Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Kylian Mbappé spotted wearing Hublot

Kylian Mbappé was recently photographed wearing one of Hublot's most technically demanding and visually arresting creations — the Spirit of Big Bang King Gold Rainbow, reference 641.OX.0110.LR.0999. The sighting is no coincidence: Mbappé has held an official ambassadorship with the Geneva-based manufacture for several years, but this particular model is a flex that goes well beyond contractual obligation.

The Spirit of Big Bang line distills the core architecture of Hublot's flagship Big Bang into a tonneau-shaped case, a form that gives the piece a more sculptural, haute joaillerie sensibility than the round original. The reference 641.OX.0110.LR.0999 is built on an 18K King Gold case — Hublot's proprietary gold alloy developed in-house, engineered to resist surface scratching better than standard 18K rose gold through a microstructure hardening process. The case measures 42mm and houses the self-winding HUB1710 skeleton movement, with a 50-hour power reserve visible through the open-worked dial. It is water-resistant to 50 metres.

The defining feature — and the genuine horological challenge — is the factory-set arrangement of 255 fancy-coloured diamonds spread across the bezel, lugs, and case flanks. These stones are graded and sequenced to produce a continuous spectral gradient from deep violet through blue, green, yellow, and into red. The setting work is done entirely in-house by Hublot's dedicated atelier, and the chromatic continuity demands meticulous colour-matching that makes each finished piece the result of considerable skilled labour. This is not pavé work done at volume; it is closer to couture.

For Mbappé, now one of the most commercially powerful athletes on the planet following his move to Real Madrid, wearing a piece of this visibility is consistent with a personal style that has leaned toward bold, high-jewellery watchmaking rather than understated collector references. He has been seen across the Hublot catalogue, but the Rainbow represents a top-tier statement even within that relationship.

On the market, the Spirit of Big Bang King Gold Rainbow 641.OX.0110.LR.0999 carries a UK list price of approximately £115,000 — translating to roughly $145,000 USD at current rates. Grey-market availability is limited; heavily jewelled Hublot pieces tend to hold near or slightly above retail among buyers who want immediate access, though they lack the same secondary-market appreciation trajectory seen in steel sport watches from Patek or Rolex.