Six years ago, the Hublot MP-11 made its debut at Baselworld 2018, stunning the horological universe with its seven barrels and a 14-day power reserve. This year at Watches And Wonders Geneva, the watch debuts a brand new sapphire colour: a radiant and translucent Water Blue.
Despite introducing several innovative materials to the world of watchmaking – ceramic, Saxem, Magic Gold, 3D-carbon – sapphire remains Hublot’s material of choice with probably the widest range of shades in the watch industry.
The new “Water Blue” sapphire is the result of a new chemical formula, a custom development, and an exclusive transparency index, while still staying true to the properties of sapphire: brilliant, luminous and highly resistant to knocks and scratches.
We must also highlight its exemplary polishing, a very delicate operation usually completed by hand. The result required compliance with a very strict set of specifications, and took several years to develop and test, in particular to simulate accelerated ageing and to guarantee flawless water resistance.
Beyond the enchanting aesthetics of the light blue sapphire of the new MP-11, there is the impressive technology. To maintain a conventional height of 10.9 mm, the seven barrels are coaxial and vertical. They are not integrated into the thickness of the movement, but are physically in front of it, set at 90°.
To allow their 336 hours of power reserve to reach the movement, Hublot had to design a tailor-made device: a 90° transmission which uses a helical worm gear, following the principle of an endless screw. The wheel in question is visible between 9 and 10 o’clock. To ensure harmony with this mechanism, Hublot has taken care to place the balance opposite it at 2 o’clock, with its rate at 4 o’clock.
A very slowly rotating disc (one revolution every two weeks) indicates the remaining power reserve as close as possible to its energy source, directly at the head of the seven aligned barrels. Furthermore, by echoing the shape of the barrels, the sapphire crystal naturally creates a magnifying effect on this signature element of the watch.
The Hublot HUB9011 calibre, with 270 components, is also distinguished by its patented index-assembly system and silicon escapement which protects the movement from any electromagnetic or thermal interference. It can be wound manually using the large, fluted crown with a worm screw-type relief that echoes the helical gear, or an electric Torx stylus.
Commenting on the new MP-11, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, said: “R&D is at the heart of our DNA, and each MP, shaped by our profoundly innovative approach, is an opportunity for us to test new sapphires that may later become part of our regular collections. Our MPs are a laboratory, an exploration of what the watchmaking of tomorrow might look like today.”
