Review: Hublot King Power Oceanographic 1000
I’m not someone who lives a life of extremes. As uncool as it might be to admit it, more often than not, I keep to the oft-scorned beaten track—but that doesn’t stop me from being able to admire the extreme and the extraordinary. Whether that be the globe-trotting lifestyle of a world-class diver, or the large, overstated watch he might be wearing on his wrist.
To paraphrase Edmund Blackadder, Hublot wouldn’t know subtlety if painted itself purple and danced naked on a harpsichord singing ‘subtlety is here again’—but that’s what’s so great about it. The brand ignores detractors who might disdain its big, unapologetic aesthetic, pushing ever further the limits of watch size and design. And its pursuit of the extreme doesn’t end with looks alone.
Hublot has developed a link to many high-performance sports—football and basketball to name just two—so it made sense for the brand to turn its attention to one of the most extreme pursuits one can undertake; diving. The Oceanographic was the first series of divers’ watches to be released by Hublot, and derived its name from the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, with which the watchmaker collaborated with for the watch’s development.
Creating a dive watch that is durable, reliable and highly legible takes an immense amount of watchmaking skill—especially for the sort of depths that today’s divers delve to. But Hublot was well prepared for the challenge, and was able to put the large, utilitarian cases it is known for to good use in the Oceanographic. The King Power Diver Oceanographic 1000 is built to withstand 100 atmospheres of pressure—and it looks like it, too.
The three-part case is a mighty 48mm, made from a composite of titanium and carbon. The oversized chronograph pushers are engineered to lock down, preventing leakage and accidental operation of them while the watch is in use. Across the way at 10 o’clock is a large crown to operate the inner uni-directional rotating bezel. Similar to the chronograph pushers, it features a hinged, PVD coated guard that flips open for the wearer to manipulate the timing bezel, and locks securely when not in use. Hublot has clearly dedicated a great deal of time to the mechanics of this watch, and the level of mico-engineering here is remarkable.
The dial is expansive, highly legible, and features the bright highlights needed for use under water. The chronograph hand is centrally mounted, allowing for it to be easily read by the wearer, and the overall effect of the watch is of a timepiece that is ready for anything the road less travelled by has in store for it. Typically my taste in timepieces runs a little more understated, but the Oceanographic is just the sort of watch that tempts me to want to get my feet wet.
Watch Spec | Hublot King Power Oceanographic 1000
Case: Titanium Dimensions: 48mm Crystal: Synthetic sapphire Water Resistance: 1,000m Movement: HUB4160, automatic Frequency: 28,800 vph Power Reserve: 42 hours Strap: Rubber Functions: Time, chronograph | Shop Now
