Hublot and Daniel Arsham Just Unveiled a Pocket Watch
What does Hublot have in common with Moet & Chandon, Pokemon, Tiffany, Hot Wheels and Adidas? All have done collaborations with New York-based contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. In Hublot’s case, the object is a pocket watch, but the only thing it has in common with traditional pocket watches is that it tells time. Shaped wristwatches, a rage in the 1960s and ’70s, have made a strong comeback over the past couple of years, and now the trend has spread to pocket watches, thanks to the Hublot x Daniel Arsham Droplet. The watch is shaped like a large, freeform teardrop that has little in common with traditional watches other than its time-telling function. It comes with two chains made of titanium, allowing it to function not only as a pocket watch, but also as a pendant. It also comes with a decorative stand that transforms it into a table clock.
The case is made from a fusion of materials—a tradition for both Hublot and Arsham. The metal is microblasted titanium, sandwiched between by two sapphire crystals that outline a teardrop shape, the outer edge of which is made of rubber. The rubber bumpers are there to protect the case and to bring in the Arsham monogram, which is stamped into the rubber. The hands, index ring and markers are also finished in Arsham green, as are parts of the glass stand. It comes with two titanium chains, so the watch can be worn as a pendant or as a pocket watch.
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The lower end of the transparent teardrop is punctuated with several bubble-shaped cutouts, which both reinforce the teardrop motif and represent the dials and wheels of the movement. The shape, as well as making a contemporary design statement, is meant to be ergonomic, as in comfortable to hold in the hand. It measures 73.2 mm long x 52.6 mm wide x 22.5 mm thick.
As a desk clock, it’s as much an objet d’art as a watch. Arsham also designed the mineral glass stand, which doubles as a 150x magnifier to make the dial more legible from a distance. “We had to do a series of calculations in order to place the loupe at just the right distance from the pocket watch, as well as to determine the right curvature and size of the loupe” a Hublot spokesman told Robb Report. “It was quite a technical feat to develop a stand that is balanced and stable. Each element is placed according to a precise calculation, involving weight and geometry.”
The movement is the manual wound HUB1201 MECA-10, with a 10-day power reserve. Its components are given a gray PVD treatment with lume that shines green to complement the Arsham signature color. The Hublot x Daniel Arsham Droplet will be made in a series of 99 pieces, priced at $88,000 and sold through Hublot.
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