Hublot’s origin story is unusually clear for a modern watch brand.
In 1980, Carlo Crocco presented a gold watch on a rubber strap at the Basel Fair, pairing precious metal with a material then more closely associated with utility than luxury.
The new Classic Fusion Tributo revisits that first idea with a 38 mm case, a restrained dial and a self-winding movement behind the case back.
At a glance
- Hublot has introduced the Classic Fusion Tributo as a direct homage to Carlo Crocco’s 1980 debut design.
- The watch is offered in 18-carat yellow gold or white gold, each with a minimalist dial, exposed bezel screws and a black rubber strap.
- Both versions are priced at CHF 25,000, €30,200 or US$30,900.
A 1980 idea brought back into focus
The original Hublot was presented under the MDM Genève name and established several of the brand’s enduring visual codes.
Its porthole-style bezel, twelve visible screws and clean dial gave the watch a graphic identity that didn’t depend on classical ornamentation.
The more radical element was the strap.
By placing rubber against gold, Crocco created the tension that Hublot would later define as the Art of Fusion.
That idea would take a louder form with the Big Bang in 2005, but the Classic Fusion line has always carried the more restrained side of the same philosophy.
The Tributo leans into that restraint rather than trying to modernise the watch beyond recognition.
Gold, rubber and the discipline of restraint
The Classic Fusion Tributo grows from the original 36 mm diameter to 38 mm, while keeping the case relatively slim at 9.5 mm thick.
Both versions use polished and satin-finished 18-carat gold cases, with twelve slightly domed H-shaped screws in polished titanium securing the bezel.
The dial remains deliberately spare, with no hour markers and a date window at 3 o’clock.
A screw-down crown helps deliver 100 metres of water resistance, a practical detail that sits neatly with the watch’s nautical inspiration.
Hublot has also left out its One Click strap-changing system here, preserving the construction and appearance of the historic model.
The exposed lugs and black lined rubber strap keep the material contrast at the centre of the design.
Two versions with different moods
The yellow-gold reference 262.VX.1130.RX.MDM is the more direct descendant of Crocco’s original gold-and-rubber formula.
It uses a matt black dial with a subtle charcoal effect, while the movement carries a 22-carat yellow-gold oscillating weight.
Gold MDM lettering appears at 6 o’clock, recalling the signature on the original MDM Genève Hublot.
The initials also connect to the Main Dans la Main Foundation, established by Crocco in 1998 to support humanitarian and educational projects for vulnerable children and communities in need.
The white-gold reference 262.WX.6870.RX.MDM gives the same architecture a more formal character.
Its black onyx dial has a polished, deeper surface, matched with black-plated titanium bezel screws and a black tungsten oscillating weight.
The watches share the same size, movement, water resistance and strap, but those dial, screw and rotor treatments make them feel noticeably different.
A mechanical heart replaces the original quartz calibre
The most significant departure sits inside the case.
Where the 1980 watch used a quartz calibre, the Classic Fusion Tributo is powered by the HUB1711 self-winding manufacture movement.
Visible through a sapphire crystal case back, the movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a 50-hour power reserve.
It comprises 185 components and uses an open-worked oscillating weight shaped as Hublot’s H.
That detail gives the watch a contemporary mechanical identity while keeping the exterior close to the founding design.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Hublot |
|---|---|
| Model | Classic Fusion Tributo |
| References | 262.VX.1130.RX.MDM in yellow gold, 262.WX.6870.RX.MDM in white gold |
| Case size | 38 mm |
| Case thickness | 9.5 mm |
| Case material | Polished and satin-finished 18-carat yellow gold or 18-carat white gold |
| Bezel screws | Twelve slightly domed H-shaped screws in polished titanium or black-plated titanium, depending on version |
| Dial | Matt black with charcoal effect on yellow-gold model, black onyx on white-gold model |
| Movement | HUB1711 self-winding manufacture movement |
| Frequency | 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz |
| Power reserve | 50 hours |
| Components | 185 |
| Case back | Sapphire crystal |
| Water resistance | 100 metres, 330 feet |
| Strap | Black lined rubber strap |
| Price | CHF 25,000, €30,200, US$30,900 |
| Warranty | Five-year standard warranty for eligible watches purchased from 1 January 2026, extendable by five additional years through the Hublotista programme before the initial warranty expires |
Hublot is also marking the release with a CHF 100,000 donation to the Main Dans la Main Foundation.
For collectors, the appeal is clear enough.
The Classic Fusion Tributo isn’t trying to reinterpret Hublot’s past from a distance, but to return to the clean, slightly provocative combination that gave the brand its identity in the first place.
