Hublot Masters Monochrome Style With ‘Classic Fusion Essential Grey’ Titanium Watch

The online-only automatic watch is an exercise in elegantly understated style.

On the heels of Hublot’s flashy recent releases—the Arsham Drop pocket watch, the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System and the stealthy Depeche Mode Big Bang—the Swiss watchmaker is pivoting to a more subdued style with the new Classic Fusion Essential Grey timepiece.

Hublot has made a tradition out of applying the monochrome treatment to a singe model once per year, beginning with the skeletonized Big Bang Unico Essential Grey and followed by last year’s barrel-shaped Spirit of Big Bang Essential Grey. But with a classically round bezel and solid dial, the Classic Fusion Essential Grey is the most understated Essential Grey variation thus far.

The pared-down design features a satin-finished titanium case, a titanium bezel clamped down by six of Hublot’s hallmark H-shaped screws, a sunray-finished dial with three central hands and an unassuming date window, and an integrated bracelet or a textured rubber strap.

Technically, the Classic Fusion Essential Grey is a collection of two watches, but the distinction between them is a matter of millimeters. The larger option has a case measuring 45 mm and is powered by the HUB112 caliber, while the smaller option measures 42 mm in diameter and runs the HUB1110 caliber. Both automatic movements feature the exact same 42-hour power reserve; the only difference is, again, measured in millimeters.

Even the $8,500 price tag applies to both Classic Fusion Essential Grey models—a rarity when comparing two watches of different sizes. They’re also available exclusively online, and while the specific number available this year wasn’t provided, collectors would be advised to act fast if interested—shop here.