The new Hublot Classic
Fusion Cruz-Diez Ceramic.
The new King Gold versions of the Hublot Classic
Fusion Cruz-Diez, in two sizes.
hours of power reserve. This watch is being sold at Eden Rock and in select
Hublot boutiques.
The smaller timepiece ($15,800) is a 38mm titanium watch set with
thirty-six brilliant-cut diamonds on the case and with ten ruby markers
on the white lacquer dial. Also water resistant to fifty meters, the watch is
powered by the self-winding HUB1100 movement with 42 hours of power
reserve.
ARTISTIC INDULGENCES
For several years, Hublot has worked with artists such as street artist
Tristan Eaton, tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi of Sang Bleu, Shepherd
Fairey, and renowned sculptor Richard Orlinski, each of whom has designed
special collaborative watches as part of the brand’s initiative to reach new
communities. Late last year in Miami (during Art Basel Miami), Hublot also
announced some new relationships and unveiled partnership timepieces
that are making their way to stores now.
“We live in a global world and art is a platform that allows you to express
yourself through another type of communication,” says Guadalupe. “We
need creativity and inspiration. With these partnerships, there is a new way
to express art, combining the art of watchmaking with real art put into a
watch.”
Such is the case with the most recent partnership, a collaboration
between the family of the late Carlos Cruz-Diez and Hublot. In 2015, Hublot
collaborated with the artist, considered one of the 20th century’s greatest
color theorists. This second collaboration, now with his family, is a tribute to
70 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SPRING 2020
Caseback of the
Hublot Carlos Cruz-
Diez Titanium.
his work.
The Classic Fusion Cruz-Diez is a kinetic work of art that reflects his ideas
on color and motion. The watch features saturated Pantone colors on the
two-level dial that seem to be constantly in motion thanks to parallel disks
with printed black lines on them that rotate in a sequence, changing the
color patterns constantly.
Two versions – a 38mm and 45mm size – are being offered in three mate-
rials (titanium, King Gold, black ceramic) in limited numbers.
Additionally, in December Hublot announced a new piece by Sang
Bleu, the Big Bang One Click Sang Bleu Steel Turquoise Special Edition.
A feminine interpretation by Maxime Plescia-Büchi, the watch features a
dial framed with a hexagonal bezel set with diamonds and paired with a
turquoise strap to match the dial. Both the dial and strap feature lines traced
by the artist in a reinterpretation of the art of tattooing. Just fifty pieces are
being made, especially geared for the Russian market.
“We try to work with artists whose values correspond to the brand and
our values,” says Guadalupe. For him, this collaborative project in the life-
style realm (as well as in sports) has really helped the brand evolve in the
21st century.
“We went from being young and not very well known in 2004, to
becoming, in the past 15 years, one of the top reference brands in the luxury
watch industry,” he continues.
“It was not easy work, but these partnerships, along with our drive to be
different and innovative all the time, have helped to put us up in the top five,
six or seven brands.”