Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Xherdan Shaqiri spotted wearing Hublot

Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss international winger who built his Premier League profile at Stoke City before later moves to Liverpool and Inter Miami, was photographed wearing the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Skeleton Dial in white ceramic — reference 601.HX.0173.LR — as his self-described summer watch. The sighting offered a clear look at one of Hublot's more architecturally complex pieces from the Spirit of Big Bang family.

The Spirit of Big Bang departs from Hublot's signature round Big Bang silhouette in favor of a tonneau-shaped case measuring 42mm. Reference 601.HX.0173.LR executes this in white ceramic, a material that demands precision sintering and extensive finishing to achieve its clean, monochromatic aesthetic. The dial is fully skeletonized, exposing the hand-wound HUB1700 caliber beneath sapphire crystal on both sides. The movement delivers 115 hours of power reserve — a genuine technical achievement for a manually wound skeleton — and beats at 28,800 vph. The white ceramic bracelet integrates seamlessly with the case, giving the watch a cohesive, almost sculptural presence on the wrist.

Within the Spirit of Big Bang range, the white ceramic skeleton references occupy a collector-friendly niche. The tonneau case shape has genuine horological heritage, and Hublot's execution in ceramic demands respect regardless of where one stands on the brand's aesthetic. Skeleton movements also invite closer scrutiny from enthusiasts, and the HUB1700's architecture holds up well under that examination.

Shaqiri's affinity for statement watches is well documented. A player of his earning profile — multiple Champions League appearances and lucrative club contracts across Europe — naturally gravitates toward timepieces that project confidence without subtlety. The all-white ceramic Spirit of Big Bang is exactly that kind of watch: visually arresting, technically credible, and unambiguous in its intent.

At a UK RRP of approximately £20,000 — translating to roughly $25,000 at prevailing rates — the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang ref. 601.HX.0173.LR sits in a competitive segment of the luxury market. Grey market pricing on this reference has historically tracked close to retail, reflecting steady rather than speculative demand. It is the kind of purchase that signals considered luxury spending rather than investment-grade collecting.