Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons: Blue, Red and Silver

Last updated: 22 September 2026

What the Hublot Balloon Dog watch is

Hublot and Jeff Koons launched the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog in New York on 16 September 2026. Rather than printing the sculpture on a dial, Hublot rebuilt the Classic Fusion case around it. As a result, the normally flat watch now has a domed crystal and a padded dial. The case is made of rounded, swollen shapes too.

Koons explained the brief in Hublot's launch announcement: "Translating Balloon Dog into the language of the Classic Fusion required far more than fusing an artwork with an existing watch." Hublot's chief executive, Julien Tornare, added that each part was milled on a five-axis machine and then finished by hand.

The sculpture behind it

Koons made Balloon Dog between 1994 and 2000 as part of his Celebration series. The sculptures are huge mirror-polished steel versions of a party balloon animal. Then, in 2013, Balloon Dog (Orange), a steel sculpture about 12 feet tall, sold at Christie's for £36.49 million, according to Guinness World Records.

In other words, the watch puts a small version of one of the most expensive sculptures by a living artist on a wrist. If you like the idea but not the price, though, the Not a Jeff Koons balloon dog money box costs £30.

The balloon details

Hublot added four details that you only notice up close:

• The crown: shaped like a balloon's inflation valve, in rubber-moulded aluminium.
• The tail: a flexible rubber balloon tail sticks out of the case at 10:30.
• The seconds hand: its counterweight is a tiny Balloon Dog in relief.
• The hands and markers: domed and filled with white Super-LumiNova, so they glow in the dark.

The watch is 42mm across, about one and a half £2 coins side by side. Meanwhile, Monochrome measured it at 11mm thick, which is about four £1 coins stacked. It is water resistant to 50 metres, so rain, hand washing and a swim are fine. Hublot also packs it in a chrome inflated dog, colour-matched to the edition inside.

The three editions

All three share the same case shape, movement and 200-piece limit. However, the metal, the colour and the strap change from one edition to the next.

Blue, reference 542.UB.5170.NR.JKN26

The case, bezel and dial are polished blue anodised aluminium, with a Jeff Koons signature in silver at six o'clock. The strap is blue rubber with a padded metallic blue leather insert. On top of that, the steel clasp carries a matching blue decor plate. See the Blue edition at Hublot.

Red, reference 542.UR.8170.NR.JKN26

The Red edition uses the same aluminium, but anodised a bright red. Likewise, the strap switches to red rubber with a padded metallic red leather insert. See the Red edition at Hublot.

Silver, reference 542.SX.0820.NR.JKN26

The Silver edition is mirror-polished stainless steel with a rhodium-plated dial. For that reason, it is the closest match to the shine of Koons's steel sculptures. It also comes on a grey rubber strap with a metallic silver insert. Anodised aluminium can scratch, so the SJX hands-on review recommends the steel version for anyone who plans to wear it every day. See the Silver edition at Hublot.

The movement inside

Every edition runs on Hublot's self-winding HUB1710 movement. It has about 50 hours of power reserve, so it keeps going over a weekend off the wrist. According to Monochrome, the HUB1710 is based on Zenith's Elite 670. It shows the hours, minutes, seconds and the date.

Through the sapphire caseback you can see the winding rotor. Hublot made it in tungsten and gave it the same puffed-up curves as the case. The caseback is also engraved with the edition number, out of 200. Finally, Hublot covers the watch with its 5+5 warranty, which can run to ten years in total.

Price and where to buy it in the UK

All three editions cost the same. Wallpaper* gave the UK price at launch as £19,700. Even so, Hublot's UK site lists each one as price on request, with buttons to register interest or book an appointment.

There is no online checkout. Instead, Hublot sells the watch at selected Hublot points of sale, and it will also be shown in selected art galleries. Because there are only 200 of each colour, registering interest in the edition you want is the first step.

Register interest at Hublot, £19,700

Hublot also launched a second Koons watch at the same time, the MP-14 Origin by Jeff Koons. It has a sapphire and titanium case with a tourbillon. It is limited to 30 pieces and costs £383,000.

Who the Balloon Dog watch suits

• A Koons collector: each watch is numbered out of 200 on the caseback, and Koons's signature is on the dial.
• A watch lover who wants something playful: it is a self-winding Swiss watch, assembled at Hublot's workshop in Nyon, in a far more playful case than a normal Classic Fusion.
• A once-in-a-lifetime present: a 40th, a wedding or a retirement, where the budget runs to five figures.

Above all, it suits someone who is happy to be noticed, because the shape and the colours are easy to spot from across a room.

FAQs

How much is the Hublot Balloon Dog watch?

The UK price at launch was £19,700 for each of the three editions, as checked on 22 September 2026. Hublot's own site lists them as price on request.

How many Hublot Balloon Dog watches are there?

Hublot is making 200 of each edition, Blue, Red and Silver, so 600 in total.

Can you buy the Hublot Balloon Dog watch online?

No. Hublot sells it through selected boutiques and retailers, so you register interest or book an appointment on Hublot's site first.

What is the Hublot Balloon Dog watch made of?

The Blue and Red editions are polished anodised aluminium, whereas the Silver edition is mirror-polished stainless steel. All three have a sapphire crystal and a rubber strap with a padded insert.

What movement does the Hublot Balloon Dog watch use?

Hublot's self-winding HUB1710, with about 50 hours of power reserve and a tungsten rotor shaped to match the case.

Is the dog on the seconds hand animated?

No. Hublot says the Balloon Dog on the seconds hand is fixed. The moving dog in its launch video was made for the video only.

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