Introducing the Hublot Classic Fusion 40mm Orlinski Edition

As a music student, I can clearly remember my first taste of the jazz and hip-hop fusion music created by rapper Guru and jazz guitarist extraordinaire Ronny Jordan, under the ‘Jazzmatazz’ umbrella.

Now a life-long Ronny Jordan fan, his fusion innovation was key in my own guitar playing. Fusion is also key to Hublot as originally articulated by Jean-Claude Biver’s “The Art of Fusion”.

The fusion of utilitarian rubber straps with luxury gold cases or the fusion of natural materials in case designs. The brand also fuses itself with contemporary culture, be it sport, art or fashion design. A personal favourite of mine from 2020 was the Big Bang Camo Yohji Yamamoto, that was a stunning fusion of the now-classic Big Bang with the signature camo of Yamamoto on the dial and strap. When it comes to contemporary art, since 2017 Hublot has collaborated with French artist Richard Olinski and today unveiled the latest watches born out of this marriage.

Orlinski Style

Orlinski is known as a Pop Artist, who is known for colourful works that echo his ethos of a positive life which he articulates as “Born Wild”. He is perhaps best known for creating monochromatic sculptural interpretations of modern cultural icons such as King Kong and Superman, with his signature edges, facets and bevels. One of his creations from 2020, Lion Bleu Mick, is, in this writer’s opinion, of particular significance to this year’s Hublot collaboration the Classic Fusion 40mm Orlinski Edition – especially the blue version. Crafted from ceramic it’s a very cool looking watch that perfectly embodies the artist’s spirit.

Says Orlinski, “I’m delighted to unveil two new versions of the Classic Fusion Orlinski. These two monochrome editions are perfectly in line with the DNA of the fusion of our two worlds, that of the House of Hublot, which shapes precious materials and dreams up extraordinary products, and mine, a world of pop and colour.”

Chromatic Ceramic

The self-styled masters of materials, Hublot places particular emphasis on its research and development into case manufacturing; the two biggest stars being ceramic and sapphire. The new 40mm watch is made from faceted ceramic for both the case and the dial. The two components are executed in the exact same hue and so the dial and case seemingly meld into one, blurring where when ends and the other begins. In fact, it is only the rubber strap and crown that aren’t ceramic. The end result is a watch that is literally a wrist-mounted work of art that is unmistakably Hublot in execution. Maybe the perfect fusion!