To celebrate Ferrari's 70th anniversary, Hublot has released the Techframe Ferrari Tourbillon Chronograph, a watch conceived with the same approach used for designing a car at the Ferrari Design Centre and integrating Hublot’s watchmaking expertise, the Techframe Ferrari 70 years Tourbillon Chronograph opens a new chapter in the partnership that unites Hublot and Ferrari. Available in three versions —18K King Gold, PEEK Carbon like the one we are reviewing here and in Titanium — produced in a limited edition of 70 pieces for each version. Impressive from a design standpoint and from an horological point of view, the new Techframe Ferrari is an ultra sporty watch that looks less like a Hublot and more like a component or accesory within the cockpit of a Formula One machine. With its bright red chronograph activating lever and its skeletonized case construction, this new timepiece screams car racing all the way.
The Dial
Featuring a sapphire crystal dial with matte black varnish flange and matte black varnish block for the chronograph counters, the tourbillon takes the center stage at 6 o'clock with a discreet running seconds subdial at 4 o'clock. Something quite interesting about the design of this watch is the fact that the Ferrari logo is much more prominent than the Hublot logo which takes a secondary role and a less important place within the layout of the dial —to the untrained eye, this might as well just look like one of those cheap Ferrari watches out there where the Ferrari logo and its 'Cavalino Rampante' is all that one can notice on their dials. Designed by Ferrari, crafted by Hublot. This is the principle that prevailed for the design and perfecting of the new Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph. A team effort that began with Ferrari in Maranello and ended in Nyon with Hublot but where Ferrari seems to be taken the longer end of the stick.
The flying tourbillon located at six o'clock features operational stability of a tourbillon with two pivot points. This double advantage is made possible by a sapphire crystal, which is practically invisible, placed above the cage that rotates once a minute and holds the upper part of the tourbillon using a bridge.
A matte black varnish block designed by Ferrari is affixed to the sapphire crystal dial to hold a racing-inspired twin half-second counter at 3 o'clock, 30-minute counter at 11 o'clock and the column wheel fully visible on the dial side at 1 o'clock. The satin finished rhodium treated hands are partially skeletonized and they all feature superluminova inserts.
The Case & Chronograph Lever
This new line in Hublot's collections is intended to offer a watch that is deeply rooted in Ferrari's DNA—combining strength, performance and agility—while being produced and perfected by the Hublot manufacture. A perfect fusion of the automotive and watchmaking worlds. Created and designed by Ferrari, under the leadership of Head of Design Flavio Manzoni, the new Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph is like one of the super cars produced in Maranello. The starting point for the designers was the Hublot movement —the “engine” of the watch— around which they freely designed a high performance chassis. Like that of a Ferrari, its lattice structure —that is unique in the world of watchmaking— offers maximum strength for minimal weight. On our scale, the watch showed a total weight of only 89.5 grams.
The case features a chassis-type construction with a modular construction consisting of three main components —skeleton middle, container, and back cover. Measuring 45 mm in diameter and 14.80 mm in thickness the case is made of unidirectional PEEK Carbon and equipped with a micro-blasted PEEK Carbon case back. PEEK which stands for 'Polyether Ether Ketone' Carbon is a multi-layer hypo-allergenic material completely made from particularly long carbon fibers that are layered up in a mold in order to obtain its unique sheen and appearance. PEEK carbon is extremely light, durable and reliable and quite similar in appearance to the NTPT carbon utilized by Richard Mille or the forged carbon utilized by Linde Werdelin. The watch is water resistant to 30 meters but the lever shouldn't be operated underwater to guarantee the water resistance.
The crown at 4 o'clock raised by a black PVD Titanium insert decorated with the famous Cavalino Rampante —'Prancing Horse'— reduces the size of the watch to the greatest possible extent, and increases its aerodynamic look.
Finally, a Ferrari red anodized aluminum lever is strategically placed above the crown to facilitate its use—even when driving—and to make the overall design of the watch much more ergonomic. This red lever activates, stops and resets the chronograph like a monopusher would.
The Strap and its Holding System
In order to facilitate the strap change, the case features a strap holding system with an innovative two lateral push-button system. The strap holding system support block is made of titanium and micro-blasted finished in the signature P485 Ferrari red. These two lateral push-buttons make it easy to change the strap, whilst offering maximum security.
The new Hublot Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph is equipped with an interchangeable black rubber strap that is very soft and malleable almost like silicon. The strap is fastened by a folding clasp in black PVD Titanium with Hublot logo filled with glossy black lacquer.
The Movement
Under the hood of the new Hublot Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chrono there is a full in-houseTourbillon Chronograph movement designed and developed by Hublot. This new manual wound calibre HUB6311 composed of 253 components provides a 5-day power reserve while beating at a frequency of 21,600 vph. A monopusher chronograph and a flying tourbillon are two complications that intertwine in this exceptional movement that is ruthenium anthracite treated and exquisitely finished. Visible via the display case back featuring a white '70' next to the 'Cavalino Rampante', the movement is one of the nicest movements ever designed by Hublot and with a very unique architecture.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the new Hublot Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph is by far the nicest Hublot ever released and a watch that wears light and true to its size. A masterpiece of horology and modern design that epitomizes the essence of Ferrari and the racing nature of the horse from Maranello.
While the other two versions of this watch are also very nice, without a doubt our favorite is the PEEK Carbon model. Big kudos to Hublot for releasing this new watch that is one of our all time favorites and a one of the stars at Baselworld 2017. The new Hublot Techframe Ferrari 70 Years Tourbillon Chronograph is available in a limited edition of 70 pieces for each model.
Sticker Price $137,000 USD for PEEK Carbon, $158,000 USD for 18K King Gold and $127,000 USD for Titanium. For more info on Hublot click here.
