Hublot’s philosophy revolves around being first, unique and different. The brand, renowned for its audacious and groundbreaking approach to watchmaking, chose a distinctive path by unveiling its inaugural central tourbillon within a timepiece shaped like a flower. This avant-garde brand collaborated again with the iconic artist Takashi Murakami, resulting in the Hublot MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire, a limited edition masterpiece limited to 50 pieces. This release epitomizes the fusion of horology and artistry.In 2021, Hublot began its partnership with Takashi Murakami, debuting the all-black Classic Fusion. The unveiling of an all-sapphire Rainbow model succeeded this introduction. The subsequent year witnessed the launch of thirteen collaborative timepieces, commencing with the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow. Each watch delved into the artist’s “Smiling Flower” motif, expressing it with distinctive intricacy and artistry.In this exuberant creation, the unmistakable Smiling Flower motif, Murakami’s signature, is meticulously rendered in transparent sapphire. The transparent medium transforms the watch into a jubilant work of art, seamlessly integrating case and movement manufacturing. Notably, this collaboration began in 2021 with the all-black Classic Fusion, followed by the all-sapphire Rainbow model. The MP-15 Tourbillon Sapphire takes Murakami’s motif to new heights, bringing it into the realm of wearable art.Crafted within a surprisingly compact 42mm wide case resembling 12 petals, the MP-15 is a luminous marvel when illuminated. The sapphire case is not merely ornamental; it houses Hublot’s first central HUB9015 Manual-Winding Tourbillon. The flying central tourbillon, devoid of an upper bridge, features the artist’s Smiling Flower image, subtly reinforcing the thematic element without overwhelming the design.Remarkably, the hour and minute hands, positioned peripherally, traverse beneath the tourbillon cage, resting on the same level as the escapement. This ingenious construction, utilizing Hublot’s co-axial design, necessitated repositioning the cannon pinion and hour wheel around the tourbillon. Far from a mere gimmick, the MP-15 boasts the manual-wind HUB9015 movement, comprising 236 parts, operating at 3 Hz, and offering an impressive 150-hour power reserve.Beyond its technical prowess, the watch introduces an extravagant winding system. A special stylus, rechargeable via USB, completes 100 revolutions to wind the movement fully.
Priced at CHF 300,000, the Hublot MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire is not only an expensive and elaborate timepiece but, for aficionados, an exhilarating embodiment of Hublot’s unapologetically bold and divisive design ethos. Limited to 50 pieces, its exclusivity adds an extra layer of allure, making it a daring yet ambitious statement within the niche realm of artistic horology.
A UNIQUE PIECE AND HUBLOT’S FIRST CENTRAL FLYING TOURBILLON
“Only Watch was created in 2005 and our manufacture was founded just four years later, in 2009. We are both of the same generation. We have grown very quickly and have pushed the boundaries in our respective fields: Hublot in High Watchmaking and Only Watch in philanthropy. Whenever Only Watch founder Luc Pettavino needs us, we will be there. Hublot has never shirked its moral and social obligations, nor will it ever do so.”
Ricardo Guadalupe HUBLOT CEO
The central tourbillon could be interpreted as Hublot’s intention to put Haute Horlogerie back in the spotlight. Or, its round case might be seen to resemble a child’s drawing of a 12-petalled daisy, tipped with green as a sign of hope. Either way,the strength of the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Only Watch lies in the fact that everyone will see it as symbolic of what they value. It will blossom around as many values as there are colours, whether these are high-tech, exquisite, playful, unique, hypnotic… Haute Horlogerie meets Haute Joaillerie on this highly creative timepiece inspired by Takashi Murakami’s iconic smiling flower.
Floral composition is central to the work of Takashi Murakami. This Japanese artist has risen from humble origins to become one of the most sought-after artists in the world, and he has been a Friend of Hublot since 2020. These co-creations have always been produced in limited-edition series. This timepiece is even more limited – it is truly unique. Unique in its nature (only one piece has been created), but also in its construction. What sets the MP-15 apart from any other piece that the manufacture has ever created in its forty-plus years of experience, is its central tourbillon.
