Hublot presents the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow

The latest creation from Hublot and celebrated Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is finally here – and it may well be the duo’s most eye-catching and exceptional creation to date. Introducing the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Sapphire Rainbow, reimagining the artist’s iconic smiling flower as a sapphire sculpture set with colorful gemstones and fitted with Hublot’s first central tourbillon movement. A limited edition of only 20 pieces.

Transcending the preconceived notions of contemporary art, Takashi Murakami created his own art movement dubbed “Superflat”, extending from fine arts such as painting, sculptures and installations to more commercial media such as fashion and animation. Blurring the line between high and low arts, Murakami melds the aesthetic of the Japanese artistic tradition with contemporary art and culture. Of all his works, the most iconic is the smiling flower, which Hublot has sought to bring into a watchmaking context through several collaborative pieces.

The MP-15 is the symbol of a friendship in full bloom, born from a shared passion for breaking down boundaries and going beyond expectations. Hublot first began working with Murakami in 2021, with a shared drive of breaking down boundaries and going beyond expectations with their respective artforms. After his eponymous Classic Fusion models and a series of NFT artworks paired with unique pieces, Hublot and Takashi Murakami took their partnership to the next level with the unveiling of the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon for the Only Watch 2023 charity auction. Reimagining one of Murakami’s most emblematic motifs, the MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon took on the “smiling flower” and transfigured it from Murakami’s signature aesthetic into a wearable sculpture that seamlessly merges contemporary art, avant-garde watchmaking and exceptional gem-setting; the latter of which Hublot has pioneered with unexpected techniques and a mastering of the perfect rainbow effect. This requires carefully selecting gemstones that work together in a perfect transition of tones.