Hublot Designs "Big Bang Out of Africa" Luxury Watch in Support of AWF

BASEL, SWITZERLAND--Swiss watchmaker Hublot SA this week unveiled the "Big Bang Out of Africa," a limited special edition timepiece to benefit the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF).

Hublot designed the watch to support AWF Goodwill Ambassador Veronica Varekova, who is currently featured in a new Hublot campaign highlighting its women's collections, and champions her commitment to AWF. Hublot will donate to AWF a percentage of the sales of the limited edition watch.

"We've made this limited edition watch with powerful colors of black and red. Black because it is a symbol of all our iconic timepiece models, and red for passion and power," says Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Hublot. "I am greatly impressed by the African Wildlife Foundation's 50 years of efforts throughout Africa, and I am happy to be able to support the Foundation through our partnership, and with Veronica. Each watch sold will bring a contribution to the preservation of Africa's wildlife," Biver adds.

Also to support Varekova and her commitment to conserving Africa's wildlife, Hublot will display the AWF logo on advertising campaigns featuring the supermodel, to raise awareness of her activities. By working with Varekova, Hublot also wanted to promote the image of a woman who both embodies and shares its values, namely, a taste for innovation and for adventure off the beaten track, and an awareness of and respect for our environment.

Varekova is already putting these values to work to ensure the wildlife and wild lands of Africa endure for the benefit of people throughout the world, becoming an AWF Goodwill Ambassador with financier Ben Stein in October 2009. Since taking on her role at AWF, Varekova has traveled with Stein to Rwanda to view AWF's work to conserve the highly endangered mountain gorilla and hosted a special fundraising event at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

The Hublot partnership is the latest in her efforts to promote AWF's principles, values, and programs, and to aid AWF in its efforts to raise awareness of and funds to support conservation initiatives throughout the African Heartlands.

"Veronica shares our belief that protecting Africa's wildlife and landscapes is the key to the future economic prosperity of Africa and its people," says AWF CEO Patrick Bergin. "We are grateful to her and the Hublot family for making this unique and exciting partnership possible."

Technical Details of the "Big Bang Out of Africa" Timepiece

Case "Big Bang" 38 mm diameter in black ceramic

Bezel 18 ct white gold set with 48 baguette-cut spinels with 6 H-shaped embedded, polished and locked titanium screws

Crystal Sapphire with interior/exterior anti-reflective treatment

Bezel Lug Black composite resin

Lateral Inserts Red composite resin

Case-back Solid titanium

Crown Steel with red rubber insert

Water resistance 100 m or 10 ATM

Dial Microblasted matt black with black applique numerals and indexes, red AWF logo at 6 o'clock

Hands Black nickel, diamond polished, with black luminescent coating

Movement Quartz, HUB 2900

Strap Lined red rubber

Clasp Black PVD steel

Limited series 500 pieces numbered from 01/500 to 500/500

Media contacts:

African Wildlife Foundation

John Butler

Director of Marketing and Membership

+011 202 939 3333

jbutler@awf.org

Hublot SA

Juliane Robert-Grandpierre

Public Relations Event Manager

+41 (0)22 990 90 00

j.robert-grandpierre@hublot.com