From Yohji Yamamoto to Bucherer, Hublot takes pride in aligning itself with like-minded luxury giants. Hence its latest partnership with cigar company Arturo Fuente, offering a tribute to patriarch Carlos Fuente, Sr.
Though I know next to nothing about cigars, I grew up in Tampa and have first-hand experience of smokey fiestas held in the steamy afternoons. I can attest to both the the vast gulf that divides a good puff and cheap smoke.
Fuente Sr. was born in 1935 in Tampa and took over his family's cigar company in 1956. In the face of countless setbacks, he guided the Arturo Fuente company to insurmountable heights by the turn of the century.
His son, Carlos Fuente Jr., oversees the company since his passing in 2016, raking in awards aplenty for its flagship line, the Fuente Fuente Opus X.
Hublot began working with Arturo Fuente in 2012, issuing several thematic timepieces in the interim.
As their team-up nears its decade anniversary, Hublot is serving up another limited edition timepiece in partnership with Fuente family designer Manny Iriarte.
Offered in an edition of 100, the Big Bang Arturo Fuente Ceramic is as considered as any Fuente cigar, from the 44-mm black ceramic case engraved with a tobacco leaf to the dial's Roman numerals, a nod to the Opus X line's packaging.
Despite all the attention to detail, perhaps the most special element is the box in which the timepiece comes packaged: a lacquered wooden container that doubles as a cigar humidor. ¡Está volao!
"Arturo Fuente cigars are consistently rated among the best cigars in the world," said Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot's CEO.
"It was therefore natural that — brought together by our common desire to push the boundaries of excellence, each in our own field — our two companies joined forces, and have been partners since 2012. It is in this same spirit that we are taking this opportunity to pay tribute to the patriarch Don Carlos Sr."
