Created with recycling and circularity in mind, the new Big Bang timepiece is the world’s first watch made using recycled Nespresso capsules and coffee grounds.
There are many known ways of putting coffee grounds to good use, but creating watch straps with it, is new. Two iconic Swiss brands, Nespresso and Hublot, are pioneering this innovation with the new Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin watch. But the strap is not all that’s making new waves: The watch case, bezel, crown, and pusher are also made by fusing the recycled aluminium with the aluminium coffee capsules.
This world-first is the latest in Nespresso’s Second Life initiatives taken over the last seven years, where it partnered with other prestigious Swiss brands to create new products from used aluminium capsules. Nespresso’s recycling system, designed in 1991, separates the aluminium from the coffee grounds, enabling each component to be repurposed. Together with Hublot’s renowned Art of Fusion – developing new alloys, materials, and composites to push the boundaries of use for different materials and placing rubber at the heart of the watchmaking industry – the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin was created, reflecting the shared values of innovation, excellence and sustainability at the core of both brands.
This is a watch that delivers three world firsts: a symbol of the infinite possibilities for upcycling.
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot
The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin’s striking shade of green is a nod to the Master Origins Peru Organic capsule from Nespresso, uniform throughout the watch. It took Hublot a whole year of research and development, working closely with Nespresso, to finally achieve the perfect harmony of colours between seven different materials that make up the watch, from its case to its straps (anodised aluminium, the varnish on the dial and hands, the Hublot logo decal on the glass, the rubber of the strap, and the fabric, lining and hook & loop tape of the Velcro strap, and to ensure that this uniformity of colour would stand the test of time.
The Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin’s 42-mm case is crafted in recycled aluminium, of which 28% comes from Nespresso coffee capsules, anodised in vibrant green, then satin finished and polished. The crown and pusher undergo the same treatment. The bottom of the case and the container are both made from Eco-Titanium (recycled titanium). The titanium deployant buckle of the rubber strap, with its decorative recycled aluminium cap, and the sport buckle of the Velcro strap are also in the same anodised green colour. Nespresso’s iconic “N” is also engraved on the crown.
To create the rubber strap, Hublot takes the recycled coffee grounds from Nespresso capsules and applies the magic of Hublot’s patented One Click interchangeable strap system, skilfully balancing the ratio of each ingredient (fusing 4.1% coffee grounds, 8.2% recycled white rubber and the usual Hublot formula) to achieve the perfect colour and quality. For the fabric strap, Hublot collaborated with SingTex, one of Nespresso’s partners that was already using recycled coffee grounds to produce a fabric called Scafé – a 100% recycled fabric composed of 5% coffee grounds and 95% recycled polyester – which is being used for the first time to make a watch strap.
The collaboration all comes together with Hublot’s new Greenbox case specially decorated with the two brands’ logos, affixed using coffee grounds. This case, developed by Hublot, will be used for all its future watch collections. The entire case, including its hinges are created from massive, traceable oak wood, of which the wood sourcing and manufacturing promotes short supply chains. Designed to be a reusable item, 98% of its removable interior is made from eco-friendly and recycled components, including recycled fabrics, plastic yarns and PET, as well as recycled paper and cardboard that are eco-labelled.
The creation of the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin pushed the boundaries of circularity, showing that that it is possible to add value to recycled raw materials.
It demonstrates that circular products can be just as elegant and refined as conventional luxury products, proving that it is possible to combine environmental values and aesthetic requirements without compromise.
Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso
Images courtesy of Hublot, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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