There are few brands in the watch space that do it quite so well, but Id argue that Hublot is at its very best when taking a page out of the streetwear and fashion worlds book and producing unique and highly collectible collaborations with artists, musicians, and design houses. Like the excellent Sang Bleu capsule built around the legendary designer and tattoo studio, the Orlinski is another ongoing series of super-interesting Classic Fusion watches drawing inspiration from French pop artist Richard Orlinskis distinctive faceted sculptures. New for 2021 is a pair of 40mm Orlinski watches rendered entirely in either Black Magic or blue ceramic, which join the existing 40mm titanium variant, though they do come in at a slight price premium, of course.French pop artist and sculptor Richard OrlinskiAs cool as the titanium variant is, the Classic Fusion Orlinski really comes alive in ceramic as a more pure expression of Orlinskis own medium, with its smooth surfaces, sharp angles, and solid color-blocking. Its an effect thats heightened by the Classic Fusions own clean strap and case lines, which are really best served in this time-only display. Orlinskis influence can be seen across the bezel and on the lugs at 12 and 6 oclock, but the watchs real highlight is in the solid, multi-faceted ceramic dial formed around a series of peaks and valleys designed to resemble the surface of a sculpture of the artists own creation. The dials unique surface, angular applied hour markers, and faceted sword hands combine to yield quite a cool effect on the wrist, as the dial comes alive under light from pretty much any direction. Hublot uses its standard HUB1000-series of automatic movements in the new Orlinski watches-the same Sellita-based calibre deployed across the Classic Fusion line. Lets be honest, though, if youre after Hublots in-house movement manufacture prowess, this aint it-maybe check out a Big Bang Unico to scratch that itch. Like the Sang Bleu, the real selling point of the Orlinski isnt the engine, but its chassis, which does a marvelous job highlighting Hublots technical prowess around case design and manufacture. This is, after all, the same brand responsible for the world-first red ceramic case, which was introduced as a Big Bang and later brought over to the Orlinski to complement the artists own colorful work. But since reds already been done, blue was the next natural choice, and its still quite impressive to behold, even if its no longer a world debut.Specifications:Brand: HublotModel: Classic Fusion OrlinskiDimensions: 40mm x 11.1mmWater Resistance: 50?metersCase Material: Black or blue ceramicCrystal/Lens: SapphireMovement: Hublot HUB1100 (Sellita SW-300 base)Frequency: 4HzPower Reserve: 42 hoursStrap/Bracelet: Integrated rubber with deployant claspPrice Availability: $13,600 USDIf youve found Hublots standard Classic Fusion line with its smooth, flat bezel and countersunk screws a little too close to some of the brands own Swiss contemporaries, the Orlinski delivers a very cool and colorful pop-art twist on the increasingly staid integrated strap sports watch look. The price of the Classic Fusion Orlinski 40mm in either ceramic variants is $13,600, up from $11,500 for the titanium variant. You can learn more about the Classic Fusion Orlinski collection at hublot.com. [...]