Horology is an ancient discipline, the art of timekeeping developed over millennia of human experience and technological advancement. After all this time, we’ve reached a fairly optimised status quo in how to tell the time that involves rotating hands and a winding rotor. So naturally Hublot have thrown out all the conventional wisdom regarding watches in favour of creating something brand new in the form of the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium – which, if we’re being honest, is the most Hublot-like thing Hublot could possibly do.
It’s hard to know where to start with a watch that looks a mix between an MB&F and a hipflask, so I suppose we’ll start with the appearance and structure of the piece. It’s broadly rectangular in shape with dimensions of 54.1mm x 41.5mm in micro-blasted titanium. An oversize crown is located at 12 o’clock, which is what makes me think of a hipflask, especially with the integrated rubber strap reaching down the case like a custom holder. Across the centre of the piece is a wide sapphire crystal glass that creates a broad viewing window for the unique display.
That display consists of a cylindrical hours and minutes display that rotates horizontally, the top cylinder demarking the hours with the lower one the minutes. Below that is another cylinder for the power reserve indicator and blow that is the seconds indicator, which is not a cylinder, but an angled disc mounted on top of the tourbillon cage instead. It’s a pretty insane layout and watching it in motion shows a flurry of activity akin to an MB&F or a Jacob & Co. Bugatti.
In addition to the unusual layout of the skeletonised display, the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium has an innovative linear weight winding system. Sitting in parallel on either side of the central cylinder are two rods on which a pair of white gold weights slide, protected by shock absorbers on both sides. When the weights oscillate in any direction, they wind the watch using the same principles as a regular automatic rotor. The movement is called the HUB9013 and it features a 48-hour power reserve, which is solid enough considering the intense power requirement of the cylindrical display and tourbillon.
The Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium is limited to 50-pieces at a price of £227,000. Hublots are never the most accessible watches but that’s in Richard Mille territory. Still, I think the interesting display, novel winding mechanism and crazy case will make this a hit among the footballers and celebrities who will no doubt be spotted wearing it in the next few weeks.
Price and Specs:
Model:
Hublot
MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium
Ref:
910.NX.0001.RX
Case:
54.1mm
x 41.5mm, titanium
Dial:
Skeletonised
with rotating display rollers
Water resistance:
30m
(3 bar)
Movement:
Hublot
calibre HUB9013, automatic, 66 jewels
Frequency:
21,600
vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve:
48h
Functions:
Hours,
minutes, seconds, tourbillon, power reserve
Strap:
Black
structured rubber with titanium deployant buckle clasp
Price:
£227,000,
limited to 50 pieces
More details at Hublot.
Oracle Time