Hublot’s New MP-13 Boasts A Bi-Retrograde Movement

Chronograph. Moonphase. Perpetual Calendar. Tourbillon. Self-Winding. Bi-retrograde? Yes! You read that right. Watches And Wonders 2023 is always about exciting novelties and Hublot has taken it a step further. The new MP-13 Bi-Axis Tourbillon represents a new era in Hublot's MP collection, a group of masterpieces that exemplify disruptive, creative, and technical Haute Horlogerie and are aimed at collectors interested in exploring the watchmaking of the future.

Even if you try to avoid the number 13 out of superstition, you can't get away from the MP-13. Hublot, unafraid of superstition, unveils the personality of its newest model. The MP-13, which measures 44 millimeters in diameter, is the first watch to combine the tourbillon and retrograde display, two distinct complications. But pay attention, because these aren't your everyday difficulties.

What is so special about the Hublot Tourbillon?

To begin, the tourbillon has two axes, an impressive feat given that Hublot is one of only a handful of watchmakers capable of producing a double-axis tourbillon in-house (they did it for the first time with the MP-09 in 2017). The tourbillon makes one full rotation per minute on one axis and another per 30 seconds on the other. The combination of hypnotic motion and the intricate mechanism is made possible by the dual speeds of the same mechanism.

“Fourteen years after inaugurating our Manufacture’s first building, we are now unveiling the 13th MP movement produced entirely in-house by Hublot. Creativity is nothing without the tools of the trade, and vice versa. That is what makes our integrated business model so strong. At Hublot, every idea can almost instantly be developed into a project of horological innovation and give rise to extraordinary creations. Our collectors eagerly await the release of each new model, all of which embody cutting-edge watchmaking, as is the case with the new MP-13”, says RICARDO GUADALUPE, HUBLOT CEO.

Hublot has crafted a tourbillon with two sophisticated features that add to its enchantment: it is skeletonized and suspended. The tourbillon feels much lighter thanks to its innovative structural design. It gets rid of the upper bridge and spares no expense in paring down the rest of the design so that light can enter the interior unimpeded. The tourbillon at 6 o'clock has been given more breathing room, with anti-reflective sapphire crystal on both sides to preserve the effect.

Hublot guarantees that each customer will be able to use their MP-13 every day for at least four days, or 96 hours, thanks to the watch's impressive power reserve. Its power reserve likely exceeds that of any other double-axis skeleton tourbillon currently available. However, unlike the small number of comparable tourbillons, this model had a much harder time guaranteeing this model's four-day power supply.

Why? What do you mean by bi-retrograde?

Because the movement it fuels is also a first: it's not just retrograde, it's bi-retrograde. Due to the high power requirements of retrograde displays, configurations that include all three of these characteristics—double axis, bi-retrograde, and four days of power—are extremely rare. Indeed, a bi-retrograde variant is even more unusual than a standard one. The hour hand of this one-of-a-kind watch moves instantly from one hour to the next, making it easier to read than if it were moving steadily with the minutes. The MP-13 has a 96-hour power reserve, and its power reserve indicator can be found at 11 o'clock.

Not only is this the first time Hublot has ever done so, but the hours and minutes will also be displayed in retrograde. This makes telling time a very natural, intuitive, and instantaneous process. Like many scripts and the motion of the sun, the screen is read from left to right. The 3 o'clock crown only has one setting, making the mechanism very user-friendly. As you progress through the minutes, the hours will do the same. The movement can only be wound clockwise, another convenience feature added by Hublot. This safeguards against damage caused by winding the hands backward, a common pitfall of retrograde displays that Hublot hoped to spare its collectors.

The MP-13 Tourbillon Bi-Axis, like all models in the MP series, will be produced in a strictly limited run of 50 individually numbered pieces. The titanium case and black rubber strap are just two of the 374 individual parts that make up this timepiece.

Price:

150'000.00 CHF
165'000.00 EUR
158'000.00 USD
137’000.00 GBP

Technical Specifications:

REFERENCE
TITANIUM
913.NX.1170.RX

CASE
Satin-finished titanium
Diameter: 44 mm
Thickness: 16.7 mm
Water Resistant: 3 ATM

CASE BACK
Satin-finished titanium

BEZEL
Satin-finished and polished titanium

DIAL
Matt black

MOVEMENT
HUB6200 Manual-winding, tourbillon,
double-axis, power reserve
Frequency: 3 (21,600 A/H)
Power reserve: approx. 115 hours
Number of components: 374
Jewels: 44

STRAP AND BUCKLE
Black lined rubber
Titanium deployant buckle