# A tribute to antiquity: Hublot Antikythera



## Ernie Romers (Apr 27, 2005)

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After a week of exhbiting many superb watches from Baselworld on the Watchuseek forum, welcome back to the Watchuseek blog.

We featured the unique Antikythera creation from Hublot some months ago when it was being exhibited at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris. It's where Hublot publicly unveiled the movement developed as a tribute to the Antikythera mechanism.

The remarkable astronomical calculator from the 2nd century BC, and whose remains were discovered in Greek waters in 1900, describes the movements and position of the moon and the sun in the sky.

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Hublot has paid tribute to this Antiquity by reproducing the mechanism in miniature, resulting in a movement with the dimensions of a wristwatch, adding to it hours, minutes and a tourbillon escapement system, and a generous 5-day power reserve, as a modern signature.


Baselworld 2012 provided the occasion for Hublot to finally unveil the "Antikythera" watch itself.

The Antithykera is a watchmaking tribute to the Ancient world and, as decreed by Jean-Claude Biver, only 4 identical timepieces will ever be created.

The first - which was on display at the Basel watch show - will be going to the Athens Museum where it will be exhibited alongside the fragments of the original Antikythera Mechanism.

The second will be sold at auction, with proceeds going to the Archaeological Museum of Athens. The third will remain on display at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris. And the fourth will be kept by Hublot for posterity in its own museum.

The watch represents a fusion between ancient and modern times. Its two facetted sapphire crystals emphasise and showcase the dual display of the double-sided movement.

​Two crowns, each adorned with the same cross, echo the original form of the Antikythera Mechanism.

The crown located at 6 o'clock is used to wind the piece and set the time, while the crown positioned at 12 o'clock is used to correct the mechanism's astronomical indications, by indexing the moon's age in relation to the position of the sun.

Due to the sheer complexity of the data being displayed, the crowns have been secured to prevent their settings from being changed accidentally.The movement of choice is the Hublot Antikythera calibre 2033-CH01 with a powerful power reserve of 120 hours.

A microblasted titanium case protects this most intricate and exceptional mechanical timepiece.

To harmonise with the sapphire crystals, the case also features a facetted finish. The watch comes on a rubber strap, specially designed for this model. And the price? Don't ask.

*Specifications*

*Reference*
Masterpiece MP-04 Antikythera
904.NX.4101.RX
*Case: *micro-blasted titanium - Length 49.90 mm X width 49.05 mm X thickness 20.83 mm
*Bezel:* micro-blasted titanium
*Crowns:* micro-blasted titanium with black rubber moulding
Lateral inserts: micro-blasted black PVD titanium
*Crystal:* sapphire with colourless anti-reflective coating 
*Case-back: *micro-blasted titanium
*Water resistance:* 3 ATM, equivalent to approximately 30 metres
*Movement*
Hublot Antikythera calibre 2033-CH01, Manual winding
Hours, minutes 
Seconds via the tourbillon cage 
Flying tourbillon without ball bearing
*Power reserve:* 120 hours

_ARTICLE written BY MICHAEL WEST @ FOR WATCHUSEEK.com_


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