The original Big Bang Sang Bleu, released in 2016, was born out of the collaboration between Hublot and Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Buchi. Named after his studio, the Big Bang Sang Bleu featured a highly geometrical design with Buchi’s signature style. Unlike most other Big Bang timepieces, the Sang Bleu was generally applauded by the enthusiast community for its well-conceived plan. Fast forward three years, and we now have a sequel to this fascinating watch. They say that sequels never live up to expectations, but this one does.

Available in titanium or 18K King Gold, the Big Bang Sang Bleu II case measures an unmissable 45.00 mm in diameter – the same as the original Sang Bleu. You’d be hard-pressed getting this one under a dress cuff, but then why should you? The watch is meant to be a showpiece – sculptural art if you will. The size might not do much for wearability, but it certainly accentuates the case’s edgy (quite literally) design. It’s all about harsh lines, angles, and facets with the Big Bang Sang Bleu II.

The new structure is way more three-dimensional than the original, and in our opinion, is an improvement. The motif spans the case, cutting into the hexagonal bezel, carving into the sapphire crystal, and moulded onto the interchangeable bracelet. But the best part of the case remains its finishing.

With alternating brushed and polished facets, the case is an orchestra of contrasts and beautiful ones. One final note of the exterior: on the crown, the tastefully superposed logos of Hublot and Sang Bleu can be found – a fitting touch denoting their collaboration.

The dial itself is partially skeletonised to reveal part of the movement behind it. The hands (and discs) are a work of geometric art. They, with their polygonal design, clearly have Sang Bleu DNA. It might be hard to tell from the dial, but the watch is indeed a chronograph. It displays the petite seconds at 9 o’clock, the 60-minute chronograph register at 3 o’clock, central chronograph seconds, a well-integrated date aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock, and of course, the hours and minutes.

Legibility is the Achilles heel of this watch, but let’s be honest: nary a person wears a luxury watch these days to tell or measure time, no less a loud showpiece like the Big Bang Sang Bleu II.

Driving the Big Bang Sang Bleu II is the HUB1240 Unico manufacture movement. It has a good power reserve of 72 hours while operating at a current 4 Hz beat rate. Looking through the sapphire crystal case back, one will find a gorgeous winding rotor that spans the entirety of the movement. The rotor is partially open-worked with Sang Bleu’s signature geometric design, meaning glimpses of the movement can be seen through it. The finishing of the movement is very contemporary; although nothing spectacular, it is neat and attractive.