hublot’s big bang depeche mode watch marks the band’s comeback after 6 years

Hublot reveals Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch

Hublot unveils the Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch, a timepiece design that marks the British band’s album and world tour comeback for its 15th studio album, Memento Mori. Depeche Mode’s most recent album came after the band’s six-year break, described as the longest hiatus period between albums from the hitmakers of the songs ‘Enjoy the Silence’ and ‘Just Can’t Get Enough.’ Their return in 2023 for Memento Mori is an event that Hublot wants to encapsulate in a language it knows best, a timepiece. In its way, the Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode becomes Hublot’s way to pay homage to the British band’s latest album and recent world tour for Memento Mori.

images courtesy of Hublot

An all-black color palette and the series’ signature tonneau shape thrive around Hublot’s new Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch. Hublot and Depeche Mode work together to conceive the watch, taking the time to insert as many elements of a tribute as they can into the timepiece. One of those shows up through the skull motif in the middle of the dial, the emblem seen in the video announcing the band’s return. The skull comes with the figure of an hourglass, which symbolizes the passage of time. Detailing the skull and the center of the dial are small black ceramic spheres that swing back and forth as the wrist moves. This movement or flow harks back to the concept of Memento Mori, which translates to ‘remember you must die’ in Latin.

Hublot unveils the Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch, a timepiece that marks the British band’s comeback

Memento Mori reflects on the transience of life, and it also streams through the concept behind Depeche Mode’s hiatus and reappearance, ultimately ending up as their album title. Glancing at Hublot’s new Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch, the initials DM emerge at 6 o’clock, and the indices are shaped as stacked pyramids, a motif repeated around the timepiece with the black ceramic bezel. The case of the watch resembles a wine barrel, made of sand-blasted and polished black ceramic. The watch houses a self-winding movement which comes with a 50-hour power reserve. Owners of Hublot’s Spirit Big Bang Depeche Mode also receive two interchangeable straps for the watch, each made of different materials.

Depeche Mode’s most recent album Memento Mori came after the band’s six-year break

Watch straps made from recycled materials and rubber

The first watch strap is made from recycled materials and Velcro, in line with Conservation Collective’s plastic pollution initiatives. The second, in black rubber, closes with a black titanium folding clasp. And includes the pyramid-shaped studs that owners can see on the bezel and dial. The continuous theme of these pyramid studs helps induce a synth and rock vibe that can recall some of Depeche Mode’s genres. Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch is limited to 100 pieces, and each comes in a special box containing a 10-inch vinyl single of the British band’s Wagging Tongue, only available as part of this package and produced using green energy and recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a type of plastic. As of publishing the story, the watch is priced at 35,400 EUR.

detailed view of Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch

Hublot and Depeche Mode’s social initiatives

As Hublot’s Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch makes its way to the market, the Swiss matchmaker and the British band renew their partnership in raising public awareness and funds for several environmental and humanitarian causes. Hublot is helping to raise funds and awareness for Conservation Collective, a global charity working to protect, conserve, and restore natural environments.

all-black color palette and the series’ signature tonneau shape thrive around Hublot’s new watch

Depeche Mode and Hublot’s joint projects aim to drive locally led waste management, plastic-free, and clean-up initiatives, and with the funding the two have gathered so far, they managed to support seven initiatives across seven countries that tackled plastic pollution back in 2023. Their initiatives continue to grow with the entrance of the watch, allowing them to raise over 2.3 million USD for the Teenage Cancer Trust and charity: water as well.

the skull motif in the middle of the dial is the emblem seen in the video announcing the band’s return