Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Revives the Brand’s 1980 Roots

In 1980, MDM Genève, founded by Italian entrepreneur Carlo Crocco, released the world’s first gold watch on a rubber strap. It was called the Hublot–French for “porthole”–due to the 12 screws in its prominent round bezel. Ultimately, “MDM Genève” disappeared from the dial and “Hublot” became the brand itself. In 2005, shortly after industy veteran Jean-Claude Biver became CEO, Hublot launched the larger and blockier Big Bang, and that design language propelled Hublot to where it is today. But for 2026, the brand is paying homage to the model that started it all with the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo, offered in a 38mm case made of white or yellow gold.

Historical Context

Today, the concept of luxury watches on rubber straps hardly raises an eyebrow, but it wasn’t always that way–and Hublot had a lot to do with that. MDM Genève’s original Hublot watch was 36mm wide and only 6.5mm thick. Its Swiss quartz ETA 955.412 movement had seven jewels, central hours/minutes/seconds and a date at 3 o’clock.

Hublot would continue to release similar models for over two decades in various sizes, almost always with quartz movements.

Now let’s get into the specifics of the new Tributo.

Case/Design

The case is one of the most important and distinctive parts of any Hublot, and the Classic Fusion Tributo has slightly softer curves than the brand usually uses.

The bezel itself is narrower on the Tributo than on other Classic Fusions, plus the lugs are stubbier. And there’s a lot of complexity in the crown guard area:

This isn’t just a Classic Fusion 38 with a new dial/bezel/color; it’s an entirely new 38mm case. It’s nice and thin–9.5mm–although not as thin as the quartz-powered MDM original. And water resistance has doubled from 50m to 100m.

Most Classic Fusion models have 6 flat H-shaped screws in the bezel, but as a nod to the MDM era, the Tributo has 12 slightly domed titanium ones. And on the white gold version those titanium screws are blackened, which is a nice touch:

Both the white gold and yellow gold versions of the Tributo use a combination of alternating polished (shiny) and brushed (grained) surfaces, but the white gold has a lot more polished ones. Now we have to mention the dials.

Dial

The Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Yellow Gold and Classic Fusion Tributo White Gold are both offered exclusively with black dials, with no hour or minute markers.

But the black isn’t the same. The Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Yellow Gold has a lacquered dial with what the brand calls a “charcoal” effect. The Classic Fusion Tributo White Gold, however, has an onyx dial. Instead of “Automatic” being written the bottom like a Hublot dial normally would, these say “MDM” as a nod to the brand’s pre-Biver days.

Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Movement

The Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo is powered by the HUB1711, which is a modified Zenith Elite 670 automatic movement. Hublot has used the similar HUB1710 in the Spirit of Big Bang collection since 2019, but the HUB1711 is new for 2026. Thanks to an optimized gear train, power reserve is up to 60 hours from 50.

The HUB1711, which comprises 185 parts, also sports an open-worked rotor featuring the Hublot logo. On the yellow gold Classic Fusion Tributo, the rotor is 22k yellow gold. On the white gold version, interestingly, it’s black tungsten:

Hublot, being owned by LVMH, counts Zenith as a sister company, so using their movements makes sense. In fact they’ve been using Zenith El Primero movements in various models since 2014.

2026 Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Price and Availability

The 2026 list price of the 2026 Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo, in either white gold or yellow gold, is $30,900. The white gold version has a stone dial, but the yellow gold version has a gold rotor, so apparently it evens out.

The Tributo is available at all authorized Hublot retailers as well as Hublot’s website. Both versions are regular production models, not limited editions, although apparently the initial supply will only be 200 of each metal.

Strap and Clasp of the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo

The ribbed black rubber strap is classic Hublot. There is no quick-release or quick-adjust functionality to be found here.

The deployant (folding) clasp of the Tributo is a combination of titanium, steel, and 18k gold (white or yellow depending on the model, naturally). Now let’s recap all the specs.

2026 Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Specs

Model Name	Classic Fusion Tributo
Reference number	262.VX.1130.RX.MDM (Classic Fusion Tributo Yellow Gold) 262.WX.6870.RX.MDM (Classic Fusion Tributo White Gold)
Case material	Polished and satin-finished 18k yellow gold
Case width	38 mm
Case thickness	9.5 mm
Movement caliber	HUB1711 (Automatic, Zenith Elite 670 base movement)
Movement functions	Hours, minutes, date at 3 o’clock
Power reserve	Approximately 50 hours
Water resistance	100 meters
Bracelet/strap	Black lined rubber strap; deployant clasp in 18k gold, black-plated stainless steel, and black-plated titanium
MSRP (2026)	$30,900

I’ve long thought the MDM-era Hublot watches were underappreciated, and Hublot did a great job recreating that vibe for the modern era. Time will tell how well it will be received at the $30k price point, but I think there’s room in the Hublot catalog for it. Hublot rarely talks about their pre-2005 history so it’s cool to see them lean into it.