Takashi Murakami & Hublot Are Back At It
Ah, Takashi Murakami and Hublot back for more, I see.
During Watches and Wonders 2023, the two minds unveiled and released their fifth collaboration: 12 new Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Ceramic watches and NFTs.
If you recall, Murakami and Hublot took their partnership to the NFT level in 2022, bringing back their second collab – Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow and All Black — in the form of the popular digital artwork.
Now, why does any of this matter? Well, only holders of the last year's Sapphire Rainbow and All Black NFTs can access the sale of the twelve new Murakami x Hublot watches dropping today.
The new Murakami x Hublot timepieces arrive in 12 colors, recalling one of the hues from Murakami's famed smiling flower. As seen on past collabs, those spin-able petals are again encased by the Hublot-branded glass.
As for the technical aspects, the watches also boast a Unico calibre system combined with 72-hour power reserve.
Hold tight because there's also a 13th watch in the collection (pictured up top), which is even more harder to cop than the first 12.
Like the others, the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow arrives with that unmistakable smiling flower plopped on top of the glass for a 3D effect with the spinning petals underneath.
As the name suggests, the 13th timepiece is set apart by its full-out rainbow scheme, which takes over the happy flower's face and petals (petals are iced in rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites, and topaz, by the way).
To cop this, you have to collect all 12 of the new Classic Fusion Murakami NFTs and then place an order for the 13th watch by April 2024 — on top of passing the first wall of qualifications (owning an All Black or Sapphire Rainbow NFT).
Say no one grabs them all? Then, the 13th Murakami and Hublot watch will go up for auction, with proceeds going towards a charity.
Naturally, Hublot also debuted some non-collaborative pieces at Watches and Wonders including a Big Bang Integrated Tourbillon Full Carbon made with ultra-lightweight carbon fiber and Texalium. There was also the brand new MP-13, the 100% manufactured in-house timepiece featuring a double-axis tourbillon.
The sale is officially underway for the Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Ceramic (CHF 50,000 or $54555), while Fresh Hublots just landed at Watches and Wonders, the biggest watch exhibition in the world.
'Tis a good week to be a watch fan.
