Written by: Cathy Tenzo

If you’re looking for a distinctive luxury watch with a decidedly automotive flair, look no further than the Hublot Big Bang 41mm Automatic Men’s Watch 342.SB.131.RX. This is a chronograph that’s sure to get you noticed, and it’s as close as you can come to wearing a race car around your wrist.

Features:

• Stamped black carbon fiber dial
• Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
• Stainless steel case
• Fixed black ceramic bezel
• HUB 1145 self-winding chronographic automatic movement
• Textured natural rubber strap looks like tire tread
• Water resistant to 100 meters
• List price: $13,700

Hublot is a Swiss company, and the Hublot Big Bang 41mm Automatic Men’s Watch 342.SB.131.RX is from their flagship collection. The company pioneered the use of natural rubber in watch straps, creating a lightweight band that forms comfortably to the wrist without the potential irritation of stitching. The band has an impressed texture that looks like the tread in a very fast tire, and the face continues the theme with multiple readout dials. This is a watch you want to drive, and the black carbon fiber has a pattern of small squares that looks like the flag that comes down at the beginning of a drag race. I’m almost surprised the watch doesn’t vroom.

The Guess watch mimics the styling of the Hublot without the price tag

The brand has won accolades and awards for its designs, although some reviewers claim that the watches are derivative and look a lot like each other. That’s okay if you like the aesthetic, and the watch should be as rugged as its visuals suggest, with a sapphire crystal and a black ceramic bezel. Black is a classic choice for a man’s watch that accessorizes with everything, and this is indeed a very masculine timepiece. It’s also water resistant, so feel free to splash through the occasional puddle with sassy European style. Hublot sponsors the rough and ready Manchester United Football Team, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is among its fans. Some reviewers claim that you’re paying for that cachet, and that this brand is not worth the steep luxury price, but the watch has equally vociferous admirers. If you like the look but don’t feel like footing the bill, you might want to try the Guess Men’s Watch 4650061-4 which retails on Amazon for $464. It looks very similar with a rubber strap and a carbon fiber dial reminiscent of its luxury counterpart.

The United Manchester Football Team is sponsored by Hublot

The watch has a generally positive reputation among watch fans and collectors, and I found nothing to indicate that the Swiss movement is faulty in any way. This is a seriously sporty watch that should be able to keep you company as you venture through the wilderness or the workplace. If you’re looking for an investment that impresses, the Hublot Big Bang 41mm Automatic Men’s Watch 342.SB.131.RX might very well be the watch for you. It’s sure to get you noticed, and it might just add a little bit of power to your step.