Hublot proclaims its appreciation of art through collaborations with maestros in various disciplines.
American street artist Shepard Fairey, for instance, redesigned Big Bang Meca-10 with a tribal pattern while French contemporary artist Richard Orlinski transferred his signature sculptural style to Classic Fusion.
Other collaborators include French painter Marc Ferrero and Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi.
Hublot's works of art series continues with Classic Fusion Orlinski 40mm and Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black, the latter following a new partnership with the internationally-acclaimed Japanese artist.
Orlinski is particularly notable for impressive sculptures, under the Born Wild concept, that reflect a contemplation on human nature and animal instincts.
His vibrant pop-art style multifaceted beasts include Wild Kong on the Croisette in Cannes, his crocodiles in Miami Design District, and a 5m-tall bear on the snowy pistes of Courchevel.
His emblematic edges, facets and bevels first appeared on the face of a Hublot watch in 2017. Symbolising the characteristic three-dimensional folds in his often monumental works, they have been miniaturised with horological precision to create mirror effects on the dial.
Classic Fusion Orlinski 40mm Blue Ceramic. Photos © hublot
Powered by an automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve, two editions of the Classic Fusion Orlinski 40mm gleam in glossy black or flashy blue ceramic, recalling the colours of his XXL bestiary.
"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," said Orlinski.
Last year, the Swiss brand turned 40. The milestone was marked by the reinvention of the 1980 Classic Original, the first gold watch combined with a rubber strap that laid the foundation for its Art of Fusion.
Ceramic has been Hublot's material of choice since the launch of its Big Bang collection in 2005. Its R&D and metallurgy departments have invented and patented several varieties of ceramic including a world first with bright red ceramic, and Magic Gold, the only scratch-resistant 18K gold alloy to fuse 24K gold with boron carbide.
For the first time, faceted ceramic dresses the whole Classic Fusion Orlinski 40mm Black Magic and Blue Ceramic including the dials, resulting in a bevelled architecture that gives life to the material in Japanese origami style.
Classic Fusion Orlinski 40mm Black Magic.
Japanese contemporary art is expressed in the partnership with Murakami, who started the Superflat art movement, characterised by works that combine ancestral aesthetics with anime and manga.
Last February, the influential artist visited the Hublot manufacture in Nyon, Switzerland.
Under one roof, physicists, chemists, engineers and watchmakers work on creating innovative watches under the brand's Art of Fusion concept.
"I realised to what extent the traditional know-how, precision, futuristic technology and craftsmanship were all intertwined in the creation of a watch," Murakami said of the visit that introduced him to haute horlogerie.
The collaboration has resulted in Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black.
Hublot launched the All Black concept in 2006, which led to a trend for completely black watches.
The All Black style is also one of Murakami's signatures, which is coupled with his emblematic smiling flower for the design of the limited edition of 200 pieces.
Takashi Murakami.
"Sometimes collaborations with watch companies only involve the packaging. I had no interest in designing the packaging. So I used to say I would collaborate only if I can be fully involved," he said. "As a matter of fact, I declined this project a few times. But I realised how Hublot with its own manufacture does things differently. I was able to do just the kind of collaboration I always wanted to do."
On the black lacquered dial, the iconic Murakami flower blooms in black. For an even more pronounced effect, the 12 petals and face sparkle with black diamonds.
The petals rotate, thanks to an ingenious ball-bearing system developed by Hublot's engineers. The centre of the smiling flower is inserted onto the sapphire glass, creating a three-dimensional effect that enhances its wide prominent smile.
Housed in a 45mm black ceramic case, the beaming Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black is equipped with a self-winding movement offering a 72-hour power reserve.
Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black.
