GENEVA — At this year's Watches and Wonders fair, the Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot once again turned to sport, music, and art to draw in crowds. The brand's latest ambassador, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, drew a near-stampede of journalists and fans at the Palexpo exhibition centre on 14 April 2026.
Bolt, who holds eight Olympic gold medals and multiple world records, has been a Hublot ambassador for over a decade. "I've been with Hublot pretty much most of my career," he told European Pulse. "I've retired for years and I'm still working with them. We're still doing a lot of different things. It's always a pleasure to be associated with great luxury brands."
For Bolt, time is not merely a concept but a lived reality. "Time is everything," he said. "My whole life has always been focused on time and what it's all about — the speed and how it affects my life. So it's just everything to me."
A Watch Made from World-Record Spikes
When asked about his favourite watch, Bolt did not hesitate. "It's actually my first Big Bang because it was made out of the spikes that I ran my second world record out of. I really like the touch that they did for me." That watch, a bespoke piece, incorporates material from the track shoes he wore when he set the 100-metre world record in 2009.
Hublot, founded in 1980, is relatively young compared to Swiss rivals like Patek Philippe or Rolex. But CEO Julien Tornare argues that the brand's lack of centuries-old heritage is an asset. "We have young clients but we also have more mature clientele that have been buying the typical watch brands that we all know, but they want something new," Tornare said. "They want to experience new materials. They want a new way of expressing watchmaking."
The new Big Bang Reloaded collection, which Bolt fronted, is crafted from materials that have defined Hublot's identity — including ceramic, titanium, and King Gold. Several of these materials mark key anniversaries in 2026.
Tornare emphasised that Hublot deliberately partners with "emotion drivers" — figures from sport, music, and contemporary art. "What better emotion drivers than sport, music, or art?" he asked. The brand's roster includes football stars Kylian Mbappé and Luís Figo, as well as artists and musicians.
Figo, the former Portugal international, was also at the fair, quietly inspecting watches. He told European Pulse that football and watchmaking share a natural affinity. "In football you always have to be on time, if not you lose your goals," Figo said. "To have the chance to be with a luxury brand like Hublot is always a privilege."
The presence of such high-profile ambassadors underscores a broader trend in the luxury watch industry: using celebrity partnerships to reach younger, more diverse audiences. As Geneva's Watches and Wonders showcases luxury industry's global celebrity strategy, Hublot's approach stands out for its focus on collaboration rather than heritage.
Bolt, now 39, remains a global icon. His partnership with Hublot has outlasted his competitive career, a rarity in sports marketing. "I'm happy to be ambassador for them," he said. "We're still doing a lot of different things."
For a brand that prides itself on disruption, having Bolt as a face of the collection is a statement. As Tornare put it, Hublot aims to offer something new to clients ranging "from teenagers all the way to people in their 70s, 80s." The Big Bang Reloaded, with its bold design and material innovation, is the latest chapter in that story.
