Samuel Ross doesn’t switch off. The British designer, artist, and founder of both A-COLD-WALL* and industrial design studio SR_A, approaches every material interaction as an opportunity for creative exploration. “Every engagement that I have with an object, a fibre, or a material, regardless of its size or scale, is of interest to me,” he explained to Robb Report. “It could be a piece of garment. An artwork, a toothbrush, or a watch.”
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With the Big Bang Unico SR_A, Ross and Hublot open a new chapter in a partnership that has consistently pushed the boundaries of horological design. For the first time, the SR_A design language meets the Manufacture’s Unico chronograph calibre, uniting industrial form with technical performance in one unified creation.
From Tourbillon to Chronograph
The collaboration between Hublot and Samuel Ross began in 2020, following his receipt of the Hublot Design Prize in 2019. Since then, three SR_A Tourbillon editions have established a distinctive creative vocabulary built on structure, material innovation, and contemporary industrial design. Each limited to 50 pieces, these sculptural timepieces positioned the partnership firmly in the realm of haute horlogerie.
The Big Bang Unico SR_A represents a deliberate evolution. Limited to 200 pieces, the timepiece introduces Ross’s industrial codes into a more accessible, more versatile format while remaining anchored in Hublot’s Art of Fusion philosophy. “This is a deeply utilitarian and endearing watch,” says Ross. “I want to express this sense of comfort, adventure, and exploration that the chronograph is associated with.”
Design Language
Executed entirely in black ceramic, the 42mm case adopts a monochrome aesthetic that strips the SR_A vocabulary back to its essentials. Satin-finished and polished surfaces create visual tension across the bold geometry and modular construction that defines the Big Bang line. The choice of an all-black ceramic execution carries additional significance: 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of Hublot’s first All Black timepiece.
At the center of the design is Ross’s signature honeycomb motif. Seen previously in SR_A sculptures and earlier watch editions, the pattern appears here on a newly developed structured rubber strap created specifically for this reference. “With the honeycomb, it was about taking information away from the watch to increase the lightness,” Ross explains. Lightweight, ergonomic, and strongly architectural, the strap reinforces the industrial character of the SR_A series.
The matte black skeleton dial exposes key Unico components, including the visible column wheel at 6 o’clock and the open chronograph mechanism. This transparency highlights the technical architecture of the HUB1280 calibre, which incorporates a flyback chronograph, silicon escapement, and a 72-hour power reserve.
Stealth, Strength, Speed
“Stealth, Strength, speed,” Ross summarizes in his conversation with the press. “Our first signature SR_A Hublot chronograph advances our design dialogue across London and Geneva. Deeply functional, robust and hard wearing, we have envisioned a new wearable machine for the wrist built for a rugged, hands-on lifestyle.“
The protruding side lugs, multi-layered case construction, and juxtaposition of different shapes make the Big Bang Unico SR_A unmistakably a product of this collaboration. Even as it differs from its colorful, titanium-clad predecessors with its monochromatic sheen and ceramic construction, the watch remains an unambiguous expression of both Hublot’s technical prowess and Ross’s design philosophy.
A Symbiotic Relationship
Ross frames the partnership in terms of creative patronage. “All designers and artists need patrons that can help them realise ideas that will determine the future. The great thing about my relationship with Hublot is that it isn’t one way—it’s quite symbiotic and human. It is clear to see the authenticity and the continuity between the partnership and that growth cycle.”
Hublot CEO Julien Tornare echoes this sentiment: “The Big Bang Unico SR_A brings together our most recognisable in-house movement and Samuel Ross’s design philosophy. It represents a natural development of our collaboration—more open, more accessible, and driven by the same commitment to innovation that has defined the SR_A story from the beginning.”
Technical Specifications
- Reference: Big Bang Unico SR_A by Samuel Ross All Black 42mm
- Case: 42mm, satin-finished and polished black ceramic
- Movement: HUB1280 Unico Manufacture chronograph
- Functions: Flyback chronograph, hours, minutes, seconds
- Power Reserve: 72 hours
- Escapement: Silicon
- Strap: Newly developed honeycomb structured rubber
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
- Limited Edition: 200 pieces
- Price: USD $31,200
The Big Bang Unico SR_A sets a new benchmark within the Hublot and Samuel Ross partnership. By moving from tourbillon to chronograph, from 50 pieces to 200, the collaboration becomes more widely available without sacrificing the design integrity that has defined the SR_A series. The all-black ceramic execution, the signature honeycomb strap, and the exposed Unico architecture create a timepiece that functions as both wearable sculpture and practical instrument.
For Ross, the watch represents the same obsessive attention to material and form that drives all his work. “I think it didn’t seem like it was a difficulty. I think at that point, the idea of multidisciplinary design started to come back. If you think of mid-century designers like Massimo Vignelli, Seymour Chwast, or other black design heroes, they all followed a similar vernacular and path. People like me, who went to art or design schools, studied these incredible individuals, and we didn’t understand why design culture was regressing in the mid-2000s to return to a person becoming a specialist versus a pluralist.” shares Ross in his DSCENE cover story feature.
The Big Bang Unico SR_A is available at select Hublot points of sale and online at hublot.com.
