Game, Set, Match: Inside Novak Djokovic’s First Watch for Hublot

There is a reason why they say dream big, and Novak Djokovic is probably one of the best real-life examples of this fierce belief that you can make things happen. When Novak Djokovic became Hublot’s brand ambassador back in 2021, he knew from day one that he wanted to create a watch. Three years later, this watch is on his wrist, and also on the wrists of 99 lucky Hublot customers who will get a chance to get a hand on this limited edition item, presented in Paris earlier this week.

Robust, light and sustainable. The case and the bezel of the new 42mm Big Bang Unico are made out of recycled 25 Head racquets and a great bunch of Lacoste blue polos (15 light blue and 17 dark blue, to be more precise), that Novak used last season, which brought him his 24th Gram Slam title (he outplayed all the other legends of his generation Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray). It’s also the lightest watch ever made by Hublot, and when I try it on my wrist with the new Hublot CEO Julien Tornare, he smiles: “It’s only 49,5 grams, lighter than a tennis ball! You know, tennis players never wear watches on the court, because they say it’s not light enough, but also there is the strap that they constantly feel on their wrist, which can be quite disturbing when you are there to win. That’s why Novak’s watch comes not only with four colourful classic straps but also a sports elastic band. I am a big fan of tennis, so I play with it now. Hopefully, we will see Novak play with it, as well!”.

When I ask Julien what was the biggest challenge this time, he explains that it’s all about innovation: “When you create a new material, you have to be sure that the material is resistant enough - for example, that’s is going to be water-resistant and unscratchable. Every time we develop a new material, we take the risk”. Apart from upcycled rackets and polo shirts, this time Hublot research and development teams worked withtempered Gorilla glass, a material used in high-end electronics and two times lighter than traditional sapphire crystal. Also, the standard Unico movement in brass had to be reinvented in aluminum to reduce the weight of the watch: in doing so, Hublot’s engineers were able to reduce the weight of the movement by 27%, shedding almost a third of its weight. That’s what you call magic!

“Tennis is very similar to watchmaking”, continues Tornare. “It’s all about traditions, codes, history, and habits. Everything is very well set. But Hublot has always been different from the others, we are disruptive, and often seen as enfant terrible of watchmaking. That’s why we are successful. The same goes for Novak in the world of tennis: he has a very special character and personality, he is very affirmative, and he knows what he wants. He has an opinion, and he is not afraid to express it. That’s what we like about him beyond his incredible tennis achievements, it’s a lot about his personality that is a good fit with Hublot”.

We end our meeting with Julien Tornare at the Hublot boutique on Place Vendôme and walk across the most beautiful square in the world to Hotel d’Évreux, where the revealing of the watch for the happy few will take place. WhyParis? Well, it is a very special city for Novak, who played countless times here at Roland Garros and Paris Masters, but it is also the place where he won his Olympic gold for the very first time back in August.

“Paris is definitely one of the most meaningful cities in my career. I had plenty of success in this city, but the one that stands out is the Paris Olympics 2024”, confides Novak. “At 37, I thought that maybe it was my last chance. There was pressure, but I felt readier than ever, to be honest, and I won! Representing my country Serbia has always been the highest honor and privilege and it brings motivation, energy, and the greatest drive in me. I had some of the heartbreaking biggest losses in my career prior to playing at the Olympic Games. The whole trajectory and the journey of coming to Olympic Gold made this success even bigger. Now coming back to Paris feels very golden for me”.

All in all, it seems only natural that to present his dream project, he decided to come back to his special place. After competing with Julien Tornare at a viral tennis ball reaction challenge in front of the happy crowd, Djokovic stayed on stage to reply to some questions about his creation. And if you wondered, yes, he was involved at every step of the design process - from the sustainable and lightweight concept to the final colour rendering (the pusher button had to be tennis ball yellow, of course). Now he is proud to say that his dream watch is not only a one-of-a-kind and a masterpiece of innovation, but also has a cool vibe.  

So, what's on his mind now that so many dreams of his come true? How does he manage to have it all? “It’s such a wonderful question! We are all unique in our ways. I have developed a formula that works for me on and off the court. There are universal values such as resilience, dedication or drive. But I think the process is important to enjoy, as well. It makes me happy. I also stay healthy and I am grateful for people who supported me along the way. I am blessed to be part of the tennis world, thanks to this platform we can share our emotions worldwide. I come from Serbia that went through a lot of adversity when I was growing up, and all this journey makes even more special for me everything that I have achieved. I am not afraid to say that I am living my dream every day. Tonight is a special night, I am experiencing something I have never experienced before, participating in the design of this watch - it’s a great one - it has a lot of meaning to me”. And he checked the time on his dream watch, and was off. As they say, the world lies in the hands of those who have the courage to dream.

Courtesy: Hublot

Text: Lidia Ageeva