Hublot
Hublot and Takashi Murakami: Smiling Flowers and Digital Art
Hublot
Hublot and Takashi Murakami: Smiling Flowers and Digital Art
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black
The iconic flower, with its joyful smile, is a three-dimensional dome at the center of the black lacquered dial and set with 107 black diamonds that catch and reflect light in an artful disruption of the somber black-on-black colorway. The hour and minute hands are modern and simple, and are sandwiched between the stationary flower face and the spinning petals disk.
The now sold-out limited edition of 200 pieces were paired, quite obviously, with Hublot’s black lined rubber strap to close the circle from inspiration to completion.
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow
In another departure from the previous collaboration, the polished crystal sapphire material used for the 45mm case and caseback gives the viewer a glimpse of the unique Unico MHUB1214 movement. The watch is cleverly paired with a transparent lined rubber wristband to leave all attention on the rainbow flower at the center.
Digital Art Collaboration
In pure digital art fashion, the launch of the NFTs inspired by the two limited edition Murakami watches were supported by a guerilla marketing promotional campaign that included posters in London and New York and light projections on iconic buildings.
For those that haven’t heard, the world of digital art is evolving with collection of the not-so-sexy sounding “non-fungible tokens” or NFTs. These secure tokens take many forms in music and art and have been welcomed by a generation of art collectors raised in a digital world.
Hublot and Murakami have embraced this new art form with their usual avant-garde flair by creating two animated GIFs, one for the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black and one for the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow.
“Today, it would be unthinkable for me to produce my works without a computer. Continuing my artistic collaboration with Hublot by using new forms of artistic expression such as NFTs seems to be the natural way to develop our relationship. By looking forward,” explained Takashi Murakami.
Unique Opportunity to Collect Murakami’s Masterwork
With the success of the watches and the NFT releases, Murakami and Hublot have announced that these concepts play a major role in their most recent collaboration. During a February 2023 press event at the Glass House in New York, the team announced their fourth project which includes a jaw-dropping 13 unique watches and their accompanying NFTs. Inspired by their first watch, the all-new Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black Ceramic Rainbow will feature the same iconic smiling flower and its spinning petal display in bright rainbow colors encased in an all-black ceramic case.
Art of Fusion
It’s a treat to compare the three watches with their respective matching smiling flower expressions created in three very different visual ways, with one in all black, one in an explosion of color, and another with stark contrast of color and all black. It’ll be interesting to watch the collectors as they navigate the NFT collection game and earn their right to own a piece of this collaboration.
It all comes back to the beginning when Murakami visited the Hublot manufacture in 2020, sparking an inspiration that has evolved into a wonderful creative partnership. Murakami said, “When I visited the Hublot manufacture in Switzerland for the first time, I realized to what extent the traditional know-how, precision, futuristic technology and craftsmanship were all intertwined in the creation of a watch. Bringing my art into the creativity of these watchmakers represents a unique adventure for me.”
Tech Specs
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black
Reference: 507.CX.9000.RX.TAK21
Movement: Self-winding Unico caliber MHUB1214; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 45mm; satin-finished and polished black ceramic; water resistant to 50m
Dial: Black lacquered, rotating décor with 12 black-plated petals set with 456 black diamonds
Strap: Black-lined rubber; black-plated stainless steel folding clasp
Price: USD 27,300
Availability: Limited edition of 200 pieces
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow
Reference: 507.JX.0800.RT.TAK21
Movement: Self-winding Unico caliber MHUB1214; 72-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 45mm; polished sapphire crystal; water resistant to 50m
Dial: Micro-blasted and rhodium-plated, rotating décor with 12 petals set with 384 colored gemstones
Glass: On Top the polished smiling 3D Flower Head Set with 103 colored gemstones
Strap: Transparent lined rubber wristband; stainless steel folding clasp
Price: USD 106,000
Availability: Limited edition of 100 pieces
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow
Reference: 507.CX.9099.RX.TAK23
Movement: Unico Manufacture, self-winding
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 45mm; polished black ceramic; water resistant to 50m
Dial: Micro-blasted and rhodium-plated, rotating décor with 12 petals set with 384 gemstones
Glass: On Top the polished smiling 3D Flower Head Set with 103 colored gemstones
Strap: black-plated stainless steel deployant buckle strap
Price: 50,000 CHF
Availability: Unique piece