A build-sequence film for the Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Crystal, tracing the watch from raw elements to final structure.

Ver.2 is the product-build pass of the Hublot project — the watch assembles itself on screen: strap from light, body from particles, and a final cloth reveal. Two particle scenes were featured on Insydium's official Instagram, and the work was shown at the 2022 PI Exhibition in Seoul.

02 — Problem

"The transparent Sapphire Crystal case had to stay readable while every part of the watch was still in motion."

No existing 3D asset — every part had to be built and assembled on screen. The transparent case multiplied the cost: refraction and reflection raised render times, denoising became part of every frame, and flicker inside the transparent layers had to be solved at the model level by offsetting each internal layer.

03 — Approach

The build was planned backwards from the schedule: lock the sequence first, then let each scene choose its own tool, and treat rendering as a problem to engineer — not a final step to survive.

Previz lock. S01–S03 were fixed in previz before any modeling began. With the shot order and pacing locked, the six-week schedule held even while learning X-Particles, shader work, and render optimization mid-project.

One tool per scene problem. Each scene's core problem picked its tool: a custom Octane iridescent shader ties the strap panels and Sapphire Crystal case into one dispersion language; X-Particles flocking and orbital constraints drive the body assembly; a slowed C4D Cloth simulation handles the closing drape.

Render engineering. The transparent case multiplied refraction and reflection cost, so denoising became part of every frame, and flicker inside the transparent layers was solved at the model level — offsetting each internal layer by a small distance rather than patching it in post.

04 — Visual System / Design Direction

05 — Outcome

Two particle scenes were featured on Insydium's official Instagram — the company behind X-Particles — confirming the simulation work could stand on its own. The project was shown at the 2022 PI Exhibition in Seoul (Aug 16–23), and the build pass produced the asset that ver.1's edit is cut from.

Insydium

Two particle scenes were featured on Insydium's official Instagram

06 — Reflection

The biggest lesson was timing discipline. Locking the audio earlier would have reduced rework — every new shot forced the cut sheet to move. On the next pass, the track and cut structure get fixed before final modeling starts. The nomination was a useful signal, but the real value was learning how edit timing changes when the music becomes the main constraint.

Next Project