Since the beginning of recorded history, gold has been revered as a precious and valuable material; often attributed with spiritual powers. Used in its pure, soft form since the dawn of man, it was the great Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen who sought to create the first ever gold alloy(s).

Throughout the millennia that followed, gold alloy production methods were standardized and remained relatively unchanged as international standards for gold were established, and hence the composition of gold alloys also remained largely untouched. Today, we are all familiar with 18-carat gold (18k) as a high-quality gold alloy used in jewelry, watches and works of art. One should be familiar with the other metals added to the 24-carat pure gold (mostly commonly silver and copper, among others) to create a slightly better “performing” gold that retains its unique allure, while being rendered slightly harder and more resistant to oxidation which causes the surface to appear dull. But even in 18k gold alloys, the metal is still easily prone to scratches and dings; a downside which most wearers know all too well.

In Hublot’s quest for creating new composites and alloys that can withstand everyday abuse, as well as on improving the performance of traditional precious metals, a revolution has finally been achieved. A close-knit partnership with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) metallurgy department and several years of research and development later, Hublot has finally achieved what was long regarded as impossible: the creation of an 18-karat unscratchable, inoxidable gold alloy, named “Magic Gold”, to which Hublot holds the patents.

Yesterday, at the Hublot manufacture in Nyon, a press conference was held to unveil the first-ever sample produced. Led by Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver and EPFL metallurgy expert Professor Andreas Mortensen, everyone present was in complete awe of this ground-breaking development. Hublot also announced that the first watch to be cased in Magic Gold will be unveiled during the Baselworld watch show in March 2012.

Many of our community members have already commented on the name of this innovative material, so today we share with you the thinking that went behind it: When Hublot began testing the uniquely developed process to produce the “Magic Gold”, they noticed that the final material came out of the machines as a black mass. It was only when polishing the material that its gold color began to shine through, as if by an act of wizardry, hence the “magic” effect.

On the rise to set a new standard of performance by precious metals, Magic Gold has indeed opened a new door for Hublot, as the process can be applied to other metals than gold. The possibilities are truly endless!

Join Hublot Nation tomorrow as we reveal the entire production process of Magic Gold.