Hublot

Okay – I’ll admit it – the press release did smack of Jean Claude Biver being a little over enthusiastic when he announced that here a new material based on a noble metal unchanged since the dawn of time: “A new astonishing material is born. A metal - tha...  

We needed it as a wrap-up after all the discussions around this topic. I keep with the same position as you explained it in your post: Magic Gold has impressive features but its lightness, its stability, its resistance make it totally different from Gold.... 

Now we understand much more than what press release presented us. Yes, this is a revolutionaly new material. Let's say, regardless what it is called, Hublot will have interesting offerings with this new material. Kudos to the Hublot team and I am looking ... 

Coming on the heels of the Unico in-house movement this is a great strategic move by Hublot and brings practical value to the wristwatch. I wonder how difficult it is to work with the material (case cutting, polishing, brushing, etc.) and how easy it is t... 

Given the hardness quoted and that only a blank has been displayed, your question concerning machining and finishing is rather pertinent. There are bundles of papers out there on MMCs, not many about a matrix with a precious metal forced through it....I'l... 

What an interesting development - imagine the market for matching accessories - rings, jewelry, etc Despite the appeal of patina, there's also the appeal of buying a delicate ring that won't wear through as my wife's rings have ... Cazalea

I actually came up with the word "Hublonium." JCB was excited because he had the metal already, that was way back in maybe 2007.

Zenith had " Zenithium", a steel, titanium and niobium alloy that, according to their marketing had the strength of steel, the shock absorption of titanium and the shape memory of niobium! Franc Vila had "Lightnium", an aluminium-lithium based alloy that ... 

is an alloy, as I understand it, of magnesium and aluminum, which are both quite soft metals, and a hardening agent called Titanex, which makes the alloy called AG5 (aka Hublonium). Obviously, what it brings to the watch world is super light weight and go... 

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Yes, we will have the entire watch case made with 18carats Magic Gold, and most probably also from time to time only the bezel

a very interesting read very impressive technology Jason

I didn't know anyone was there for Purist otherwise I would have said hello! A great recap of the release, but of course the only thing missing is JCB's energy which does not come across on the photos!! Cheers Andrew

I find this interesting and I see Hublot in a different light. We will see the end result soon!

Hi Andrew, Thanks for an informative post. This is certainly an impressive achievement for Hubot and deserves kudos. A few different questions that come to mind: * Are they "casting" the Magic Gold to near net shape? Since it is so hard, it would be very ... 

* Are they "casting" the Magic Gold to near net shape? Yes, we will have to use "casting" technology in order to make 18carat Magic Gold cases. We are currently investing in a new production line (4 Millions) in order to produce these new material cases. ... 

Dear Mister Biver, what a beautiful innovation! please be so kind as to allow me to ask some things that hit me while reading, why was the gold infused, instead of a powder-metallurgic approach (e.g. like the Böker Cera Titan, ZrO+TiC+Ag or the 254SMO ste... 

Will check with our metallurgist and once I have his answer I will copy it to you

Here are a few answers: why was the gold infused, instead of a powder-metallurgic approach (e.g. like the Böker Cera Titan, ZrO+TiC+Ag or the 254SMO steels)? In the powder technology, it is impossible to sinter the ceramic. The strength of Magic Gold is t... 

and sorry for the N/C mix up. The Boron Carbon bond is less polar than the BN, thus the matrix resembles more an metalloorganic phase than an ionic, so it probably doesn't need any surfactants for the gold.