Kapoor Watch Co. in Conversation with Julien Tornare, CEO of Hublot

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Tornare has spent over half his life (27 years) in the luxury watchmaking business.

Beginning his professional career as Raymond Weil’s Sales Manager for European markets, he transitioned to Vacheron Constantin — where, over the course of 17 years, he served as Managing Director for the Swiss, U.S. and Asia-Pacific markets. In 2017, he joined LVMH as CEO of Zenith, a brand he rebuilt and helped reclaim its former glory. Appointed CEO of Hublot in September 2024, Tornare’s sharp sense of leadership and deep understanding of the luxury watch market enabled him to hit the ground running, while also embracing Hublot’s definitive spirit of experimentalism and innovation.

For the first time in his career, Tornare visits India to get an on-ground view of its booming luxury market that’s getting increasingly curious about the wonders of watchmaking. During his visit, he met with Kapoor Watch Co. to explore future growth opportunities, sharing a mutual passion for innovation and watchmaking. Over a tête-à-tête, Tornare spotlights the importance of the Big Bang collection (which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025), his plans as Hublot’s new CEO, and the future of the luxury watchmaking landscape.

As Hublot’s new CEO, what’s your long-term goal for the brand? What’s the first big change you made after joining the brand?

Hublot is 45 years young, it’s still building the future. We will continue to innovate, be creative, experiment with new complications and movements, and of course, develop new materials with bold designs. My first big move was to make 2025 the year of the Big Bang. Marking its 20th anniversary, I wanted to push the envelope, innovate further, and celebrate this icon.

Hublot’s ‘Art of Fusion’ blends tradition and innovation. How is Hublot evolving for the next generation of watch enthusiasts (Gen Z)?

The ‘Art of Fusion’, created by Mr. Carlo Crocco, Founder of Hublot, is extremely important to us. He developed a unique watch that incorporated mixed rubber, precious metal, and gold — a recipe that’s a part of Hublot’s DNA to date. Looking into the future, we will continue to shake the Swiss watch industry by developing unexpected materials and, of course, be the most innovative brand in the Swiss watch industry.

Sapphire and Ceramic are Hublot’s most experimental avenues — What’s the brand’s mission with the materials?

Hublot has proudly earned a reputation for introducing breakthrough materials. We’ve already brought forth ceramic, coloured ceramic, Sapphire, Magic Gold, and others, because of which Hublot is revered as a pioneer of material innovation. In February 2025, Hublot unveiled the world’s first bi-colour ceramic case watch (Big Bang Unico Magic Ceramic). Its chemical composition was extremely difficult to produce, and Hublot is undoubtedly proud of this accomplishment. In the future, we will continue to surprise our clients with incredible new developments like this.

Hublot has a bold presence in sports — What do these partnerships mean to the brand?

Since the creation of Hublot, sports have been at our core. While Hublot is an emotional brand, sports is an incredibly emotional driver for our clients. As Hublot participates in global sports, we encourage our clients, the ‘Hublotistas’, to share this passion and embody the spirit of Hublot. There’s so much emotion in these sporting moments we spend with our clients, and of course, luxury is all about emotions, and that’s something we love sharing with our clients and sports aficionados.

How do you think technologies like blockchain, AI, and augmented reality are going to reshape the watch world?

While the Swiss watchmaking landscape is highly conservative and tied to tradition, Hublot is one of the most contemporary brands. I believe these emerging technologies will allow brands like Hublot to expand their product experience beyond physical means. Perhaps one day you can visit a Hublot boutique online, yet have a genuine, luxurious experience, as if you’re physically present in a brick-and-mortar store. These can present so many new opportunities for brands and clients.

At the heart of Hublot, what are its core emotions?

In the luxury business, we don’t only sell beautiful products or watches — we sell emotion, passion, we sell great moments that you want to celebrate. Hublot is a very emotional brand, be it our sports, arts, or music collaborations, it’s all about embracing emotions, and Hublot aims to offer these opportunities for Hublotista fans all over the world to connect with their passions. People aren’t buying an object, they’re investing in a memorable, fantastic moment.

Which is your favourite Hublot watch of all time?

There are plenty of Hublot watches close to my heart, but if I have to pick one, it would be the Big Bang Original, which was launched 20 years ago. It was truly revolutionary at launch, and perhaps, the first ‘iconic’ watch of the 21st century. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, our responsibility is to continue its strides of innovation as we pay tribute to the original icon.

Which watch are you wearing today?

Today, I’m honoured to be wearing a beautiful timepiece, one of the new watches we launched at LVMH Watch Week 2025. It’s the Meca 10, 42 millimetres, in a frosted carbon case, which is the perfect mix of high-end material innovation with a sophisticated movement, and the highest degree of finishing ever done on a Hublot watch. Crafted out of frosted carbon, it’s highly lightweight and comfortable to wear. This timepiece embodies the true essence of Hublot.