Hublot and Ovechkin: Red Carbon and the Great Eight

The Swiss manufacturer has released its first model in partnership with the hockey player.

The most searched term on the National Hockey League website is the name of the Washington Capitals ice hockey player who wears jersey No. 8. His name is Alexander Ovechkin, better known as Alex Ovechkin or Ovie for short by fans in the US. The 35-year-old Russian ice hockey legend has managed to break numerous records set by outstanding players.

Ovechkin, a native of Moscow, became the eight NHL player to score 700 career goals in 2020, and the second to reach this milestone before turning 35. He was 34 years and 158 days old when became a member of the 700-goal club on February 22, 2020, only second to Wayne Gretzky who was 29.

Ovechkin received a memorable gift from his new partner Hublot after the historic game between the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils. The number 12 was replaced with 700 on dial of the Hublot Big Bang UNICO Titanium, decorated in the shared colors of the Russian flag and the Washington Capitals.

Now one year on, there's a gift for all of Ovie's fans. Hublot has released its first model in partnership with the hockey player, the Big Bang Unico Red Carbon Alex Ovechkin. The colors of the Russian flag also make an appearance on the face of the latest limited edition watch (100 pieces) — just take a look at the central chronograph hand.

But it's Ovechkin's connection with the Capitals that's foregrounded, who he joined fresh out of Dynamo Moscow in 2005/06. The first thing that catches your eye is the watch's 45-mm carbon case. Layers of carbon fiber have been fused with red micro-glass fiber accents using a resin-tinted adhesive.

The case is complemented by a fabric sports strap. Of course, it could only be red. But there's also a second option of a black rubber strap. You can change the straps as many times as you want throughout the day thanks to the quick “One-Click” fastening system.

Of course, the dial is also filled with the ice hockey player's iconic symbols. The number eight stands out, which isn't just Ovie's jersey number by the way, it's also how old he was when he first started skating. The conventional Arabic numeral for eight has been swapped for "the Great Eight" logo — Ovechkin's nickname in the NHL.

The watch comes with a souvenir custom hockey puck with the same logo signed by the player. His signature can also be seen on the caseback. The special edition watches house the UNICO caliber chronograph flyback mechanism with a column wheel.