Diamonds, renowned for their toughness, are followed by sapphires in durability. Sapphires, like diamonds, boast exceptional resistance to scratches, making them ideal for jewellery, including timepieces like the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire.
On an ordinary watch, the face is represented by the dial. Hublot has brilliantly blended the case, movement and dial into a singular configuration. At the heart of this innovation lies Hublot’s inaugural central flying tourbillon in a series-produced model — a creation that is a testament to the manufacturer’s 40 years of unique craftsmanship.
Look closely, and you will discover the distinctive motif of Takashi Murakami — a flower of 12 petals meticulously crafted from sapphire. This floral emblem boasts graceful curves and substantial, daring volumes.
Hublot’s objective was to achieve complete transparency to enhance the luminosity of the MP-15: A sapphire case, sapphire case-back, sapphire crown, translucent flange and strap. The sun does not just shine on this artistic floral creation; it permeates through, casting brilliance upon its contours and elevations.
Guided by the creative minds at Hublot, the MP-15 showcases a central flying tourbillon with an impressive power reserve of 150 hours — nearly a full week, a remarkable technical feat for such a complication. To ensure complete winding, Hublot has introduced a rechargeable specialised stylus via a USB socket, which is included with the timepiece and designed exclusively for it.
The crown winds through 100 revolutions until both barrels powering the central tourbillon are fully energised. The positioning of the tourbillon is not only functional, it is a visual treat constantly on display. Takashi Murakami has playfully emphasised its whimsical nature by incorporating two sparkling eyes and a broad smile.
This is typical of Murakami, a renowned Japanese contemporary artist known for his contributions to the art movement known as Superflat, a term he coined. The Superflat Movement is his artistic style, combining traditional Japanese art, anime and manga with a flat, two-dimensional aesthetic. Murakami’s work often incorporates a kawaii or cute aesthetic, featuring smiling flowers, characters and vibrant colours.
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Through the tips of two hands, the hours and minutes are placed at the outer edges rather than the conventional centre. These hands travel beneath the tourbillon cage, challenging the basic principles of traditional watchmaking.
In this design, the escapement and the hour and minute hands contend for space within a central area. The cannon pinion and the hour wheel underwent a transformative co-axial construction to facilitate this arrangement, pivoting around the tourbillon support. The design of the tourbillon features a distinctive absence of an upper bridge.
Every component has been skeletonised, providing a clear view of the heartbeat of the MP-15. Certain gears and the tourbillon components in this timepiece are suspended in space.
Despite its groundbreaking design, the MP-15 maintains standard markers with the 12 white indices on the flange, while black-plated hands adorned with white SuperLuminova ensure perfect legibility day and night. This model features the crown positioned at 3 o’clock for winding and setting. The 42mm diameter has an integrated rubber strap that delivers optimal comfort.
The Hour Glass is the exclusive partner of Hublot in Southeast Asia.
