Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Diego Maradona spotted wearing Hublot

Diego Maradona was photographed wearing the Hublot Big Bang Unico King Gold, reference 411.OX.1180.RX.0904 — a watch that, much like its wearer, refuses to go unnoticed. The 45mm case dominates the wrist with the kind of physical confidence that made Maradona unmistakable on a football pitch, and the combination of skeletonised dial and warm rose gold tone delivers maximum visual impact without resorting to diamonds or gem-setting.

At the heart of the Big Bang Unico King Gold ref. 411.OX.1180.RX.0904 sits the HUB1242 UNICO calibre, a column-wheel flyback chronograph movement developed and manufactured entirely in-house at Hublot's Nyon facility. Beating at 4Hz with a 72-hour power reserve, the movement is visible through the open-worked dial and caseback, revealing a construction that integrates the chronograph mechanism laterally rather than stacking it vertically — a genuine technical achievement that brought Hublot real manufacture credibility when it debuted in 2011. The case itself is rendered in King Gold, Hublot's proprietary 18KT rose gold alloy enriched with platinum particles to achieve a Vickers hardness roughly double that of conventional 18KT gold, making it meaningfully more scratch-resistant in daily wear.

Among collectors, the Big Bang Unico King Gold occupies a specific position: it is the top-tier, no-compromise expression of the Big Bang line, free from the distraction of diamond pavé and aimed at buyers who want precious metal substance paired with genuine horology. The UNICO movement's lateral clutch and column wheel give it credibility in technical discussions that earlier Hublot chronographs — relying on modified ETA or Valjoux ebauches — could not claim. Reference 411.OX.1180.RX.0904 pairs the King Gold case with a brown rubber strap and matching dial tones, a warmer, more cohesive aesthetic than the steel variants.

Maradona's connection to Hublot was not casual. The brand signed him as an ambassador and collaborator, producing dedicated Maradona limited editions that played directly on his legend. His wearing of the standard production ref. 411.OX.1180.RX.0904 alongside those bespoke pieces confirmed a genuine affinity with the brand rather than a purely contractual one — the watch was part of his everyday vocabulary.

At UK list price of £80,600, the Hublot Big Bang Unico King Gold sits firmly in serious luxury territory. On the grey market, King Gold Big Bang references hold their value reasonably well relative to steel equivalents, with pre-owned examples in strong condition trading at modest discounts to retail — a reflection of the material cost floor that precious metal cases provide.