Hublot and Jeff Koons Introduce Balloon Dog as a Watch
Each of the three pneumatic metal designs is part of a limited edition of 200
Hublot has broken the watchmaking mold again, a tradition that began in 1980 when the Swiss label became the first to put a gold case on a rubber strap. That spirit continued yesterday, when Hublot and Jeff Koons released Classic Fusion Balloon Dog, a timepiece inspired by the artist’s infamous Balloon Dog. The outlines take their shape from the Classic Fusion collection, using the 42 mm dial, but the gleaming “puffy” style is quintessential Koons.
Three models in red, blue, and steel are available in limited editions of 200 each. All three feature a padded metallic leather strap that merges seamlessly with the dial and the case. Harder surfaces have been reshaped into domes that, like Koon’s metal ballon animals, appear weightless. The stainless watch is polished to a mirror-like finish, while the red and blue versions were achieved using anodized aluminum. Look closely, and the second hand has a tiny balloon dog on the counterweight.
“Translating Balloon Dog into the language of the Classic Fusion required far more than fusing an artwork with an existing watch. The challenge was to fundamentally reinterpret the architecture of the Classic Fusion through the visual and sculptural language of inflatable forms,” stated Koons, continuing, “Traditionally defined by its sleek and relatively flat profile, the Classic Fusion was entirely re-engineered to create the illusion of inflated volume and tension, as though each component had been shaped by air pressure.” The design was a feat of engineering rather than a mere reflection of style.
But there is more: the MP-14 Origin by Jeff Koons is now the latest in the Hublot Extraordinary Timepieces family. Only 30 of this sapphire, diamond, titanium, and white gold masterpiece will be made. Concentric, gem-paved rings tell the hours and minutes in an arrangement that evokes planetary rotation, with a rounded sapphire blue dome sitting like Saturn at the center. There are 202 stones set in this wonder, which takes no less than 534 hours to assemble.
“The MP-14 Origin by Jeff Koons sits at the intersection of two parallel visions: one artist deconstructing perception, one manufacture deconstructing matter, both since 1980,” said Hublot CEO, Julien Tornare, adding, “Jeff Koons has been transforming familiar forms into amplified symbols, where light, scale and reflection turn perception into participation. Hublot builds the Art of Fusion, where materials, techniques and disciplines collide. This piece is a true masterpiece: a testament to our mastery, elevated by Koons’ vision of transformation and amplified perception.”
A sparkling event at studio 525 in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood accompanied the release of the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog. Celebrity guests included Pamela Anderson, Olivia Jade, Future, Saweetie, Gunna, with a performance an DJ set by Tinashe.