By now, we are used to seeing some of the most spectacular space inspired creations coming from MB&F. The new MB&F Horological Machine N°6 —HM6— ‘Space Pirate’ has been designed with space in mind and its inspiration came from a Japanese anime TV series from Maximilian Büsser's childhood called "Capitaine Flam" —Captain Future in English. "Capitaine Flam" had a spaceship called the Comet that consisted of two spheres joined by a connecting tube. The curved lines of Horological Machine N°6 make it a softer, more organically shaped Machine than its predecessors. The inspiration for this came from the biomorphism art movement, which takes its cues from design elements based on the shapes of living organisms. In each of the four corners of HM6's biomorphic case there is a 360° sphere, capped top and bottom by transparent sapphire crystal domes.
Posts filed under MB&F
News: Presenting the MusicMachine 3 Reuge by MB&F. Inspired by the TIE fighters from Star Wars.
Nearly 150 years on, and still in Sainte-Croix, Reuge is the only remaining manufacturer of high-end music boxes in the world. Reuge's collection has grown to offer both quintessentially classical pieces and contemporary designs —including a service for specially commissioned bespoke pieces. With the MB&F MusicMachines, Reuge has pushed the frontiers of music box design: MusicMachines belong more to the 25th century than the 21st. Designed by MB&F and made by Reuge, the first MusicMachine was launched at Baselworld 2013. Building on the success of this initial collaboration, Reuge and MB&F joined forces in 2014 for MusicMachine 2 and again in 2015 for MusicMachine 3, which completes the trilogy.
The TIE fighter-inspired MB&F MusicMachine 3 Reuge is positive proof that both the child and the Force are still going strong within MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser —who was 10 years old when he first saw Star Wars in 1977.
News: Introducing the MB&F Horological Machine 'X' HMX. Celebrating the Brand's 10th Anniversary with an Entry Level Priced Limited Edition.
MB&F celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2015, and there is one basic fact about birthdays that is fairly safe to assume: The one celebrating usually gets the presents. However, for the most significant anniversary of its decadelong existence, MB&F turns that one basic assumption on its head. Rather than expecting to receive, the creative lab has conceived HMX —“X” as in the Roman numeral for ten— as a thank you to the friends who have supported the brand over the last 10 years. Instead of developing an ultra-complicated, ultra-expensive anniversary piece —the standard practice in the luxury watchmaking world—, MB&F has cut sales margins without sacrificing quality, offering a true Horological Machine at an unprecedented price. Paradoxically, creating such a Machine also made HMX one of the most difficult to develop as MB&F considered, tested and rejected a plethora of combinations of forms, finishes and details before being satisfied that everything was “just right”.
Insider: Introducing the New MB&F Legacy Machine 101 'Frost' LM101. Live Pictures and Pricing.
First presented in 2014, Legacy Machine 101 embodies and accentuates what is essential in a wristwatch: the balance wheel, which is responsible for regulating precision; how much power remains in the mainspring, which indicates when it needs to be next wound; and of course, the time. Inspired by the frosted finish on timepieces created in the old days, MB&F presents the new Legacy Machine 101 'Frost' LM101. While the word 'frost' refers to those uneven ice crystals that cover your lawn during the beginning of the cold season, when it comes to horology it conveys something different. Abraham-Louis Breguet is credited with inventing the 'frosted' finish —'finition grenée' in French— in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At the time, the operation of frosting protected dials and movements from oxidation —more common in Breguet’s day— and added subdued vivacity to movement plates.
Baselworld 2015: Introducing the MB&F Melchior L'Epée 1839 Table Clock. Live Pictures and Pricing.
Last year at Baselworld 2014, MB&F surprised everyone with its Starfleet Machine table clock in partnership with legendary clock maker L'Epée 1839 as we featured it here. This year at Baselworld 2015, in order to commemorate their 10th anniversary, Max Büsser and friends —MB&F— presented a new super cool table clock that looks like a robot out of a sci-fi scene named Melchior. Additionally, the Geneva-based Horological lab will present a number of Anniversary Pieces during the year, under the theme: ”A creative adult is a child who survived”.
Melchior, created with L’Epée 1839 is an impressive kinetic robot which may remind you of your childhood dreams, but also happens to be an impeccably finished, 480-component mechanical table clock with five barrels and a steel and brass armour. Fitted with articulated arms —the right one packing a rocket launcher and the left a Gatling gun that serves as the clock key winder—, jumping hours, sweeping minutes, double retrograde seconds and a 40-day power reserve this clock is a true tribute to refined, classic clock and watchmaking.
