Hublot Classic Fusion Boutique Pisa 1940: a tribute to Milan

There is a special bond between Pisa 1940, the city of Milan and Hublot. Synonymous with fine watchmaking in the heart of the Lombard capital for over 80 years, the company led by Chiara Pisa is also an ‘ambassador’ for brands to which it has dedicated several mono-brand boutiques within its own Flagship Store, as is the case with Hublot. In turn, the Swiss brand has an Italian and Milanese soul: its founder, Carlo Crocco, lived in the city for several years while working with the Binda family, who in turn have made and continue to make watchmaking history by managing some very famous brands.

It is therefore natural that, after years in which both Pisa 1940 and Hublot have gained so much from Milan, they have decided to ‘give back’ to the city at least some of what they have received. They have done so in the best way they know: by creating a special watch in a limited edition, the Classic Fusion Special Edition Boutique Pisa 1940.

THE ORIGINAL CLASSIC FUSION 

The Classic Fusion is a watch whose strength lies in the purity of its forms. The customisation chosen by Hublot and Pisa 1940 for this special edition does not in the least detract from the collection’s inherent focus on simplicity, which has been its hallmark since the very beginning. These values date back to the very beginnings of the brand, when Crocco presented the Hublot MDM at the Basel Watch Fair in 1980, a timepiece that marked a turning point.

A Swiss quartz watch, it was positioned at the high end of the range thanks to its yellow gold case, which was paired with a rubber strap. This fusion of opposites and union of contrasts also seduced Jean-Claude Biver when he took over the brand in 2004. A year later, inspired by that unconventional watch created 25 years earlier, the brand dropped the MDM designation, retaining only Hublot.

The most recent iteration of the Classic Fusion dates back to 2023, when the brand presented the collection in a modern key and in three case sizes – 42, 38 and 33 mm – each available with a gold, titanium or ceramic case.

HUBLOT, PISA 1940 AND THE GALLERIA

The first special edition of the Classic Fusion Boutique Pisa 1940 was unveiled last January in Paris during the LVMH Watch Week. It is the result of a collaboration with Vittorio Carena Studio, which reinterprets with a unique sensibility the Classic Fusion model, paying homage to the beauty and architecture of Milan through one of its symbols: the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

Vittorio Carena Studio has a strong connection with Pisa 1940, having worked on the creation of the Flagship Store with an innovative approach to interior design for the luxury retail world. This approach is essentially linked to materials and technology, which must interact with universal architectural concepts while also being functional for commercial purposes.

THREE CASE VERSIONS FOR THE CLASSIC FUSION BOUTIQUE PISA 1940

For the Classic Fusion Boutique Pisa 1940, Hublot has chosen a single case size, 42 mm in diameter and 10.4 mm thick. The watch’s main strength is the dial, which features a stylised design of the central dome of the Galleria. The colour chosen is blue with a soleil finish, which perfectly matches the case materials: King Gold, black ceramic or titanium.

For each of the materials, Hublot has worked on the case and bezel by alternating brushed and polished finishes. In the King Gold and titanium versions, the beautiful vertical satin finish adds a pleasing elegance to the watch, complementing its underlying sportiness. The blue of the dial is echoed on the strap, which is the same for all three models. It is made of rubber, as you would expect from a Classic Fusion, but unlike the smooth finish of the historic versions, the brand has opted here for a striped design, now standard for this type of strap.

HUBLOT, LIMITED EDITION WITH MILAN IN ITS HEART

The same movement powers the case of all three versions: the HUB1110 automatic calibre found throughout almost the entire Classic Fusion collection. This is a well-proven movement with hours, minutes, central seconds and date display at 3 o’clock, developed by Hublot based on the Sellita SW300-1A calibre. It is therefore a reliable and accurate movement, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours.

In the three versions of the Classic Fusion Boutique Pisa 1940, the movement is visible through the sapphire crystal case back. Although this is a fairly standard calibre for Hublot, the brand has chosen not to close the case back, reserving a special aesthetic treatment for the skeletonised oscillating weight, thanks to the black-finished HUBLOT inscription.

The case back ring features, among other things, the indication of the special Boutique Pisa 1940 edition and that of the limited edition. Each watch is in fact produced in a limited number of pieces: 10 for the titanium versions, 10 for the ceramic version and only five pieces for the King Gold case. Exclusivity on top of exclusivity.

Because this is what the Classic Fusion Boutique Pisa 1940 by Hublot is all about. The exclusivity of a relationship of mutual respect between the brand and the retailer, and the exclusivity of the love that both have for Milan. A unique blend of passion and elegance that Watch Insanity, a proudly Milanese company, cannot help but share and appreciate with sincerity.

By Davide Passoni