Rainbow Hublot – New Tourbillon Bi-Axis 5-Day Power Reserve

The famous gemstone motif is reproduced here through colored composite inserts in a three–dimensional carbon fiber case – an exclusive world premiere held at the Art Basel exhibition in Miami as part of the “Hublot loves Art” event.

MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Rainbow 3D Carbon 49 mm

The manufactory is like a racing car, which is designed to race at maximum speed. The Hublot car is racing at the forefront of technology. In Nyon, the brand has one of the most modern production centers in the modern Swiss watch industry. This manufactory with full integration of production, focused on innovation, not only pushes the boundaries of creative possibilities, but also sets new guidelines. Hublot has its own research and development department, thanks to which the brand does the unthinkable and brings the unimaginable to life. The Art Basel exhibition in Miami has become a showcase for one of his latest achievements.

The MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis 5-Day Power Reserve, fully developed within the walls of Hublot, interprets the famous rainbow design in the light of the possibilities of the 21st century. The concept, methods, tools, materials, and appropriate shades have all been rethought.

The initial idea seems simple: to reproduce the rainbow effect traditionally created by colored stones using carbon fiber and composites, materials that were chosen as the opposite of precious stones. However, technically, this is an extremely difficult task, especially since usually the natural rainbow palette is conveyed by gradation of natural shades of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, placing them on the surface of the case.

The availability of advanced equipment and the ingenuity of its own specialists allowed Hublot to consistently solve all complex production problems. Usually, the craftsman selects stones that have been formed over millions of years and groups them by color. Here, each element of each shade is created separately.

We can say that the case of this watch is formed by weaving. First, thin strips of carbon fiber are placed horizontally, at a distance of several millimeters from each other. After that, strips of colored composite are vertically stacked in the gaps between them, which slightly protrude above the carbon window. Then this level difference is leveled with a third layer of carbon fiber, as a result of which both carbon fiber and composite elements form a single whole in length, width, and height.

To accomplish this task, it took hundreds of color inserts to be made. When looking at the final result, there is a feeling of natural harmonious gradation, something close to an optical illusion. Hublot has developed a whole range of different shades that recreate the iridescence of precious stones – an unprecedented solution for watchmaking.

The color of each integrated insert will be slightly shaded by the carbon fiber of the case, so the master has to take into account that the color composition will look slightly different after installing the elements. Another challenge is to place each element exactly in place. This involves a huge amount of work, which is difficult to guess: in the end, the surface of the new MP-09 model looks completely smooth to the naked eye and appears polished when touched. Each installed element is processed with micron precision in such a way that it appears to be one with the carbon fiber. World premiere: Never before has a watch demonstrated such a number of composite shades as the new MP-09 model.

The new MP-09 has a unique mechanism that has been used in this line since its introduction: the HUB9009.H1.RA caliber.B is manually wound with a five-day power reserve. It is equipped with a two-axis tourbillon that makes a complete revolution in one minute around one axis and in 30 seconds around the other. This mesmerizing double rotation has given rise to the curved body design, in which the tourbillon is positioned at 6 o’clock. The release of this model with a new, colored architecture is limited to eight copies.

“However, no one has yet executed this pattern from three-dimensional carbon fiber, simply because this idea has not yet occurred to anyone. This is what sets Hublot apart from other brands: we explore yet unexplored areas of Fine Watchmaking. The new MP is not just another model of the “Manufacture Piece” line: it embodies the essence of Hublot – to be the first, unique and unrepeatable. And it will always be like this.”

Ricardo Guadalupe

CEO of Hublot