takashi murakami & hublot present MP-15 watch with central tourbillon along jeweled petals

Takashi Murakami and Hublot for MP-15

Artist Takashi Murakami and Swiss watchmaker Hublot collaborate once again to bring forth the MP-15, a timepiece with an exposed central tourbillon and jeweled watch hands. In time for Only Watch 2023, a charity auction that intends to raise funds for research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the watch is a first for Hublot, drawn from its central flying tourbillon, an inaugural spirit that Bulgari’s first-ever Octo Finissimo Tourbillon timepiece made entirely out of marble shares.

The MP-15’s timepiece design is a first for Hublot and a personal request from Takashi Murakami. The artist explicitly asked the Swiss watchmaker for the inclusion of a central tourbillon. At first, Hublot was hesitant, as the style would make it challenging to indicate the hours and minutes, which would compete for the same central position as the tourbillon. In the end, drawn from both sides’ craftsmanship and artistry, MP-15 was born, taking the form that Takashi Murakami imagined it to be in the first place while reveling in the meticulous detailing of Hublot.

images courtesy of Hublot and Takashi Murakami

Floating central tourbillon around jeweled watch hands

Upon taking up Takashi Murakami’s challenge, Hublot set forth to append a central flying tourbillon to the MP-15 to ensure that the cannon pinion and the hour wheel could pivot around the tourbillon, supported by a co-axial construction. In this way, the tourbillon seems to float in mid-air with two hands passing under its cage to indicate the hours and minutes. These hands move toward 12 luminescent indices that reflect the colors of the Hublot Only Watch 2023 edition. The design still maintains the exact proportions required by Takashi Murakami’s design, which Hublot followed to the letter. The manual movement has a 150-hour power reserve thanks to its two proportioned barrels mounted in sequence. On a single plane, these barrels can be seen through the rear case, which is entirely made of sapphire.

MP-15 is a first for Hublot, drawn from the central tourbillon that Takashi Murakami requested the watchmaker.

444 gemstones on 12-petaled watch hands

Fans of Takashi Murakami’s signature color scheme and smiley emoji can follow his rhythm on the MP-15, from the tourbillon and indices to the 12 petals generously set with 444 gemstones. The arrangement gives the piece a vivid, joyous aesthetic, and these petals, like a genuine flower, are inclined towards the center of the watch. The objective was not to provide a classic rainbow gradient appearance but rather to experiment with the brightness of the hues and the brilliance of the gemstones. True to Murakami’s universe, MP-15 features a laser carving of his signature broad smile, complete with two smiling eyes, beneath its domed sapphire crystal.

part of MP-15’s goal is to experiment with the brightness of the hues and the brilliance of the gemstones