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At Baselworld 2019, Hublot surprised visitors with its dynamic installation that combined innovation and poetry.
Composed of thirteen synchronised screens, this contemporary showcase staged a show during which the brand’s new products were subtly unveiled. Real timepieces disappeared, reappeared and played with images in a rhythmic animation.
This innovation was born from a friendship, that of Xavier Dietlin and Xavier Perrenoud. Both of them think that traditional shop windows are outdated. They then decided to create a highly original “showcase” in the form of an animated sculpture.
Eighteen months later, the Raptor 3 has been unveiled. This module with its sober and functional design “absorbs” the watch, which seems to undergo an operation on-screen before emerging in a new aesthetic form. Used together, severall Raptor 3s form the installation entitled “Art of Fusion”.
During a conference at the ECAL (Lausannd School of Art and Design) in September 2018, Xavier & Xavier stopped in front of an ephemeral installation composed of three aligned screens. The idea of positioning images next to each other was born.
After exploring the work of Korean artist Nam June Paik and Jean Tinguely, they jointly decided to build a living image wall from which watchmaking products appeared and disappeared. Art of Fusion is a bridge between the Swiss mechanics of the Fribourg artist and the Korean designer’s video art world. Together, they create a bridge between the past and the future, between the art of watchmaking and digital technology. This is undoubtedly the forthcoming challenge facing the watchmaking industry.
Technically, this installation requires multidisciplinary know-how based solely in the Lausanne region. To achieve it, this sculpture required more than 1,000 hours of work. 300 meters of cables connect each element to each other to allow them to communicate. Products can shrink at a speed of 10m/s and an ingenious infrared sensor system detects the presence of an overly curious visitor.
The show, which lasts 90 seconds, was played every three minutes at Baselworld (250x per day). It has swept across social media and been acclaimed by the brand’s retailers around the world. Art of Fusion travels around the world and is presented at major events held by the Nyon-based watch brand.
Xavier Perrenoud founded XJC in 2001 and is also a professor holding a Master of Advanced Studies in Luxury Design at ECAL. He specialises in creative management as well as luxury product design, in particular for watchmaking and jewellery. After having collaborated for many years with internationally renowned brands, he has acquired a level of know-how that enables him to offer a wide range of services. In addition to brand mandates, XJC has been developing innovation research concepts since 2011, some of which have been presented at national and international exhibitions. As a consultant, Xavier Perrenoud also organises workshops as part of continuous training on creativity and creative processes.
After a serious injury that ended his football career, Xavier Dietlin joined the family company active in metal construction. In ten years, he reoriented the firm towards showcases with a strong emphasis on innovation. The main breakthrough came in 2005 for Hublot with the Raptor, a glass-free display case secured with sensors. Since then, the watchmaking world has entrusted him with the most complex projects throughout the world, followed by jewellers. The major museums, as well as multinationals such as Mercedes Benz, Nestlé and Philip Morris, have followed suit.
May 23, 2019