Hublot Oceanographic 4000 M Diver Hands-On

Back in January of 2011 I caught a glimpse of a early prototype version of a strange looking Hublot. The case was really big (by Hublot standards), and it has a sci-fi looking black and green dial. I also noticed a large closing cap over one of the crows, and a beefy stance that made me wonder if it was even a real watch. This later turned about to be the Hublot Oceanographic 4000m (4000 M) Diver watch, but I didn't learn that for a few more months. After some time reflecting on the piece, I now reflect on this 'Uber-blot' watch.

No modern brand really needs an excuse to create a diver's watch. Such models are 'expected' parts of a well-rounded range of pieces in any brand's collection. Of course you need a diver. Though it looks a lot better when you do have a reason to create one, or least you can think of a reason. I don't know how long Hublot has been planning on making a diver, but I suspect it has been for a few years. The big question was probably "If Hublot makes a dive watch, how can we really make it an Hublot?" Extremism was one option. Make it the "most this" or the "least that." Though the specifications of existing watches and other dive watch records out there were already really impressive. Previous dive watches that were released can survive really deep depths, and can get very large in size. With Biver's "fusion" philosophy there was the opportunity to make a dive watch using interesting materials. Carbon was one logical option, and something that in fact Hublot used. I think however that Hublot struggled for a while with the idea of how to make their dive watch unique.

Actually, let me back up a bit. The Oceanographic 4000m Diver is not Hublot's first dive watch by any means. Hublot was making dive style watches since before Jean-Claude Biver was around, and Big Bang King (not to be confused with the King Power) has a range of dive style pieces in cool colors with a rotating diver's bezel and 300 meters of water resistance. The Oceanographic however would be the brands first "serious" diving timepiece, and would have a distinct Hublotistic statement to it.