Mathias Buttet Interview: Hublot's Future

KIH presents an exclusive interview with Mathias Buttet, the creative force behind the former BNB Concept and now a key figure at Hublot. This candid discussion offers a rare glimpse into Buttet's transition to Hublot, revealing his renewed focus on product development and the strategic direction for Hublot's mechanical evolution. The interview provides valuable insights into the brand's manufacturing capabilities and future aspirations.

PPro: Thank you for taking time to be interviewed by PPro, we are very much excited to hear you answer some of our questions and would like to know more about Hublot now with you and your team in it.

PPro: As a result of BNB being acquired by Hublot, what exactly did you gain/ lose?  What is your responsibility in Hublot, as a brand/ manufacture?

Mathias ("MB"): First of all I would like to state that Hublot technically did not technically acquire BNB. BNB went bankrupt in January 2010.  Afterward, Hublot accepted that Mathias, with 30 of his staff representing 10 different expertise. Hublot, who were one of our more successful clients, decided to hire us rather than lose us to the competition.

What have I gained? Peace of mind. I no longer have to worry about salaries, budgets and the like. I can dedicate myself 100% to product development rather than monetary concerns. Most importantly, I now have a family life; something that I had to sacrifice during my time at BNB…

I’ll tell you what I’ve lost: (laughing) I’ve lost the migraines! (takes a moment to reflect) I’ve lost all my fake “friends” in the industry. You know, the kind of people who are all over you when you’re on top just to use you. Then when the chips are down, you’re all alone. Not a bad thing to lose.

PPro: Tell us about the direction of Hublot Watches in terms of its mechanical evolution going forward.  We are excited that Hublot is now capable of all-in-house, well, almost all, watch manufacture.  What is your priority now and what kind of line-up are you aiming in, say, 3 years from now?  Still chronograph oriented, or more complication oriented, or from entry level three hands or even thin two hands model to chronograph to more complicated models?  What vision do you have for the existing “Bang” series?

MB: Well I’m not really in the place to speak, as my work is solely on high-complications. However, Hublot is doing everything to become a 100% manufacture. Hublot will continue making in-house, high-end complications. Hublot will create its own materials. In the industry today a manufacture can’t rely on outside suppliers. And when you don’t have to rely on suppliers, there is no limit to what you can create.

PPro: What are your thoughts about the unique metal/alloy development and in-house manufacturing for the cases going forward?  Personally, “scratch-free” super hard material case is very intriguing.

MB: Like I said, Hublot will be a 100% manufacture, and will continue to manufacture our own materials- like our recent carbon-fiber cases. Just wait until the end of the year or early 2012. We have a new R&D team and I guarantee there will be a big surprise for the industry. Patience…

PPro: Now, please tell us about this year’s novelties – MP-01 and MP-02.  Both designs are very “un-Hublot”, so to speak, and very unique and interesting.  Some of the readers already know well about BNB history, but for others, please tell us when and how you came up with these designs, inside and outside. 

MB: It’s quite simple, actually. JCB and I have tremendous respect for each other. I’m comfortable here at Hublot because JCB trusts me, and because he loves crazy watches. When I arrived at Hublot he asked me to continue my craziness. Together, we agreed that pure creativity could only come from liberty. You can’t impose an artist to do things in any other way but his own. I have freedom in design, and it is that freedom that brings forth new aesthetics and functions.

JCB has a lot of respect for all his employees. He is confident in our work and in us. His vision was always spot-on. He asked us to make 50 pieces of Key of Time. A bit surprising for such a quirky watch, yet they all sold out.

Look at the Liberty Bullet pieces we did. They are a modern interpretation of the pocket watch. The original plan was that Hublot wanted to create a pocket watch. But we didn’t want to make a traditional pocket watch. When I think of pocket watches I see the 19 ^th century. How often do you see someone with a pocket watch nowadays? Even pocket watches sold by high-end brands today are mostly used as desk clocks. We wanted to create something you can wear. I imagined that rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. I liked the idea of a necklace-watch, but not in a traditional execution. Then while in Mexico I noticed a lot of men and women wearing 9mm bullet pendants. That’s an example of an innovate modern interpretation by Hublot that is not the traditional porthole design. Hublot will be about finding news to rethink complications.

The key of Time for example was inspired by Back to the Future. We even took some of the aesthetics from the back of the DeLorean!

MB: Yes, perhaps it does resemble a Richard Mille, but if we look at things that way, then the Richard Mille looks like a Franck Muller. The Franck Muller looks like one of Gerald Genta’s older designs, which resembles a Patek from 1925 that itself looks like a Vacheron Constantin from 1920; which happens to look like a Cartier from a few years before that. They all look like watches. How many case shapes are there? Round, square, rectangle and tonneau. So should there only be 4 watch brands?

Every époque has its own style. We express ourselves through design that represents our époque.

PPro: What are you working on now?  Please tell us to the extent possible?

MB: I can’t say much at the time, but I promise it will be out of this world. Be patient.

PPro: Please give some message to the Hublot fans on PuristS.

MB: We have succeeded in creating a team with JCB, Ricardo Guadalupe (Hublot MD), our new R&D team and myself. With all our different qualities we will continue to raise the bar. The next year holds many surprises. When we say high-tech, we mean it. There is so much innovation in our manufacture. Today, many brands use the terms “manufacture” and “in-house”. We will show the world what it means to be a true manufacture!

Last piece of advice: Start saving money!

PPro: Thank you very much, Mr. Butte

Special thanks to: Amr Sindi and PR team of Hublot

I hope you enjoyed the interview.

Ken