The fifth edition of LVMH Watch Week was held this year, from January 28 to February 1 in Miami, showcasing the latest and brightest from the watchmaking brands of the LVMH Group. Here is our selection of the timepieces unveiled by Hublot at the event held in Miami.
MP-10 TOURBILLON WEIGHT ENERGY SYSTEM
The announcement of a new Manufacture Piece (MP) is always eagerly awaited by Hublot enthusiasts. The MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System is no exception. “For a piece to be part of our MP collection, it must not only reinvent existing complications; it must create something exclusive, invent, build and open up new avenues in watchmaking R&D. I gave our designers and watchmakers carte blanche, and this is the fruit of their labours,” reveals Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot CEO.
The result of five years of R&D, the MP-10 – a limited edition of just 50 pieces – comprises 592 components, two linear weights, one inclined tourbillon, a circular power reserve and a distinctive design which eliminates the traditional space constraints. The MP-10 has no dial and no hands. Instead, the calibre and the dial have been fused. The indications are read from top to bottom via four counters, segregated into three windows.
The upper window displays the hours on top and the minutes below. These counters are magnified by a curved glass. The middle window displays the power reserve, with a two-tone red and green disc set coaxially to the hours and minutes. The lower window displays the seconds which are indicated directly on the tourbillon cage.
The latter is made from monobloc aluminium, suspended and inclined, and a patent application is pending for this unique mechanical configuration. The indications all share the same white lacquer typography on black aluminium rollers. The current hour, minute and second are indicated via red triangular markers.
Due to the unconventional architecture of the MP-10, the engineers at Hublot had come up with an unconventional winding system. On either side of the central architecture sit two blocks of white gold, arranged on a vertical axis along which they are free to move. The watch is wound manually via the crown at 12 o’clock, while the time is set using the second crown nestled on the case-back side to preserve the fluidity of the design. The MP-10 has a power reserve of more than 48 hours.
The case construction comprises two pieces – the top and case-back – in shiny micro-blasted titanium. The sapphire crystal atop it is Hublot’s most complex to date and combines inclined planes on three axes. The integrated rubber strap is also said to be “the most refined ever designed” by Hublot.
BIG BANG UNICO GREEN SAXEM
This watch presents Hublot’s revolutionary material SAXEM in a new colour – green. An acronym for Sapphire Aluminium oXide and rare Earth Mineral, SAXEM is closely allied to sapphire. Although both are made of aluminium oxide, colour is added to Sapphire using metallic oxides, while SAXEM is coloured with rare earth elements. Sapphire has a trigonal (three-sided) structure, while SAXEM has a cubic (four-sided) form. SAXEM is as resistant as sapphire, but it has a brighter shine and its structure has fewer strains, making it more uniform and seamless.
Hublot debuted SAXEM with the Big Bang MP-11 in 2019. Hublot has developed two shades since then – yellow and emerald. The Big Bang Unico Green SAXEM’s 42 mm case, bezel and case back are constructed entirely from polished SAXEM. The index and the hands feature a luminescent material that reproduces the exact shade of Green as the SAXEM.
The watch is powered by HUB1280 UNICO 2, a new-generation flyback chronograph. This self-winding movement offers collectors the added benefit of a high-performance tungsten oscillating weight, visible through the green case back. The movement is finished in black PVD, as are the crown and its two push-pieces. Just 100 examples of the Big Bang Green SAXEM will be produced.
SPIRIT OF BIG BANG 32MM JEWELLERY
Master gemsetters have worked their magic on the six new 32-mm Spirit Of Big Bang models. These pieces are crafted in stainless steel and King Gold – both yellow and white variants of Hublot’s 18K gold alloy. These fully-set tonneau-shaped jewellery timepieces have a slim design that embodies a feminine spirit.
The Full Pavé models are available in steel or King Gold, and are set with 479 brilliant-cut diamonds for a total of 27,782 facets. Meanwhile, the middle cases, bezels and dials light up with a total of 2.1 carats. These models are paired with white or black-lined natural rubber.
The Rainbow models are also available in steel or King Gold. However, each case is set with 96 Baguette-cut coloured gemstones: Rubies, Pink Sapphires, Amethysts, Blue Sapphires, Blue Topazes, Tsavorites, Yellow and Orange Sapphires. There are 58 rectangular baguette-cut gemstones set around the bezel. The overall total of 493 gemstones combine to reveal the resplendent colours of the rainbow.
CLASSIC FUSION TOURBILLON ORLINSKI
This year marks twenty years since Hublot and French artist Richard Orlinski began their ‘Art of Fusion’ collaboration. “By giving me carte blanche, Hublot has enabled me to explore new creative frontiers”, explains Richard Orlinski.
“I’ve had the freedom to be able to take the Classic Fusion to the limits of its potential. Smooth yet dynamic, like the edges of its ceramic case, it embodies a kind of animality, the ‘Born Wild’ spirit that is a constant theme running through my work. I first imagined this design in 2004. That was 20 years ago. Today, I’m very proud to be showing the world, together with Hublot, that we’re still far from finished.”
This year’s Orlinski novelties are two Classic Fusion Tourbillon ceramic models in vibrant yellow and sky blue. The 45 mm case boasts the bold contours of Richard Orlinski’s signature style. The case, strap and bezel are all polished ceramic in either yellow or sky blue. The hands and index of the yellow model are dressed in yellow while the dial and skeleton bridges are matte black. On the Sky Blue model, the bridges as well as the hands and marker are in silver.
The watch is powered by the manually wound HUB6021 movement. Its skeletal architecture and the sapphire crystals on both sides make its components appear suspended in space. Between 8 and 9 o’clock, the power reserve indicates the five-day capacity while at 6 o’clock the tourbillon regulates the time mechanics. Both models come with colour-matching smooth rubber straps. Both models are limited to just 30 each.