Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury goods monolith LVMH, says that despite dire economic predictions and reports of a falloff in parts of the luxury sector the company expects profits to actually improve in 2008. "We are in a position to meet our objectives for a sharp rise in earnings in 2008," Arnault just announced at LVMH's annual shareholders meeting, according to Women's Wear Daily. "Every time we've been [in a difficult economy] we've increased market share. We've started the year strong. We will not pull off [of the accelerator]. We are focused on innovating."

Arnault, whose company recently added Swiss watchmaker Hublot to its portfolio of luxury brands, singled out handbags as a strong earner. "There are tons of new leather goods," he declared. "The Richard Prince bag for Vuitton" - one of our Handbags of the Day -- "has been an immense success and we won't be able to meet demand," Arnault said. "We can't produce the pieces fast enough." He also predicted strong sales this year for Fendi, calling it "one of the most important Italian brands on the market," and Dior as well -- no doubt thanks to Charlize Theron's captivating fragrance ads (above).

Luxury behemoth LVMH has a new watchmaker in their growing watches and jewelry unit. They have announced that they will acquire Switzerland's Hublot watch group from the founder Carlo Crocco and a firm controlled by Jean-Claude Biver, who's managed the brand since 2004.

LVMH already owns several successful watch brands including TAG Heuer, Zenith, Dior Montres and Louis Vuitton watches. LVMH has announced plans to increase the brand's profile in Asia and Japan and expand retail distribution. Currently the watches are sold in 300 stores worldwide. Hopefully they won't dilute the brand too much, part of Hublot's power is that that they do a particular type of big beefy watch, the Big Bang, so well. The Hublot fans on the Time Zone Hublot forum definitely are excited about this move for Hublot.

Love your lady? This may the gift that speaks the language of love. Hublot's Valentine Big Bang watch exudes passion, luxury and glam all in one little package. Red gold, red rubber and gleaming diamonds round out this terrific time piece. Harnessing 114 round diamonds (1.22 karats) or 48 baguette diamonds (2.28 karats), it is sporty, elegant and eye-catching. I certainly wouldn't be disappointed to get this in a little red box!

Remember when the Hublot Big Bang watch seemed really, really big. These days the watch is about the same size as everyone else's but that doesn't make it any less interesting. The latest special edition of the Hublot Big Bang watch derives its punch from a sleek cloak of black enlivened only by a slash of a red signature and a colorful split second hand. The Hublot Big Bang Aryton Senna All Black Rattrapante sports the Ayrton Senna Institute, a non-profit institute founded by Viviane Senna, the sister of the deceased Brazilian racing driver, the Ayrton Senna. The watch is a Chronograph Split-Second with Power Reserve indicator in black with Ayrton Senna's signature in red and the Brazilian flag in green and yellow on the Split-Second hand which can be used to record an intermediate time by means of the two chronograph seconds hands. The push-piece on the watch is red. The watch is the first Hublot to go on sale in Brazil. The 44.5 mm case is done in polished black ceramic resin details. The movement is the Hublot HUB44 RT mechanical chronograph Fly-back with automatic winding. It has a black rubber strap with the Ayrton Senna signature in yellow on a green stripe on the inside. There are 500 numbered pieces and it sells for $25,000.

This big white beauty is the new Big Bang Polo Club St. Tropez watch from Hublot. The 44 mm watch is done in steel with a white ceramic bezel and a white dial. The watch was made to celebrate the opening of Hublot's new St. Tropez store (their second single brand store in France). The movement is the Hublot calibre HUB44 developed with La Joux-Perret. The white theme continues with a lug disc in white resin, lateral inserts in white resin and a steel crown and push pieces that are steel with white rubber inserts. The only color comes from the Polo Club Saint-Tropez logo in blue on the dial. The watch has a strap that is a fusion of alligator skin and rubber with a steel deploying clasp and is a limited edition of 250.

It was inevitable, after all, Hublot has been steadily adding diamonds and gemstones to their Big Bang models for a while now. But the Million Dollar Bang outpaces them all. The watch includes a tourbillon and uses a "mystery" setting so that you don't see the settings, only the stones (493 of them to be precise). A traditional setting is used around the flying tourbillon. The Bunter SA workshop partnered with Hublot on the one-of-a-kind watch which took 2,000 hours to create. The case is 18K white gold and the watch uses a mechanical workshop-crafted movement. Don't get out your wallet for this piece it has already been sold. If you've got a Hublot craving they are introducing a few other new watches, the other are after the jump.

[via Luxury Launches and Time Zone]

The latest innovation from Hublot is the world's first tourbillon column-wheel chronograph. The sequel to their popular Big Bang watch, the Bigger Bang has a direct coupling on a flying tourbillon cage. The chronograph mechanism and column-wheel are visible via the dial at 12.00 o’clock. The watch has a dial-side column-wheel chronograph and flying tourbillon housed in a 13mm diameter cage without ball bearings. The watch has 262 components and the tourbillon is fitted with 33 rubies and a circular-grained right bottom plate decorated in black gold, The watch is available in three versions of 18 pieces each, there is a platinum case with a black ceramic bezel, an 18K red gold chase with a black ceramic bezel and an all back ceramic version.

Another Valentine-themed watch makes it's appearance. This time it's from Hublot, the company famed for their massive Big Bang watch. Their “St. Valentine” chronograph isn't exactly wimpy either, measuring 42.5mm. The watch has a burgundy flammé dial decorated with small hearts, large Arabic numerals and small numbers. The minute hand is finished with an arrow turning around the dial and there is a double sapphire anti-reflection crystal. The watch is done in steel treated with black PVD with an enlarged bezel in black rubber and 12 titanium screws. The strap is also black rubber. The watch sells for $8,200. I'm curious who the audience is for this, it may have hearts but it sure isn't a girly watch. And yet even though it has Hublot's typically masculine chunky style, it is still heart-festooned.

[via Time Zone]