The grand unveiling of the MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash in Singapore strengthens the partnership between Hublot and Daniel Arsham.
Disruption in the world of horology is a buzzword often overused yet rarely executed with the visceral impact witnessed not too long ago in Singapore. This time, DA MAN was invited to the launch of the new Hublot x Daniel Arsham collaboration in the Lion City.
Upon arrival, our first appointment presented a study in contrasts. We walked the short distance to the legendary Raffles Hotel, crossing from the modern bustle of the metropolitan city into 19th-century colonial quietude. There, in the hushed, wood-paneled sanctum of The Library, we met the man of the hour: Daniel Arsham.
Arsham, perhaps best known for his “Fictional Archaeology,” sat surrounded by the history of Raffles, a setting that felt, ironically, perfect. We discussed his view of time, central to his design approach along with his ideas and inspirations. He spoke briefly about the main creation for this global unveiling, noting that the watch’s transparent structure captures the clarity and motion of water—suspended, precise and always in flux.
It was a cerebral prelude to the evening’s Global Media Welcome Dinner at SKAI, perched on level 70 of the Swissôtel. Over panoramic views of the glittering Marina Bay skyline and meticulously prepared dishes, anticipation for the next day’s reveal grew unmistakably strong.
The Fluid Evolution
Thursday, October 9, marked the crescendo. We returned to Raffles, this time to the East India Room for the official press conference. The atmosphere shifted the moment Julien Tornare, Hublot’s CEO, took the stage alongside Daniel Arsham. The maison’s Art of Fusion philosophy came alive as they unveiled the collaboration: the Hublot MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire.
This timepiece did not simply tell time; it appeared to freeze it. The watch is a study in asymmetry and transparency, a “splash” of sapphire and titanium captured in mid-motion. Following the MP-16 Arsham Droplet transformable pocket watch, this new creation continues Arsham’s exploration of motion, transparency and temporality. Inspired by the natural flow of water, the MP-17 combines frosted sapphire, titanium and rubber to form a sculptural case defined by fluid, organic curves.
Arsham’s signature green accents bring a vibrant pulse to the monochromatic composition, adorning the numerals, hands and power reserve indicator. Avant-garde in form yet unmistakably Hublot, the piece is anchored by six H-screws, bold lugs and the seamless material fusion that forms the maison’s design DNA.
At its heart beats Hublot’s in-house Meca-10 manual-winding movement, which is perfectly visible through the splash-shaped aperture on the dial and the sapphire caseback, an exquisite display of engineering that delivers a remarkable 10-day power reserve. Seeing the Meca-10 engine through the “splash” aperture is a reminder that for all its artistic fluidity, this remains a serious piece of mechanical watchmaking.
After the reveal, I had a private audience with Tornare in the Chairman’s Room. He spoke passionately about Hublot’s latest creation. “Working with Daniel Arsham is always an exploration of new design and perception. The MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire marks the next chapter in our collaboration. It embodies Hublot’s Art of Fusion, blending fine watchmaking with art to create a timepiece that’s visually striking and technically groundbreaking. It invites us to see time through Arsham’s fluid and imaginative lens,” Tornare explained when asked about the central idea underlying the design and workings of the MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire and what he hopes it communicates to Hublot’s audience.
The night culminated at 72-13, a heritage shophouse turned into a contemporary art space. Bathed in Arsham’s signature mint-green light, the old-school space felt for all the world like a cavern from a distant future. Seeing the watch in this setting, amid the thumping bass and a gathering of the region’s most notable personalities, cemented the success of the collaboration.
Sculpting Seconds
As the watchmaking industry continues to move forward, creative partnerships like this serve as a reminder that innovation does not always require complex complications or ever-thinner movements. Sometimes the most significant breakthroughs come from redefining the essence of a watch, viewing time not only as a measurable metric but as an experience to be felt and interpreted.
The unveiling of the MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash in Singapore underscores the partnership between Hublot and Daniel Arsham as something far deeper, a genuine dialogue that challenges the very form and perception of a timepiece. The MP-17 does not merely display time; it sculpts it, capturing a single fluid moment within a wearable architecture of titanium and frosted sapphire.
Arsham’s vision of “collapsing time” is rendered with striking clarity as the splash-shaped aperture on the dial and the organically flowing case lines evoke a sense of dynamic, suspended animation. The watch achieves what only a handful of timepieces can: it prompts us to actually reconsider the essence of time itself.
The Hublot MP-17 exemplifies the potential that emerges when traditional craftsmanship meets modern artistic vision, where the precision of Swiss watchmaking intersects with the innovative spirit of contemporary art. If anything, this collaboration is poised to continue redefining perceptions one creation at a time.
Limited to just 99 pieces, the MP-17 Arsham Splash actually transcends the categorization of a mere limited edition product. It stands as a portable artifact from a fictional future and becomes a conversation piece that invites its wearer to ponder the fluidity of time itself. Taken as a whole, it serves as an entry point into an ongoing narrative in which the boundaries of art, design and mechanics are not just blurred but beautifully dissolved.
Reports Riga Ramadhan