If you are into watches then you’ll know that Hublot is hated by watch nerds.
Watch enthusiasts just love to hate Hublot watches.
Yet Hublot is a huge success story and is doing brilliant in their market. However, they’re still very much hated.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the 7 main reasons behind why Hublot is bad, and why people hate the watch brand Hublot so much.
Reasons Why Hublot Is Bad:
- Hublot is overpriced
- Hublot has generic movements
- Hublot is ugly
- Hublot is too big
- Hublot has endless limited editions
- Hublot is just a status symbol
- Hublot owner is meant as an insult
Then we’ll answer a few more questions surrounding the controversial Hublot brand:
- Will Hublot ever not be hated?
- Nico Leonard’s hatred for Hublot
- Hublot History
- Hublot Definition
- Finally
1. Hublot is overpriced
Hublot watches are grossly overpriced for what you get.
A Hublot watch is the same price as a Rolex, an Audemars Piguet, or a Patek Philippe.
Yet, when you compare a Hublot watch to any of the watches produced by these top luxury Swiss watchmakers. You’ll get nowhere near the resale value on your pre-owned Hublot.
Unlike Swiss luxury watch brands like Patek Philippe and Rolex, Hublot watches just don’t hold their value on the pre-owned watch market.
Also if you go onto the Hublot website, you’ll struggle to find a watch below $10,000. You’ll even find Hublot watches that are priced at over $400,000! Which is an insane amount.
The Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW is made from diamonds and everose gold. Righly nicknamed the Rainbow by Rolex fans. This watch is valued at around $500,000.
Whereas the Hublot watch is made from sapphire crystal and retails for $460,000! In comparison with the Rolex, the Hublot prices really are shocking.
Hublot is known for their unabashed expensiveness. And this just doesn’t sit well with watch lovers, as many see their prices as over the top and a terrible investment.
2. Hublot has generic movements
Unico is Hublot’s own prestigious in-house movement. This was Hublot’s very first in-house movement, and was released in 2010.
Before then Hublot used movements from other watch manufacturers, and Hublot still does for many of their watches.
This has annoyed many watch lovers. As they feel for the price that Hublot charges, and the fact that they say they are one of the top Swiss luxury watchmakers.
They really should have been making all their own movements, and not just using generic movements from large Swiss watch manufacturers like ETA to power their watches.
How can they say they’re a luxury Swiss watchmaker, yet not make the movements that go inside their luxury, over-priced watches?
3. Hublot is ugly
For many Hublot watches are some of the most hideous horological creations around.
Their LaFerrari watch is one of the stand out ugly Hublot watches to date. It’s a watch that was clearly inspired by the ferrari car engine.
Making it not only ugly, but difficult to read and function as a watch.
Now, not every Hublot watch will look like the above Hublot timepiece.
Yet, still the average Hublot watch is often mocked by watch nerds for its design. Even the Big Bang chronographs don’t get a free pass.
4. Hublot is too big
Hublot watches are huge and very in your face.
There not the most elegant or refined watches. Hublot is known for their big and ostentatious timepieces, and that’s why many people hate, or love, this brand.
The average size for a Hublot watch is between 42mm and 45mm. Hublot now also has a smaller range, marketed more at women, that is 33mm.
Yet Hublot isn’t the only watch brand that loves the bigger the better look. Just look at Panerai and Casio’s beloved G-Shock range.
However, it’s more their design, over hyped marketing and price tags that add to their mockery.
5. Hublot has endless limited editions
Hublot loves limited editions…endless limited editions.
The marketing strategy of Hublot seems to be to create lots and lots of hype around every single one of their new variations. Which they love to label as limited editions.
Then these limited editions are released just a few months apart.
So after a Hublot fan goes and splurges on one limited edition, then the next limited edition follow up is quickly released.
Which must be fairly irritating for the Hublot fans out there…?
6. Hublot is just a status symbol
Hublot is often regarded as a watch brand for the uninformed.
Hublot is seen as a brand that is simply a status symbol for those who like to show of their wealth. As it’s a well known, flashy watch brand.
A Hublot watch often shows everyone you have a lot of cash on hand, and you like to spend it on things that will immediately depreciate in value.
Yet a Hublot also screams that the wearer doesn’t really care much about the prestige of the brand, and the impression this watch gives to watch lovers. Maybe they just aren’t in the know.
And this idea of the Hublot owner brings us nicely onto our final point about why Hublot is bad…
7. Hublot owner is meant as an insult
Owning a Hublot watch will get you a lot of stick in most groups of the watch community. As watch nerds love to hate on Hublot.
Being labelled a Hublot owner is definitely meant as an insult by many watch enthusiasts.
Those in the know with watches view Hublot as simply a well marketed, over priced, status symbol watch brand. Bought by those who just don’t know enough about watches.
While maybe some of this is true, in the end who cares?
If you like Hublot then buy a Hublot, at the end of the day you’re the one wearing the watch. And if you like it, even though no other watch geek does, then you do you.
Will Hublot ever not be hated?
It will be a long time before Hublot is ever not hated, and a lot of things will need to change for Hublot to be loved by the watch nerds out there.
However, Hublot doesn’t need to be loved by watch enthusiasts. That isn’t their market.
Hublot instead caters to those who just want a status symbol watch. Something big and bold. That’s Hublot.
Hublot knows their target audience and knows how to market to them. Their slick advertisements and social media campaigns are winning.
They’ve got a huge celebrity following too. With Hublot being favored by a lot in the music industry. Celebrities like Drake and Post Malone have all got Hublot watches in their collections.
So Hublot doesn’t need to be loved by the diehard watch fans, instead they just need to be loved by their diehard fans.
In the end they’re still making a killing off their timepieces. So I’m sure they couldn’t give a toss what we think about them and their watches anyway.
Nico Leonard’s hatred for Hublot
Nico Leonard, is a loud mouth Dutch/Irish man who truly hates Hublot. His rants on YouTube about this watch brand are legendary in the watch community.
He truly is a watch nerd, and he really hates Hublot. Just give a listen to him annihilate this watch brand in the video below.
Whereas there are other YouTubers who give a more balanced view of this controversial watch brand. Take Anna’s more balanced take on Hublot, from the watch channel Theo & Harris.
Hublot History
The Hublot watch company first started as a watch named Hublot. It was designed by Carlo Crocco in 1980, for the now obsolete watch company he called MDM Geneve.
The Hublot watch went on to become a commercial success. Earning over $2 million in sales in the first year of its release in 1980.
Then Carlo Crocco, in 2003, went to seek out a business partner to help him with his Hublot watchmaking business. That’s when he partnered with Jean-Claude Biver.
This was a turning point for Hublot watches. This partnership brought about the release of the Hublot Big Bang chronograph in 2005. Sending Hublot sales and brand recognition through the roof.
Then in 2008, Hublot was acquired by the huge luxury goods watch group LVMH. Who still owns this controversial watch brand today.
Hublot Definition
Hublot is the French word for porthole. As in the porthole of a ship. In fairness we can see how the Hublot watch first got its name.
Finally
From over priced, over hyped, limited editions everywhere, and big, ugly timepieces. These are some of the reasons why Hublot is bad, and why everyone hates Hublot.
Why not take a look at another hated watch brand in the watch community. That’s TAG Heuer, we’ll dive into why TAG Heuer get mocked so much.
Or take some time to familiarize yourself with some of the main watch brands that are loved by watch nerds around the globe:
