Panerai Luminor Sealand Year of the Rabbit (PAM00839)

22 May 2009 - www.fratellowatches.com

 
I have been a watch enthusiast since I was a small boy, but since a decade or so, I am really passionate about them and read and learn as much as I can about watches. This knowledge and observations translate into articles I write every once in a while.
I noticed that I am someone that needs a bit of time to get used to new models or trends. It took me a few years to get used to the size of large watches and remember I laughed at the ridiculous Panerai dimensions when I first noticed them. After having owned several Panerai watches myself, I got used to watches that easily exceed the 40mm diameter size.
Hublot is a manufacturer of watches I also had to get used to. First, the Hublot MDM with rubber strap - Hublot was probably one of the first brands to introduce a non-diving watch with a rubber strap in 1980 - and later on the Hublot Big Bang. This time, it wasn't the size I had to get used to, but the high-end positioning of the watch (taking the former models into consideration) by Hublot and the whole look & feel of this particular watch. Also, the use of high-tech materials for their watches makes them a very progressive and interesting watch brand for many collectors. Big Bang is indeed the perfect name for this timepiece. Kudos to Jean-Claude Biver, who has put Hublot (back) on the map of haute horlogerie. In a recent copy of Revolution Magazine (also distributed by WorldTempus), Jean-Claude Biver is even referred to as being 'the reference in high watchmaking'.

Having that said, the only thing that worries me is the number of limited editions the brand is launching every year. True, they are limited in number of production runs, but there are a lot of different limited editions. The market is probably in demand for limited editions, so consumers are able to distinguish from each other. Launching limited editions just for the sake of being limited is something that I can't get used to I guess.

One of the recently introduced limited edition Hublot watches has truly a reason for being limited. It is the Hublot Aero Bang Morgan watch, limited to 500 pieces. This watch celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Morgan car company. The Aero Bang Morgan watch is inspired by the Morgan Aeromax car. The production of this hand-made sports vehicle is only limited to 100 cars. The lucky owners of one of these 100 cars get priority for the first 100 Aero Bang Morgan watches to be able to get a matching number.

The Aero Bang Morgan has a case made out of ceramic and a steel-gray tungsten bezel, both materials that are very durable and used in the (racing) car and aircraft industry. The Morgan logo shines proudly on the dial at 9 o'clock, while it doesn't detract from the skeleton dial that reveals only a bit from the automatic winding chronograph movement. This movement - like in all Big Bang models - also features a tungsten rotor.

The caseback of the watch is made out of black ceramic material, as you can see on the picture above.
Now, besides being a bit reserved towards limited editions, the same goes for watch - car alliances. I never understood the IWC - AMG, Breitling - Bentley or the Jaeger-LeCoultre - Aston Martin cooperation for example. The same thing goes for the cooperation between Hublot and Morgan. Does Hublot really identify them selves with Morgan? Or did Morgan 'need' a watch to celebrate its 100th anniversary and wanted to offer something special for its customers? What exactly is their relationship?
Cooperation like this shouldn't leave room for guessing why the brands started a joint venture in my humble opinion.
As much as I do like the watch, I wouldn't pay premium because of the Morgan logo on the dial. Perhaps I would if I owned a Morgan Aeromax sports car, or when I am able to tell why the relationship between Hublot and Morgan is so close other than initiated because there was a fruitful encounter between Charles Morgan and the reference of high watchmaking, Jean-Claude Biver.
Don't let this small remark hold you back from doing a price inquiry for this watch at your Hublot dealer.