Hublot Releases Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black

Known for fusing traditional Japanese techniques and pop-culture motifs, such is his trademark smiling flower, artist Takashi Murakami’s has created many collaborative pieces with powerhouse brands, including his coveted Louis Vuitton handbags. Now Murakami can add Hublot to his creative portfolio.

“[Murakami] agreed to collaborate with us because he understood that nothing is impossible at Hublot. It was natural to work with Takashi Murakami as one of the most coveted contemporary artists,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, chief executive officer of Hublot.

The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black, $27,300, is based on the artist’s iconic smiling flower and it manages to convey the artist’s exuberant style without using color, relying on motion, texture and the smiling flower emblem. Present both in and on the timepiece (rather than opting to be printed onto the dial), an ingenious ball-bearing system devised by Hublot’s engineers allows the petals (set with 456 brilliant-cut black diamonds) to spin around as the wearer moves their arm. The center of the smiling flower is inserted onto the sapphire glass, also encrusted with 107 black diamonds, creating a unique 3-D effect to the 45-mm satin-finished and polished black ceramic case.