Since its inception, Hublot MP 09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Rainbow 3D Carbon has been a company interested in subverting expectations. While many brands consider themselves disruptive, over the past few years, Hublot has been singularly focused on expanding its reputation as a brand that creates big, brazen, trend-bucking watches. In doing so, Hublot has been steadily evolving its design language – keeping true to the porthole architecture for which it is named, while pushing the bounds of what that design language means.
In 2017, the Nyon-based brand released the MP-09, a big, bold, bi-axial tourbillon. Dubbed the HUB9009.H1.RA.B (say that five times fast), this manually-wound mechanical marvel features a five-day power reserve, and a prominent minute and hour readout, flanked by a double rowed date track. The curved cased houses this distinct machinery, but it is by virtue of the flowing sapphire crystal that the tourbillon itself is displayed at 6 o’clock.
Though the mechanism is statement enough, this year Hublot has taken things a step further by creating an entirely new rainbow-themed 3D carbon case for the Hublot MP 09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis Rainbow 3D Carbon . But where one might expect the multi-colored ornamentation to have come from gem setting, as is often the case with rainbow motif luxury timepieces, Hublot has created something completely different, though no less eye-popping.
By virtue of what must have been an extremely labor-intensive and technically challenging process, the Carbon composite case is built by threading countless thin bars of carbon together in a woven pattern, leaving small gaps within each layer light punctuation marks. From here, colored carbon bars are inserted to fill the gaps creating a kaleidoscope of colors. The whole matrix is then levelled by way of a third carbon mesh layer – thus the 3D moniker. The result is a deceptively complex, pixelated rainbow pattern that cascades down the multidimensional case body.
Hublot can be a polarizing brand. To some, it is a pinnacle of luxury and status– the end destination of dreams and aspirations. For others, it’s an easy target for criticism and online reproach. But were those critics to set aside their preconceived notions, and genuinely look at what Hublot is doing, and has been doing, for a long time now, they might be surprised at what they find.
The HM-09 Rainbow 3D Carbon is, by absolutely any measure, an impressive piece of engineering, craftsmanship, and, likely, patience. These are the fundamental ingredients for high watchmaking. As if the colors, price, and overall presence of the piece weren’t enough of a demonstration that this is not a watch intended for everyone, its limited quantity of just eight pieces cements the point. This is a piece for the most enthusiastic, unabashed Hublot fans out there. It’s not for the faint of heart, or those seeking to have subtly adorned wrists. It’s a bright, bold declaration that Hublot is doing what Hublot does. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, you weren’t supposed to in the first place.