Hublot

When you hear the name Hublot, you might assume that the brand has been around for ages. Perhaps you even count it among the Swiss companies that have been dominating the watch industry for decades on end, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. Hublot was founded in 1980, making the brand just 40 years old. Even more surprisingly, it wasn’t until the last 15 years that it has really risen to fame. So, how did Hublot become such a big name in the world of luxury watches so quickly? Let’s find out.

While the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak dates back to 1972, the bolder Royal Oak Offshore first saw daylight 21 years later in 1993. The 42-mm Offshore was designed by Emmanuel Gueit. It is said that Stephen Urquhart, then a manager at Audemars Piguet and later CEO of Omega, asked Gueit to come up with something special for the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak. Not everyone was happy with the daring and large design of the Royal Oak Offshore, but in 1993 it was finally introduced to the public.