A Masterpiece Unveiled for a Prestigious Auction
In a brilliant culmination of art, innovation, and watchmaking excellence, Hublot and Takashi Murakami have unveiled their final collaborative timepiece: the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow. This unique watch, set to be auctioned as Lot #100 in Phillips’ TOKI: Watch Auction on November 22, 2024, showcases the perfect fusion of Swiss horology and contemporary Japanese art.
A Legacy of Creativity and Collaboration
This timepiece marks the finale of the groundbreaking partnership between Murakami and Hublot, which began in 2022 with a series of NFT artworks. Inspired by low-resolution videogame graphics, Murakami’s digital creations were paired with 12 unique editions of the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami, each featuring his iconic Smiling Flowerdesign. Now, the 13th and final piece from the series is set to make waves, combining elements from the original collaboration and incorporating 384 radiant gemstones to form a dazzling color gradient on its 12 spinning petals.
Technical Brilliance Meets Artistic Innovation
The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow boasts a 45mm black ceramic case and is powered by Hublot’s UNICO automatic manufacture movement, offering an impressive 72-hour power reserve. The kinetic artistry of the watch lies in its ingenious ball-bearing system, allowing the 12 petals of the Smiling Flower—each adorned with a dazzling 384 colored gemstones forming a perfect rainbow gradient of rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites, and topaz stones—to rotate gracefully with the motion of the wrist. This exquisite design is further complemented by a satin-finished and polished black ceramic bezel, a black lined rubber strap, and a black-plated stainless steel deployant buckle, ensuring both style and functionality.
A Timepiece for a Greater Cause
Beyond its artistic and technical brilliance, this timepiece also represents a cause for the greater good. All proceeds from its sale will be donated to Fond’Action, a Swiss-based non-profit foundation supporting innovative oncology research.
A Global Tour Leading to the Auction
The auction will be preceded by an international world tour, where collectors and enthusiasts can admire this one-of-a-kind piece in cities including Singapore, Taipei, and Geneva, before the final preview in Hong Kong.
