Following the success of last year's MP-16 Arsham Droplet pocket watch, Hublot and artist Daniel Arsham return with the MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire, marking Arsham's first wristwatch design for the brand. This collaboration translates the kinetic moment of water meeting the surface into a 42 mm sculptural timepiece that showcases Hublot's mastery of sapphire crystal engineering and its newly downsized Meca-10 movement, available in a limited edition of only 99 pieces. For reference, below is the Hublot Arsham Droplet pocket watch.
The new MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire is rooted in Hublot's ‘Art of Fusion’ philosophy, combining shiny microblasted titanium with a laser-textured frosted sapphire bezel that took years of in-house research to perfect.
Things to Know About the Watch
The 42 mm case, crafted from micro-blasted titanium and featuring a frosted sapphire crystal bezel with a unique, almost hammered texture, represents a technical achievement in wearable dimensions for the Meca-10 collection, which previously required 45 mm cases. At 15.35 mm thick with 50 meters of water resistance, the case is secured by six H-shaped titanium screws that define Hublot's industrial aesthetic.
The most notorious feature is the frosted, irregularly shaped sapphire crystal bezel—grown and manufactured in-house at Hublot's Nyon facility—which required mastery of working with sapphire's brittle nature to achieve the organic, splash-inspired form.
The bezel creates an interesting view of the dial, considering that the actual shape of the case is round. Unfortunately, a significant portion of the minute hand is hidden underneath the frosted sapphire bezel between the 19-minute mark and the 45-minute marker, which we consider a design flaw. Nevertheless, the watch is quite interesting to look at.
To add some interesting contrast, the dial features Arsham's signature verdigris color—reminiscent of the patina on oxidized bronze sculptures—throughout the SuperLumiNova on the hands and markers, as well as on the minute track and markers on the flange.
The openworked dial features a splash-shaped aperture that breaks from traditional circular or rectangular geometry. This irregular opening reveals the skeletonized HUB1205 movement beneath while maintaining perfect legibility. The rhodium-plated, microblasted dial surfaces create dynamic light play, with a small seconds subdial at 9 o'clock and a 10-day power reserve indicator at 3 o'clock.
The asymmetric rehaut follows the splash contour. The Charmille-grained black rubber strap is embossed with Arsham's monogram and secured by a titanium deployant clasp featuring Hublot's usual design.
The Movement
Visible via the display case back is the manufacture calibre HUB1205 Meca-10, which was entirely designed and manufactured in-house, representing a significant engineering evolution. This 264-component manual-wind movement measures 33.5 mm in diameter and 6.8 mm in thickness—notably more compact than the original 35.2mm Meca-10—yet maintains the collection's defining 10-day or 240-hour power reserve through twin series-coupled barrels.
The power reserve display mechanism, balance wheel, balance bridge, and fine adjustment system were all completely reconstructed for this compact architecture, allowing Hublot to shrink the Meca-10 collection from 45 mm to wearable 42 mm proportions while preserving the dramatic skeletonized aesthetic. The movement retains its industrial, Meccano-inspired bridges and visible gear train, which defines the Meca-10's distinctive character. The case is stamped with the watch’s individual number.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the MP-17 Meca-10 Arsham Splash wears more like a wearable sculpture than a watch. The titanium construction keeps the watch light and comfortable to wear, thanks to the rubber strap. The watch is nice, but we feel the strap is too narrow, and this watch would have been better suited with a wider strap to balance the look more.
Not a bad release from Hublot, which at least steers away from the usual Big Bang limited editions and the half-dozen different color ceramic cases. While the bezel is very unique with its frosted look, it feels more like a piece of hard acrylic to the touch than the usual sapphire crystal.
The watch is nice from a horological mechanical standpoint, but it's just not for us aesthetically speaking.
Sticker Price USD 69,000. For more info on Hublot click here.
