We’ve seen designer drops, bejewelled wrist candies, and innumerable watches of every stripe and provenance come our way, but it has been a long time since we’ve laid eyes on a rock ‘n’ roll watch collaboration worthy of piqued interest.

Hublot and Depeche Mode have come together to release the new Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode, paying tribute to the legendary new wave band’s latest album—Memento Mori—and subsequent world tour. Sporting a skull motif with an overlaid hourglass design, the matte black watch conjures up notions of the passage of time, the symbolism of the inevitable transience of life, and the profound role we each play on Earth. For those looking at the literal more than the mystical, it’s just a really cool watch for the latent rocker in you.

Following the Big Bang style, the tonneau shape is designed with a signature all-black aesthetic with a skull emblem, and the centre of the dial is filled with miniature black ceramic spheres. Along the edges, the indices take the form of pyramid-shaped studs, a motif echoed on the black ceramic bezel, and the initials “DM”—Depeche Mode—appear at 6 o’clock. 

For hardcore fans, this collaboration is nothing new in the canon of Depeche Mode’s legacy. Hublot first partnered with the British band 14 years ago when the two powerhouses joined hands to raise funds and awareness for several humanitarian causes. Since then, this lucrative partnership has been bolstered with each of Depeche Mode’s subsequent tours.

In keeping with that tradition, part of the sales proceeds from the latest Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watch will once again go to a worthy cause, as the band reminds us. “Memento Mori encourages us to be more mindful of just how fragile our existence is; this is why joining forces once again with our trusted friends at Hublot makes so much sense,” says Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore on why the two came together again after a decade.

Hublot is currently raising funds and awareness for Conservation Collective, a global network of philanthropic foundations that protects, conserves, and restores the environment. Funds from the Depeche Mode and Hublot partnership will help tackle plastic pollution. 

Depeche Mode has never failed to confront greater ideology than the average hit song. Be it Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth, or Enjoy the Silence, their lyrical derivatives have addressed existential angst much more than the usual pop candy that hits the charts. Setting aside the philosophical bent, for those who need to know what’s under the hood, the watch measures 42 mm, and the barrel-shaped case is made of sand-blasted, polished black ceramic, housing a self-winding HUB1710_SD movement with a 50-hour power reserve. Each Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode watches comes with two interchangeable straps, one made from recycled materials and Velcro, the other from black rubber with a titanium folding clasp. 

To top it all, each of the 100 limited-edition timepieces will come in a special box containing a retro surprise: a 10-inch vinyl single of Depeche Mode’s Wagging Tongue, only available as part of this package, and produced using green energy and recycled PVC.

Learn more about the Spirit of Big Bang Depeche Mode here.

All images courtesy of Hublot.