What do you get the watch enthusiast who has everything? In the case of former Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen, the answer is a one-of-a-kind timepiece.
Last week in Miami, Hublot marked Pippen’s milestone 50th birthday by presenting him with a customized King Power Limited Edition. The watch appears to be an upgraded version of the Unico King Gold set on an alligator instead of a rubber strap and with a diamond-studded bezel instead of carbon.
The icing on the cake —or case back, so to speak—is an image of Pippen himself fused to the sapphire crystal display back. It’s a pretty good gift if we do say so ourselves.
Pippen is a God among men in the sports world (he is literally an Olympian, winning gold as part of the 1992 Dream Team), so obviously we mere mortals can’t get our hands on such a luxurious and personal piece of haute horology. But we can get close with Hublot’s King Power Unico King Gold Carbon.
Hublot’s King Power Unico King Gold Carbon watch
Aesthetically, the watch marries luxe materials (the case is made of a satin-finished 18K King Gold—the reddest gold you can find) with high-tech elements, like a carbon fiber and black rubber bezel attached with PVD titanium screws.
Even though the watch measures in at a whopping 48mm, it is surprisingly elegant. The heaviness of the case is offset by the lightness of a clear sapphire dial that lets you admire the skeletonized movement.
Of course the HUB1240 Unico Self-winding Chronograph Flyback Movement is Hublot’s pride and joy. The result of four years of research and development within Hublot’s own manufacture, it’s made up of 330 hand-assembled parts. Its unique construction also allows for additional like a GMT or Bi-Retrograde Chronograph., should you choose a different version of the King Power.
Pippen will go down and history as one of basketball’s most versatile and agile players, so he definitely deserves a bespoke timepiece. Likewise, the flexibility of the King Power collection suits him to a T.
