shirts).

Achieving such a low weight was not easy. While the standard Unico manufacture caliber uses brass for its mainplate, bridges and cocks, as is normal in watchmaking, Hublot chose to re-engineer many components out of aluminum, resulting in a weight saving of 27 percent.

Using aluminum for the caseback and under-bezel component, alongside the clearly featherlight composite, proved to be a wise choice from a practical and prettiness perspective. Best of all, despite the use of these lightweight components, it is still water resistant to 100 meters, meaning this remarkable watch is actually well-suited to accompanying you wherever you choose to go or whatever you choose to do, remarkable or otherwise.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about this collaboration is how it feels like a natural, organic partnership that has taken something tangibly “Djokovic” and made from it something tangibly “Hublot,” that is actually a worthwhile addition to not just watchmaking en masse, but more specifically to the discussion surrounding the value of brand ambassadorships.

An Exciting and Evolving Partnership

Djokovic joined the Hublot family in 2021, but this is the first watch released bearing his name. With this release, his ambassadorship will be drawn into sharp focus. Given the simultaneous sensitivity and ambition of the piece, and the fact the partnership “makes sense” in many ways (it is a watch that could very comfortably be worn while actually playing tennis, as its lightness, material choices and waterproofness are all appropriately matched to the task at hand), it stands a very good chance of being ranked very highly in the history of athlete + watch brand team-ups, possibly even the world number one (which would be a fitting accolade for the man who’s been at the top of his game for longer than anyone else). It also paves the way for Djokovic to transition away from the sport he simply must stop dominating at some point over the next few years and become something else.

Federer became not just the face but also the heart of Rolex during his career and has, since retirement, leaned even further into the gracious and sagacious persona that made him a great fit for that brand.

Nadal, with his early-career capri pants, tank tops and rippling biceps, was the physical embodiment of swashbuckling athleticism and his vibrant modern, forward- thinking collaboration with Richard Mille always felt like a great fit for the man who is now focusing on cultivating the next generation of superstars through his academy in his hometown of Manacor on Mallorca.

Djokovic has been many things throughout his charmed career. He has been the prospect, the Joker, the underdog, the challenger, the winner, the loser, the comeback king, an immovable wall of defense and of principles, relentless, restless, ruthless, and, quite probably, soon to be the greatest of all time. Maybe, just maybe, after he hangs up his racket and walks away from the court, he’ll be able to add “watchmaker” to that list. He’s off to a pretty good start and, well, we know what he’s like…

Tech Specs: HUBLOT Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic

Reference: 441.QKB.5120.NR.DJO24
Movement: HUB1280 UNICO Manufacture self-winding caliber; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds and chronograph
Case: 42mm; bio-sourced epoxy resin created from tennis rackets and Lacoste shirts worn by Novak Djokovic
Dial: Matte sky blue; hour markers with luminescent coating
Price: USD 52,700
Availability: Limited edition of 100 pieces