Hublot has unveiled a pair of limited edition Classic Fusion wristwatches created in collaboration with the late Nelson Mandela’s foundation, with a portion of the proceeds from their sale going to the charity.

The House of Mandela, a charitable foundation set up by the former South African leader, worked with Hublot to develop the limited edition Classic Fusion. Limited to 95 pieces, the Classic Fusion House of Mandela is available as a 45mm men’s watch or in a 42mm case set with 1.15 carats of diamonds for the ladies. Both versions are made of King Gold, an 18k red gold alloy developed by Hublot with a colour even more pink than the typical rose gold. The bezel is engraved with Mandela’s signature between 12 and 1 o’clock. 

The dials have a vertical brushed finish with the House of Mandela logo, a bee with wings resembling the branches of a tree. The bee is a reference to Mandela’s Xhosa name, Rolihlahla, translating as “he who is brave enough to fetch the honey from the honeycomb” and meaning “challenge the status quo”, while the branches are meant to symbolise a family tree.

Part of the proceeds from the sale of each watch will go to the House of Mandela, which supports charitable projects in South Africa. While the support for a good cause is admirable and should be encouraged, it is hard to reconcile this flashy, pricey timepiece with Nelson Mandela’s image as a humble, forgiving and gentle leader.