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basketball playerSpotted June 2023

Basketball player Kobe Bryant spotted wearing a Hublot

basketball player Kobe Bryant spotted wearing a Hublot
Who & what: Hublot Big Bang Unico King Power Black Magic Ceramic – Kobe Bryant Watch Sighting

Kobe Bryant appears here in his capacity as a Hublot brand ambassador, dressed in a monochromatic black suit and wearing what is clearly a Hublot Big Bang Unico in full black ceramic — a pairing that feels less coincidental and more curated. The watch sits prominently on Bryant's left wrist, arms crossed, the open-worked dial catching light in a way that reveals the movement architecture beneath.

The Big Bang Unico reference in question is almost certainly the 411.CI.1170.RX or a closely related King Power-derived variant in black ceramic (CI denoting ceramic in Hublot's nomenclature). The 45mm case is executed in scratch-resistant black ceramic, with a matching ceramic bezel secured by the brand's signature H-shaped titanium screws — six of them, as visible in the image. The skeletonized dial exposes the HUB1242 caliber, an in-house column-wheel flyback chronograph movement with a 72-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800 vph. This movement, developed entirely in-house, represented a pivotal credibility shift for Hublot when it debuted around 2011.

From a collector standpoint, the all-black ceramic Big Bang Unico occupies an interesting position. It is not the rarest reference in the line — limited editions command far higher premiums — but it is arguably the purest expression of Hublot's design language: aggressive, urban, unapologetically large. The open-worked construction means legibility is secondary to mechanical theater, which suits its audience precisely.

Bryant signed with Hublot in 2013, becoming one of the brand's most high-profile sporting ambassadors alongside Ferrari and FIFA partnerships. His association gave Hublot significant traction in the North American market, where the brand had been working to establish itself against entrenched Swiss competition. The watch he wears here is not a one-off — it is a production reference — but his wearing of it carries the weight of a genuine brand alignment rather than a transactional endorsement.

On the grey market, black ceramic Big Bang Unico references trade at a modest discount to retail, reflecting healthy supply. However, Bryant-associated pieces documented through official ambassador appearances carry a narrative premium among collectors. Retail pricing at launch was approximately $21,900 USD for the ceramic Unico, with grey market values hovering near or slightly below that figure depending on condition and box/papers.

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