Footballer Romelu Lukaku spotted wearing a Hublot

When Romelu Lukaku arrived at Manchester United as one of the most talked-about transfer signings of that summer window, the Belgian striker's wrist told its own story. On it sat a Hublot Big Bang Aero Bang in steel, reference 311.SX.1170.GR — a watch that, beneath its aggressive exterior, is a more serious mechanical proposition than its nightclub-friendly looks might suggest.

The Aero Bang is distinguished from the standard Big Bang by its fully skeletonized dial and movement architecture. Inside the 44mm brushed and polished steel case beats the HUB1155, a self-winding caliber built on an ETA 2892 base that has been substantially reworked and skeletonized in-house. The movement delivers 42 hours of power reserve and operates at 28,800 vph. The case itself follows Hublot's established Art of Fusion language — six H-shaped titanium screws on the bezel, a porthole-style case middle, and an integrated black rubber strap — all of which became defining visual codes for the brand from the mid-2000s onward.

The reference 311.SX.1170.GR occupies the entry tier of the Aero Bang family, sitting below the gold and carbon fibre variants while still offering the full openworked spectacle. For collectors, the steel configuration is arguably the most wearable and the most honest expression of the model: it prioritizes the movement architecture over material ostentation. The skeletonized HUB1155 is a genuine point of interest at this price level, offering a visual experience closer to haute horlogerie than mass-market sport watches.

Lukaku's connection to Hublot fits a broader pattern. The brand has cultivated deep roots in professional football, partnering with FIFA and individual clubs, and high-profile players wearing Hublot pieces — whether through ambassadorship or personal purchase — is a recurring sighting on the circuit. Lukaku, at the time one of the most expensive strikers in Premier League history, chose a reference that reads as confident without being extravagant.

At UK list price of approximately £13,350, the Big Bang Aero Bang Steel sits in the aspirational-but-accessible band of the luxury market. On the grey market, steel Aero Bang references have historically traded at modest discounts to retail, reflecting solid but not frenzied demand — making this a rational acquisition as much as a status piece.