Hublot’s first central tourbillon
This central tourbillon represents the fusion of art and horological design. An idea that is echoed by Hublot’s dedication to Haute Horlogerie and by the world of Takashi Murakami. The idea is certainly to have Haute Horlogerie take centre stage physically, but not only that. The idea is also to show that the tourbillon – the beating heart of the watch – represents the heart of the person who buys it at the auction in aid of research against Duchenne’s disease, and also the hearts of those children fighting the disease.
Imagining this piece, Takashi Murakami explicitly requested the inclusion of a central tourbillon. A challenge in and of itself, this would become Hublot’s very first central tourbillon. This was a difficult challenge because, it becomes very complicated to indicate the hours and minutes which compete for the same central position. By accepting Takashi Murakami’s challenge, Hublot would have to make the right choices in order to integrate the aesthetic components of the central tourbillon to the technical requirements.
In this design, the cannon pinion and the hour wheel had to be pivoted around the tourbillon support by creating a co-axial construction. This was made possible thanks to the central flying tourbillon that is seemingly suspended in mid-air with two hands passing under its cage to indicate the hours and minutes. These hands gravitate towards 12 luminescent indices that echo the colours of the 2023 edition of the Hublot for Only Watch, as well as keeping the exact proportions required by the design so dear to Murakami, and which Hublot R&D had to follow to the letter.
Thanks to its two barrels, the manual movement offers a 150-hour power reserve (almost a whole week) – a very rare feature for such a construction. Mounted in series but on a single plane, these generously proportioned barrels can be admired through the case back which is made entirely from sapphire.
Superflat Floral Poetry
From the tourbillon and the indices to the petals, fans of Takashi Murakami’s colourful poetry will follow his rhythm on this MP-15, from the interior to the exterior, where 12 petals richly set with 444 gemstones give the piece a bright, joyful aesthetic. Like a real flower, these petals are angled towards the centre of the movement. The clear and bold demarcations of colour are representative of the 2023 Only Watch. The idea was not to offer a traditional rainbow gradient effect, but rather to play with the brightness of the shades and the brilliance of the gemstones, like a child playing with their crayons, creating a bright piece of Superflat Art for the wrist.
But that is not all: true to Murakami’s universe, under its domed sapphire crystal this MP-15 Only Watch reveals a fine laser engraving depicting a broad smile, complete with two smiling eyes. This colourful piece offers an escape into Takashi Murakami’s lively imagination, and the watch’s bright energy is an ode to the incredible power of a child’s wonder and their endless curiosity.
Collector’s item: unique calligraphy created by Takashi Murakami’s own hand
With its MP-15, Takashi Murakami has created the ultimate gift for anyone purchasing it. And who better to explain it than Takashi Murakami himself? “I decided to pick up calligraphy again. My mother used to love it and I took many classes in this art from the age of five to seventeen. I progressed to a very high level, attaining the 7th dan, which is equivalent to assistant instructor. When I went to art school, my calligraphy practice became more sporadic. But my mother brought it up whenever I spoke to her! So, I decided to return to it, working directly on my used coffee filter paper, which is a very good base for the ink. This enabled me to create unique calligraphy, “Time of Rainbow”, inspired by the unique watch I have designed with Hublot for Only Watch 2023.”
REFERENCE: MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Only Watch 915.JX.4802.RT.1198.OWM2 3
CASE: Polished sapphire crystal Polished titanium screws Diameter: 42 mm Thickness: 13.4 mm Water-resistant: 30 m
CASE BACK: Polished sapphire crystal
BEZEL: Polished stainless steel set with 444 coloured gemstones
DIAL: Black-plated appliques with Colored SuperLuminova
MOVEMENT: HUB9015 Manual winding central tourbillon. Frequency (Hz): 3 (21,600 Vib/h) Power reserve: Approx. 150 hours Number of components: 236 Jewels: 25
STRAP AND BUCKLE: Transparent decorated rubber with Takashi Murakami flower motif. Sapphire crystal and titanium deployant buckle
As a result of their new collaboration, Hublot and Takashi Murakami present thirteen new NFTs and thirteen unique timepieces featuring the iconic smiling flower that is central to the Japanese artist’s work.
