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Hublot Influence On AP

Yellobird

Yellobird

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Many times these two brands have been compared, many non-wis people tend to confuse Royal Oaks with Big Bangs and the other way around. Some WIS consider Hublot design to be a rip-off of classic Royal Oak.

I was looking at my Forged Carbon Diver today and it struck me. OK, for sure Hublot watches are similar, very similar to AP products but don't you guys think that even though AP was first with that type of design and is way more respected among people interested in watches, there is a visible influence on AP watches made by Hublot offerings.

Try to think of Offshores from before HBBs. What was there? Steel Themes in two or three dial colors? Steel and RG rubberclad models? PVD End Of Days and some solid gold limited editions like Schwarzenegger? Not too many variations and not too many materials were used by AP. Some rarely seen titanium themes models?

Then after HBBs were released with their steel/ceramic or ceramic/ceramic, carbon/ceramic, rosegold/ceramic cases, what do we see at AP? They replace rubberclad rubber bezels with ceramic. They try new materials - forged carbon, ceramic, cermet.

I think there is a huge chance they started being innovative because of competition from Hublot. And it is great, because we have more cool watches available. One downside of that I would say is that now AP seems to try and compete with Hublot when it comes to ridiculous number of stupid limited editions but then again, variety is a spice of life.

What do you guys think about it?
 
Yellobird

Yellobird

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These two were actually designed by one person, Gerald Genta. So that's another story.
 
U

umaxim

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I think it's more influence of times, modern style and material innovation across the industry, not necessary that HBB has directly influenced ROOs (Specifically Offshore line)
 
Yellobird

Yellobird

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Yes, the GLE is such a rip off I would be ashamed if I was Mercedes-Benz!
 
R

Retina

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Yellobird said:
Many times these two brands have been compared, many non-wis people tend to confuse Royal Oaks with Big Bangs and the other way around. Some WIS consider Hublot design to be a rip-off of classic Royal Oak.

I was looking at my Forged Carbon Diver today and it struck me. OK, for sure Hublot watches are similar, very similar to AP products but don't you guys think that even though AP was first with that type of design and is way more respected among people interested in watches, there is a visible influence on AP watches made by Hublot offerings.

Try to think of Offshores from before HBBs. What was there? Steel Themes in two or three dial colors? Steel and RG rubberclad models? PVD End Of Days and some solid gold limited editions like Schwarzenegger? Not too many variations and not too many materials were used by AP. Some rarely seen titanium themes models?

Then after HBBs were released with their steel/ceramic or ceramic/ceramic, carbon/ceramic, rosegold/ceramic cases, what do we see at AP? They replace rubberclad rubber bezels with ceramic. They try new materials - forged carbon, ceramic, cermet.

I think there is a huge chance they started being innovative because of competition from Hublot. And it is great, because we have more cool watches available. One downside of that I would say is that now AP seems to try and compete with Hublot when it comes to ridiculous number of stupid limited editions but then again, variety is a spice of life.

What do you guys think about it?
Click to expand...

hublot will never be recognized on the same level as AP. The 2nd hand markets doesn't lie, no matter what the ads say.
 
M

meyhem-united

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When Hublot came out in 1981 the italian was aware of royal oak, the people at hublot just asked how can we be different, okay lets make it round, let's put a rubber strap, lets put things different as compared to AP. So as Jean Claude Biver himself said, Hublot is not inspired from AP, but they wanted to do something similar, and not be labelled as a ""copycat". Easiest way is to make it different, and put quartz movements. Until 2003 90% of their production are still quartz, so in a way, AP did their efforts in raising the game further with Renaud and Papi and exotic experimental materials while Hublot begun their inhouse mechanical movements. Imo, Hublot has always been the one in the shadow, still is now.
 
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GrapeJam

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It's weird that while I can see the similarities I cannot stand Hublots. I have never seen one that I have even come close to liking. But I find The AP RO and ROOs very aesthetically appealing.


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JimmyD750

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GrapeJam said:
It's weird that while I can see the similarities I cannot stand Hublots. I have never seen one that I have even come close to liking. But I find The AP RO and ROOs very aesthetically appealing.


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Click to expand...
Same here. To me, Hublots look like a poor attempt at the modernization of a classic design. Just rough, and they don't really blend well with classic men's fashion. Just my 2¢ worth.
 
T

trksh-bzr

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I like Hublots. Fantastic watches. There's just a notion of umami, that oozes from an AP or a patek, that they will never posess, which is why I'm never shy to dis Hublot, by calling them a favorite rep.
I admit that I think JC made a better impression in this interview, than anything I ever read about the man.


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