Hublot

ED209
[Purist]
7307

• Show profile
• Show other posts

Prototype Series 2: Hublot Masterpiece MP-02

"What will Hublot bring this year to us?"...  This was the question posed by our Hublot Moderator KIH last week in anticipation of the new models Hublot will debut in 2013.  I read through Ken's post and enjoyed the summary of the Hublot 2012 collection that was shown at Basel.  Besides the Antikythera Mechanism, I couldn't help but notice that quite a few of these watches were variations of the Big Bang.  Personally, I don't mind having all these variations (a common complaint with the AP ROO which I'm a huge fan of) and I actually like having color options. 
Anyway, the post I made in December of the Hublot Big Bang Minute Repeater tourbillon made me think of possibilities of watches that Hublot could bring out this year.  Having the Hublot Confrerie Horlogerie (formerly BNB Concept) run by Mathias Buttet poses some really nice opportunities to showcase interesting movements and designs.  And when I think of having bold designs, I immediately think of a very unique watch that I handled before: the Hublot Masterpiece MP-02 Key of Time.  The MP-02 is made in a limited edition of 50 pieces and this is the prototype for the watch.






The MP-02 has an interesting shaped  case that  is micro-blasted titanium with black colored PVD.  It has a multi-layered matte black dial with satin finished black colored nickle plated hands.  Various areas have bright green luminescent applied.




Besides the hours, minutes and seconds functions, the key of time has a time speed indicator, power reserve indicator and vertical tourbillon (more on this below).

The crown on the right hand side is the normal time setting crown but also notice in the pics that there is a crown on the left side of the case.  This is used to speed up or slow down the time displayed on the watch.  It can set to run normally or 4 times as fast (one hour is indicated by fours passing on the watch, or four times slower (an hour is indicated by 15 mins).  A red tube (that changes from the regular green) display indicate the speed the hands are set to showing it's 4 x faster or slower.  The tourbillon itself continues to run at 1 revolution per minute.  It's good to know that the watch still remembers the real time so when the crown is turned back to normal time, the hands will display the correct time.




To be honest, I don't remember and I'm not sure what this function does.  I'll have to find out the primary purpose of the 4x speed.

The movement behind the MP-02 is the manual wind HUB9002.  The movement diameter is 40.20mm with a height of 9.5mm.  It has 74 rubies and made of 512 components with a 120 hours power reserve.  Parts of the movement is coated in blackened nickle, and anoticeable complication is the vertical tourbillon cage.  The pics I took were the prototype model number 00 of 50.  The finishing on the movement was clean, but for some reason when I took this picture it has brownish tint.  I think it was the lighting in the room.





The MP-02 has an i ntegrated Rubber strap that reminds me of Richard Mille watches where it is extremely comfortable and pliable and forms around a small wrist.