Hublot has worked with a lot of very big names, from Usain Bolt and Floyd Mayweather to Dustin Johnson and Kylian Mbappe.

After taking over the world of football, it looks to the art world this time with a collaboration with a rockstar in the world of contemporary art – the one and only Takashi Murakami. Murakami’s  modern style offers a subtle reflection between Japanese tradition and pop culture by combining leading-edge multimedia tools with traditional Japanese techniques such as gold leaf. He coined the name Superflat for the artistic movement he began.

This marks the first time the watchmaker is working with a Japanese contemporary artist, a first that it is commemorating with an equally unique timepiece featuring Murakami’s signature smiling flower, winking from the light of 563 black diamonds in and on the watch. Additionally, the petals of the flower turn in a slow mesmerising reverie that only highlights the intricacy of the watch’s make.

Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami

An initial visit to the Hublot manufacture in February 2020 enabled Takashi Murakami to familiarise himself with the work of a watchmaker and timepiece design. This triggered a creative process that resulted in the very innovative Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami, inspired by Murakami’s icon, the smiling flower.

With this iteration, the flower grins up from both in and on the watch, made possible thanks to an ingenious ball-bearing system developed by Hublot’s engineers that also turns its petals. The center of the smiling flower is inserted onto the sapphire glass, creating a unique three-dimensional effect to go along with its wide prominent smile.

The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black takes up one of the most evocative Hublot signatures, the All Black! Invented by Hublot in 2006, it turns out that the “All Black” style is also one of Murakami’s artistic signatures. For an even more pronounced effect, the petals (456 brilliants) and face (107 brilliants) are here set with black diamonds.

The watchmakers in Nyon have installed their manufacture Unico calibre in the case with its Classic Fusion emblematic design, a movement offering a 72-hour power reserve. As the first collaboration between Hublot and a Japanese artist, the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black will quickly become a real collector’s item since it is limited to only 200 models.

“Takashi Murakami is an international star, not only in contemporary art circles but also with the general public. He shakes up the borders between art and pop culture. It is a real privilege to see him join our team of ambassadors. We are delighted with the launch of this watch-work of art!” says Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot.

“When I visited the Hublot manufacture in Switzerland for the first time, I realised 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,” adds Murakami.

Learn more at the official Hublot website here.

(Source: Hublot)