Combining the iconic pop culture artistry of Takashi Murakami with the legacy of Hublot craftsmanship, the biggest news at the second annual LVMH Watch Week had to be the release of the Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black.

After many attempts at courting Japan’s most famous pop artist, the Swiss watchmaker was finally able to convince Murakami of their shared passion for ingenuity, innovation and design after a visit he made to their manufacture in February of last year.

“When I visited the Hublot manufacture in Switzerland for the first time, I realised to what extent the traditional know-how, precision, futuristic technology and craftsmanship were all intertwined in the creation of a watch,” Murakami says. “Bringing my art into the creativity of these watchmakers represents a unique adventure for me.”

Witnessing the cutting edge engineering and design of Hublot, Murakami was inspired to pursue what would become a powerful symbiotic relationship.

The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black reinvents Hublot’s signature 2006 timepiece, the “All Black”, with Murakami’s own artistic signature, the Smiling Flower motif. Murakami’s grinning art icon and the striking all black finish of the signature All Black pair well together, with black diamonds and a satin-finished black ceramic case. Sitting atop the sapphire crystal, the rounded dome of the face provides a 3D effect, allowing each of the 107 black brilliant cut diamonds to scintillate individually. 

Surrounding the face, 12 black-plated petals are impressively set with 456 black brilliant cut diamonds that move delicately with the movement of the wearer, through a proprietary ball-bearing system created by Hublot’s engineers. The black Ceramic case is ultra-tough and almost entirely scratch-proof, designed to withstand the test of time.

Hublot also used several singular, “in-house” movements, including the Unico automatic chronograph and an unparalleled power reserve of Meca-10, Tourbillion and MP-11. The watch boasts a 50-day power reserve and a revolutionary motor with 11 MP-05 barrels for utmost functionality and design. 

Being Hublot’s first partnership with a Japanese artist, and Murakami’s first collaboration with a Swiss watch brand, this All Black represents a significant moment for both collaborators, not to mention is a significant collector’s item with only 200 pieces available. Seeing how seamless and striking this first project proved to be, more joint designs would be highly anticipated. The Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami All Black retails for HK$205,800. 

For more information, visit Hublot.