It’s the watch that always tells you it’s time to be ecstatic. The latest Hublot and Takashi Murakami collaboration has just been announced, and the collection is heavy on the Japanese icon’s signature radiantly-smiling, rainbow-hued flowers. The timepieces combine precision luxury watchmaking with digital art and will go on sale in April.
Two of the NFTs Takashi Murakami created for the collaboration. Courtesy of Hublot.
This is the fourth pairing of the Swiss heritage brand and Murakami, and it was feted with a glam Manhattan blowout on February 4. The event was attended by various art and fashion world luminaries and the artist himself, who cut a dapper swath in a flower cap of his own design, with a grin to match his character’s.
Takashi Murakami at the February 2 launch event in New York. Courtesy of Hublot.
The collection encompasses 13 NFTs and watch styles that are inspired by 1970s Japanese video games and TV shows, with visual nods to the 2021 Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black, the debut collaboration between the horlogerie and Murakami.
The 13th watch style is limited to an edition of one. The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Black Ceramic Rainbow really gives the flower a reason to smile: Its 12 petals are blinged out in rubies, sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites, and topaz. It was on display at the event, where an eager crowd amassed around it and its maker.
The ultra limited-edition Hublot Murakmi watch is adorned in gems. Courtesy of Hublot.
The timepiece will be awarded to the buyer who manages to buy and trade 12 NFTs by April 2024. In the event no one accomplishes the mission, it will be auctioned off by Hublot to benefit charity. It’s a win-win situation.
“After creating all the timepieces together, as well as the digital works of art,” Murakami said. “We are now imagining new ways of accessing contemporary art.” The remaining 12 editions will be unveiled at Watches and Wonders in Geneva in April.