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Fast times: Ferrari and the Hublot Techframe
The legendary car marque has lent the Swiss watch giants the benefit of their expertise to shape its ground-breaking new timepiece
Watch any Formula 1 race and chances are you'll see the name of at least one watch brand emblazoned on the side of a vehicle. But the synergies between the two worlds go far beyond marketing spin. Both depend on the precision of the machinery within, an innovative approach to materials and finding a finely tuned balance between form and function. It seems, therefore, something of a missed opportunity that when the worlds of horology and motoring meet, the result is all too often just a logo placed on a dial, rather than a genuine collaborative creation that harnesses this shared expertise.
Hublot has never been a brand to shy away from experimentation, and the latest watch to come out of its long-running partnership from Ferrari has seen it relinquish control and put the power firmly in the car manufacturer's capable hands. "It was nice because at the beginning of the project we said, 'Now, we will design a watch', so Ferrari will be the creator," explained Flavio Manzoni, head of design at Ferrari. "Of course Hublot gave us huge support in the possibility to produce it, but the design has, since the first moment, been considered as made by Ferrari."
It was a gamble that paid off. The resulting Techframe, created to celebrate the marque's 70th anniversary, turns heads as much for the distinctive Ferrari-designed case as for Hublot's accomplished haute horology contained within. Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of the watchmaker, puts its success down to this new way of working. "It shows that we're open to ideas that come not only from our industry but other industries, but in this particular case it's the car industry and Ferrari – and I have to say they're quite good cars," he joked. "The innovation here is making the watch from a case point of view, because before the case was mainly for the protection of the movement, so most brands do a simple version. It opens up new ways of making the outside of the watch."
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Like the chassis of a supercar, the lattice structure of the case is designed to deliver maximum strength for minimum weight, built in a modular construction. How light it comes in depends on which material is opted for, with a choice of three – titanium, PEEK Carbon (a highly durable and resistant polymer) and King Gold, a scratchproof gold alloy exclusive to Hublot.
Similarly, other details have been put together with performance front of mind, as well as a nod to its high-octane origins. These include the crown at 4 o'clock, conceived to create a slim-line silhouette, as well as the ergonomic push-button in Ferrari red, strategically placed for easy reach even while driving. Beneath the bonnet, the Techframe is powered by the in-house developed HUB6311 calibre, which along with a single-button chronograph features a flying tourbillon that can be admired through the part open-worked dial.
Manzoni attributes Ferrari's seven decades of success down to a combination of mechanical prowess with a certain aesthetic allure. "A Ferrari is not a Ferrari unless you find three important aspects: the pleasure of driving, technological innovation and beauty," he said. "But I think the first element of why Ferrari is a legend is that they are not only cars, they hold another meaning. When we design at Ferrari, we start with a dream." The relatively young Hublot may have half Ferrari's years, but through cleverly conceived collaborations such as this is well on its way to making just as large a mark on its own industry.
