After partnering with Nubeo in 2009 to launch a line of watches, Kobe Bryant is at it again, this time, he’s working with Hublot. And instead of an entire collection built around Kobe, Hublot is producing a limited edition Kobe Bryant timepiece.
Kobe Bryant is one of the most successful and aggressive active NBA players, and so he has earned the nickname “Black Mamba” which is a venomous snake native to Africa — the fastest snake in the world — with a reputation for being aggressive.
Introducing the Hublot King Power Black Mamba — presented in a micro-blasted black ceramic case measuring 48 mm in diameter. The dial features a silver-colored snake that weaves through its multiple layers and wraps around the counter at 9 o’clock. At 6 o’clock is the number “24” which represents Kobe’s jersey number. Inside is not just any chronograph movement, it’s a split-second chronograph movement.
The bezel is in black micro-blasted ceramic with micro-blasted titanium 6 black PVD H-shaped relief screws. A sapphire crystal with interior/exterior anti-reflective treatment and purple 0-60 indications on the glass protects the dial. The bezel lugs and lateral inserts are in black composite resin. Crown in black PVD titanium, with Hublot logo 3N gold 18K and black rubber insert. A pusher at 2 is in black PVD titanium and the pusher at 4 is in satin-finished titanium. The hands satin-finished 3N gold-plated hands with luminous material. The dial has Dial with 4 zones of 12 minutes (each quarter of an NBA game is 12 minutes) in black and gold indexes in satin-finished 3N gold-plated with black luminous paint “Snake” XXXXX micro-blasted black PVD. An open case back in micro-blasted black ceramic with Kobe Bryant signature on the sapphire crystal.
The movement is automatic (caliber HUB 4248) has a special central 48-minute counter to time basketball games which are 48-minutes. The date indicated in a trapezoidal window at 4:30. The movement runs at 4Hz, has a power reserve of 42-hours, with 28 jewels, and 249 total components.
One of the snake-themed elements is a real Python snake strap sewed on black rubber with buckle clasp in micro-blasted black PVD titanium and ceramic. Water-resistant tp 100 meters. Limited series of 250 pieces numbered. (Ref. 748.CI.1119.PR.KOB13)