“Our partnership with Takashi Murakami is allowing us to construct a history that interlinks all the works we have released with Takashi, both digital pieces and the watches themselves. Faithful to its history, Hublot is once again first, unique and different in how it rewards its collectors, providing them with privileged access to both ownership of and trade in unique artistic pieces. Hublot Loves Art!” RICARDO GUADALUPE HUBLOT CEO
“When my collaboration with Hublot was announced, we made it known that we would be adopting new forms of artistic expression. After creating all the timepieces together, as well as the digital works of art, we are now imagining new ways of accessing contemporary art.” TAKASHI MURAKAMI
At an exclusive event which took place at the Glass House in New York on February 2nd, Hublot and Takashi Murakami announced their fourth joint artistic project: the launch of thirteen new NFTs and thirteen unique timepieces. This announcement represents a continuation of past projects, by rewarding the first buyers of the watches and collectors of the first NFTs through an exclusive approach.
The thirteen unique NFTs are inspired by Japanese video games & TV from the 1970s as well as the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black, the first collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and Takashi Murakami launched in January 2021. These NFTs are linked to a limited edition of 13 new and unique Classic Fusion watches that will be at Watches & Wonders 2023 in Geneva. Twelve of these watches will be available for purchase exclusively online on hublot.com, which can only be accessed by owners of at least one of the 324 NFTs issued in April 2022 as part of the third collaboration between Hublot and Takashi Murakami. These 324 NFTs were originally offered to owners of one of the two Hublot x Takashi Murakami watch models (Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black & Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow), before they were allowed to be exchanged on the decentralized NFT trading platform, OpenSea. The period between the announcement of the project in New York in February 2023 and the start of sales in early April 2023 in Geneva will allow any collector interested in one of the new watches to collect one of the NFTs available on OpenSea. Each buyer lucky enough to purchase one of the 12 new unique watches will receive a corresponding exclusive NFT.
Hublot and Takashi Murakami take the watch as a work of art to a new level, by bridging the art of fine watchmaking with digital art. The 13th watch of the collection, unveiled in New York, is the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow and it is also the masterpiece. Taking inspiration from the two previously launched pieces, this watch reinterprets t he iconic emblem of Takashi Murakami: the smiling flower. Here, the 12 petals of the flower form a perfect gradient of rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites and topaz. Thanks to an ingenious ball bearing system developed by Hublot’s engineers the petals create a dizzying spectacle of colour as the y spin on an axis with each movement. The kinetic effect of the petals creates a striking effect against the 45mm black ceramic case. The center of the smiling flower is placed on top of the sapphire glass to create a three-dimensional effect.
The twelve other references, which will be available for purchase by holders of the NFTs on the dedicated ecommerce platform, recall the master flower and represent one of the petals. Twelve references for twelve hours on the dial, and twelve NFTs. The heart of the watch beats with the manufacture Unico calibre set in the emblematic Classic Fusion design a unique movement that offers a 72 hour power reserve. As the third watch collaboration between Hublot and the Japanese artist, this launch is proof of the incredible collectability of this partnership.
As the second step, collectors will then have a period of one year during which they will have the opportunity to trade the twelve NFTs on the OpenSea platform. In April 202 4 at the end of this period, only the collector who has managed to collect all 12 of the new unique NFTs will be eligible to purchase the thirteenth and most sought after watch: the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow In the event that no single person has managed to gather all twelve NFTs the watch will be auctioned by Hublot to raise funds for charity.
