This is Hublot at its most avant-garde. The initial impression of the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System (RM1,157,500) is that it has startling little resemblance to a wristwatch. It is a chunky device, with a titanium case measuring 54.1mm by 41.5mm and a mighty 22.4mm thick—but it has a touch of streamlining and a sculpted linearity to it that speaks to its mechanical inventiveness and artistry.
The time-telling has been rethought completely. Instead of hands, the central spine of the MP-10 has a pair of rotating displays for hours and minutes beneath a seamless magnifying section of sapphire crystal. Beneath that is the power reserve indicator, marked in red and green; beneath that is an inclined 3Hz tourbillon with the seconds inscribed directly on the monobloc aluminium cage—a patent-pending application.
Flanking this vertical set are the twin winding mechanisms. Instead of the typical circular rotor, this system consists of two blocks of white gold that are free to move on the vertical axis and will charge the mainspring as they do. Shock absorbers ensure that these weights do not collide with the banking. The crown at 12 o’clock allows manual winding, while the setting crown is concealed at the back. The movement has a power reserve of around 48 hours.
So this is the wheel re-invented, a Hail Mary approach to watchmaking of unfettered creativity usually seen only in smaller independent watchmakers. Hublot has a bit of a track record when it comes to such, and the MP series is full of ambitious mechanical outings—but only a couple of past outings such as the MP-05 and MP-07 and their weeks-long power reserves approach the daring of the MP-10. Five years in development, it is a 592-component timepiece that also happens to have the most complex sapphire crystal Hublot has ever implemented. Delivered on an integrated rubber strap, the MP-10 combines an architectural aesthetic with technical fascination—and it is quite easy to read, too. The watch is available as a limited edition of 50 pieces.
