Here’s Why This Ultralight Sports Watch Is Called the ‘G.O.A.T.’

This week is LVMH Watch Week in the watch world, the first multi-brand showcase of the new year. While I did not attend this year’s main event in Milan, I did check out a smaller novelties presentation co-hosted by TAG Heuer, Zenith and Hublot in New York yesterday.

The three brands all showed off their latest and greatest, but perhaps the most impressive came from Hublot with the brand’s new Big Bang Tourbillon dubbed the “GOAT Edition.”

So, why is Hublot referring to its new watch as the Greatest Of All Time? It all comes down to the inspiration behind the watch, Hublot’s top ambassador: Tennis great Novak Djokovic.

Hublot

Game, set, match

Whether you have Djokovic as your men’s tennis G.O.A.T. or not — I personally would put him third behind Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal — the Serbian superstar certainly has the numbers to back up his claim to the throne, including his record 24 Grand Slam titles and record 428 weeks ranked number one on the ATP Tour.

Hublot signed Djokovic as an ambassador in 2021, and the brand celebrated the partnership in 2024 when it launched the innovative Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic. The chronograph was notable for its unique lightweight case, which was made of a composite made from Novak’s own recycled Head racquets and Lacoste polos, with the resultant watch weighing less than a tennis ball.

Now, Hublot has gone even further with its Novak-inspired mad science in creating the Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition.

Hublot

Like the previous collab, the GOAT Edition has a lightweight composite case made from Novak’s old Head racquets and Lacoste polos, along with lighter Gorilla Glass crystals on the front and back instead of sapphire. However, it’s bigger at 44mm across, and it adds Titaplast — the world’s strongest polymer — for the midcase. The result is a watch that’s a smidge heavier than the 2024 model at 56 grams, but it’s still lighter than a tennis ball and was confusingly light when I held it in my hand.

The case is quite remarkable and looks very cool with a translucent, camo-like pattern, but what’s even more impressive is the movement. The watch is powered by Hublot’s MHUB6035 automatic calibre, which features a tourbillon at 6:00 and an Hublot-branded micro-rotor at 12:00, both of which are visible through the sapphire dial.

Hublot

What’s most impressive about the movement is the mainplate. Eschewing a traditional solid mainplate, Hublot has gone with an intricate 3D lattice designed to look like the strings of a tennis racquet. Although it resembles interwoven cables, each measuring 0.55mm across and connecting to the inner case at the edges, it’s actually a single piece machined via laser engraving. The effect is quite cool and unique, giving the illusion that the movement’s components are mounted on strings.

Furthering the “tennis, anyone?” vibes is the mainspring barrel, which features a cap that’s been made to resemble a tennis ball, complete with an engraving to give it a fuzzy texture and a lacquer finish in tennis ball yellow.

Hublot

The strap is heavier than on the previous Novak watch, but it’s plenty comfortable. It’s made of white leather with a look inspired by the grip on a tennis racquet. It’s secured with velcro and features a colored lining to match the case.

Speaking of color, there are three different ones for the GOAT Edition, inspired by the three court surfaces of the ATP Tour: blue for hard courts, green for grass and orange for clay.

Pricing and availability

The GOAT Edition is limited to 101 pieces, matching Novak’s 101 ATP titles, and the number available of each color corresponds to Djokovic’s prowess on its matching surface. That translates to 72 blue watches for his 72 hard court victories, 21 orange watches to match his 21 clay court titles, and just 8 green watches since he’s won 8 titles on grass, with his 7 Wimbledon champions accounting for all but one of them.

The Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition is priced at $121,000, and when I met with the brand, I was told that someone — not Novak, apparently — had already purchased a full set of three, which comes in a special commemorative case.

I’m guessing that mystery buyer probably has Djokovic as their GOAT.

Hublot

Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Novak Djokovic GOAT Edition

Specs

Case Size	44mm
Movement	Hublot Cal. HUB6035 automatic tourbillon
Water Resistance	30m

• $121,000 at Hublot

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