Athlete Usain Bolt spotted wearing a Hublot

Usain Bolt, the most decorated sprinter in Olympic history, was recently spotted on the wrist with the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang White Ceramic, reference 601.HX.0173.LR — a watch that matches his taste for technically ambitious, visually striking timepieces.

The Spirit of Big Bang ref. 601.HX.0173.LR measures 42mm in a tonneau-shaped case machined from white ceramic — a material Hublot has refined over years of in-house development. Ceramic at this hardness rating (close to 1,200 Vickers) is extraordinarily scratch-resistant, giving the watch long-term visual integrity that polished metals simply cannot match. The case is rated to 100 metres water resistance and frames Hublot's HUB4700 skeletonised automatic movement, which beats at 28,800 vph, offers 50 hours of power reserve, and is finished with the open-worked architecture that has become a house signature. The sapphire dial and caseback allow full appreciation of the movement from both sides.

The Spirit of Big Bang was introduced in 2014 as a tonneau-shaped evolution of the iconic Big Bang line, itself launched in 2005. Where the Big Bang made Hublot's name with its bold porthole case, the Spirit offered a more horologically classical silhouette while retaining the brand's multi-material construction philosophy. The white ceramic reference in particular has become one of the cleaner, more wearable entries in an otherwise maximalist catalogue — a fact collectors of sport-luxury crossover pieces have noted.

Bolt has been a Hublot ambassador since 2009, a relationship cemented across multiple Olympic cycles and product collaborations. The brand produced limited-edition pieces celebrating his 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, and Bolt's personal collection is known to span several Hublot references. His choice of the white ceramic Spirit here reflects consistent brand loyalty rather than a one-off placement.

At UK list price of £21,700 — approximately $27,000 USD at prevailing rates — the Spirit of Big Bang White Ceramic 601.HX.0173.LR sits in Hublot's core luxury tier. On the secondary market, white ceramic Hublot references have held value reasonably well given the model's recognition factor, typically trading at or slightly below retail. For collectors drawn to the ambassador connection, this particular sighting adds a layer of provenance interest.