Hublot and Daniel Arsham bring the “splashy” MP-17 MECA-10 to the wrist
Jason Lee- Hublot and acclaimed visual artist Daniel Arsham team up on the MP-17 MECA-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire, the artist’s first wristwatch.
- It features a 42mm pebble-shaped titanium case topped with a solid sapphire bezel, formed into a unique, organic dial aperture.
- As the name implies, the 10-day power reserve MECA-10 powers it, just as a MECA-10 movement powered the Arsham Droplet pocket watch.
Hublot is perhaps one of the most controversial brands in contemporary watch culture. Much of the discourse fixates on the Big Bang’s loud design, the collaborations, and the sticker prices. Yet the substance under the hood often gets less airtime than it deserves. As a former Hublot Big Bang Unico Ice Bang and Spirit of Big Bang Tiger owner, I’ve had enough time with the brand to challenge some prevailing assumptions. On paper, the Unico architecture remains compelling for the money: an in‑house, column‑wheel chronograph with a double horizontal clutch and a flyback function is a serious technical package, regardless of how you feel about the aesthetics. And on the subject of originality, few categories are immune from shared visual DNA—many contemporary dive watches, for instance, trace a lineage to the Submariner.
The point isn’t to convert anyone; it’s to take Hublot on its merits and judge each watch case by case. With that in mind, here’s a calm, first pass at the brand’s latest headline‑maker: the MP‑17 Meca‑10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire.
The MP‑17 brings Daniel Arsham’s water‑centric design language to the wrist, featuring a splash‑shaped aperture in the dial. This is Arsham’s first wristwatch design for Hublot, and the brief is clear: explore the fluidity of time through organic geometry. It is a blend of Hublot’s “Art of Fusion” philosophy and Arsham’s practice of collapsing past, present and future into a single object.
The MP‑17 uses shiny microblasted titanium for the case, measuring 42mm in diameter and 15.35mm thick, with 50m of water resistance. It’s topped by a box‑shaped sapphire bezel that is frosted/laser‑textured and anchored by six H‑shaped titanium screws—a familiar Hublot signature in a less familiar silhouette.
Hublot fans will also recognise other brand codes that keep the watch grounded in the catalogue: the aforementioned screws and a titanium H‑shaped folding clasp. It’s a good example of how Hublot can iterate on form language without abandoning house identifiers; the piece reads new at a glance, but not unfamiliar in the details.
Under the sapphire box, the dial surfaces are rhodium‑plated with shiny microblasted elements, and the legibility is carried by “Arsham green” Super‑LumiNova across the hands, numerals, hour and five‑minute markers. A small seconds at 9 o’clock and a power‑reserve indicator at 3 o’clock handle ancillary information. The “splash” opening frames the mechanics as an intentional part of the dial, rather than a cut‑out afterthought; combined with the frosted sapphire, it gives the watch a layered, almost architectural depth.
The star of the show is the HUB1205 MECA‑10, an in-house manual‑wind skeleton calibre finished in grey PVD that made its debut earlier this year. As the spec card sets out, it runs at 3 Hz and delivers a 240‑hour (10‑day) power reserve. What you see through the splash aperture and the back is an openworked construction that leaves the gear train and power‑reserve system visually legible.
If you’ve found the past Arsham Droplet pocket watch to be more concept than watch, this one positions itself differently. The technology is established rather than experimental, the power reserve is practical for a manual‑wind piece, and the finishing choices err toward industrial‑modern rather than decorative flourish.
The watch ships on a Charmille‑grained black rubber strap decorated with the Arsham monogram, closed by a titanium deployant. As ever with Hublot, the choice of rubber is both a comfort play and a philosophical one: it’s the original “Art of Fusion” material, here balancing the metal and sapphire.
Closing thoughts
From a design standpoint, the “splash” motif carries over the water narrative that began with the MP‑16 Droplet, but the shift to a 42 mm wrist format shows genuine consideration for wearability. The juxtaposition is classic Hublot: overtly modern materials, a deliberately polarising form, and a movement built to a clear performance brief. Whether or not you enjoy the look, which is subjective, the underlying execution is not. If your default position on Hublot has been shaped by memes more than firsthand experience, this piece offers a cleaner test. It keeps the brand’s visual codes visible, it gives Arsham room to be Arsham without losing the “watch” part of the watch, and it grounds the spectacle in a proven long‑power‑reserve calibre.
Hublot will probably remain a lightning rod—brands that try things tend to be. But beneath the noise, the MP‑17 reads like a sincere attempt to meet the wider audience halfway: smaller dimensions, functional clarity, and a concept that ties art to mechanics in a way you can actually wear.
Hublot MP-17 MECA-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire pricing and availability
The Hublot MP-17 MECA-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire is limited to 99 pieces and will be available from October 2025. Price: US$69,000
| Brand | Hublot |
| Model | MP-17 MECA-10 Arsham Splash Titanium Sapphire |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 15.35mm (T) |
| Case Material | Shiny microblasted titanium, frosted sapphire bezel |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Open, rhodium-plated and shiny microblasted |
| Strap | Charmille-grained black rubber, folding clasp |
| Movement | HUB1205, in-house, manual-winding |
| Power Reserve | 240 hours (10 days) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve indicator |
| Availability | From October 2025 |
| Price | US$ 69,000 |