Late last year we ran a story on the mysterious Antikythera mechanism - and Hublot's attempt to recreate it in wristwatch form. The article went on to be one of the highest rating Gizmag stories of all time due to its thoroughly remarkable subject and the fascinating adventure story that brought this piece of ancient genius into the modern world. The wristwatch version looked pretty snappy, too - and if you wanted to get your hands on one, here's your chance! Only four have been built, with three headed to various European museums, but the fourth is up for auction. We doubt it will go cheap.
Hublot's tribute to the earliest known mechanical computer is complete. Four clockwork replicas of the stunning Antikythera mechanism have been created, with one recently on show at Baselworld 2012. Each wristwatch painstakingly recreates the ancient astrological calculator in miniature, down to its groundbreaking elliptical and planetary gear systems. Hublot also saw fit to enhance each timepiece with … The ability to tell the time. So that's nice.
As recreations of a historical artifact of great significance, three of the watches have already found new homes - one will go on display at the Athens Museum, beside the remaining fragments of the original Antikythera mechanism. Another will go on display in Paris at the Musée des Arts et Métiers. One will be kept by Hublot in the company's own museum in Switzerland, and the fourth is set to be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Archaeological Museum of Athens.
When we first wrote about this, several people expressed their interest in owning one of these tribute pieces. Well guys, with details of the auction set to be announced soon, it's time to put your money where your mouth is! May the best bidder win.
Read our original story on the history and significance of this amazing piece of machinery here: Hublot painstakingly recreates a mysterious, 2,100-year-old clockwork relic - but why?