Pre-Baselworld 2015: Introducing the New MB&F Horological Machine No. 3 MegaWind 'Final Edition'. Live Pictures and Pricing.
The new MB&F Horological Machine No. 3 HM3 MegaWind 'Final Edition' is the last iteration of the fascinating HM3 Series saga launched by MB&F several years ago. The Horological Machine No. 3 collection is one that makes an MB&F watch immediately recognizable and the HM3 Frog is one of the predecessors in the line that everyone can easily recognize from any angle. Derived from the iconic HM3 series, the new HM3 MegaWind 'Final Edition' combines a giant 22k gold and titanium winding rotor with highly legible time indication cones rising up from the complex asymmetric case, like truncated gold-framed monoliths. Rotating within their twin gold and sapphire crystal frustums, the cones display hours —left side— and minutes —right side, with the time clearly visible from both the large numbers on the sides of the cones as well as duplicate indications on their flat caps.
Insider: MB&F Legacy Machine No. 2. An Exceptional Timepiece with Dual Flying Balances.
Admiring one of these timepieces in person is what we consider a true horological experience. The adrenaline rush we experienced while taking these pictures was just something we only feel when we are in the presence of true horological masterpieces and all we can say is that the new MB&F Legacy Machines are wondrous reinterpretations of significant horological inventions by the greatest watchmakers in history.
This exceptional timepiece is only available in 18K white gold with dark grey dial, 18K rose gold with silver dial or in a limited edition of 18 pieces in 950 platinum with blue dial. Now, remember that this majestic timepiece is best admired from the side thanks to its marvelous and beautiful high domed crystal, so honestly the color of the movement base plate that conforms the dial, is like a cherry on top of a delicious birthday cake.
News: MB&F Legacy Machine No. 1 LM1 Goes Platinum. As if White and Red Gold Were Not Impressive Enough.
Wild, extreme, outrageous, unrestrained: all might be used to describe MB&F's futuristic Horological Machines, but traditional, classical, round? With its monumental central balance; superlatively finished movement; completely independent dual time zones; unique vertical power reserve indicator and elegant annular case, Legacy Machine No. 1 —LM1— is a tribute to the great innovators of traditional watchmaking; and above all, an authentic three-dimensional MB&F Machine. Legacy Machine No. 1 was conceived when Maximilian Büsser started fantasizing: "What would have happened if I had been born in 1867 instead of 1967? In the early 1900s the first wristwatches appear and I would want to create three-dimensional machines for the wrist, but there are no Grendizers, Star Wars or fighter jets for my inspiration. But I do have pocket watches, the Eiffel Tower and Jules Verne, so what might my more traditional machine look like? "It has to be round and it has to be three-dimensional: Legacy Machine No. 1 was my answer."
News: Presenting the new MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 HM6 'Space Pirate'. Straight Out of a Sci-Fi Film Pushing the Boundaries of Horology.
Space is an extremely hostile environment. To survive you need protection against powerful accelerations, dangerous thermonuclear radiation, extreme temperature fluctuations and constant risk of unexpected collisions. The new MB&F Horological Machine N°6 —HM6— ‘Space Pirate’ has been designed to operate in the hostile environment of space: the space on your wrist. The initial inspiration for this new MB&F HM6 Space Pirate came from a Japanese anime TV series from Maximilian Büsser's childhood called "Capitaine Flam" —Captain Future in English. "Capitaine Flam" had a spaceship called the Comet that consisted of two spheres joined by a connecting tube.
The curved lines of Horological Machine N°6 make it a softer, more organically shaped Machine than its predecessors. The inspiration for this came from the biomorphism art movement, which takes its cues from design elements based on the shapes of living organisms.
Baselworld 2014: MB&F Starfleet Machine L'Epée 1839 Table Clock. Live Pictures and Pricing of an Horological Work of Art.
This Baselworld 2014, MB&F wowed us again with the release of the Starfleet Machine fully designed by MB&F and engineered and crafted by L’Epée 1839. If you are a Star Trek fan or a Sci-Fi lover like Maximilian Büsser, we know you are already in love with this clock even before you get to look at the pictures or read this article. This fascinating table clock with a 40-day power reserve is the result of a tight collaboration between MB&F and Switzerland's only remaining specialized high-end clock dedicated manufacture, founded in 1839 and celebrating its 175th anniversary this year.
Starfleet Machine is an intergalactic spaceship table clock, featuring hours and minutes, double retrograde seconds and power reserve indicator. The highly visible, superlatively finished in-house movement boasts an exceptional power reserve of 40 days, a power reserve superior to that on any other manual wound table clock in the market, where the norm is typically 8 days of power reserve.
Hours and minutes are indicated on the central black dome by hand-polished hands that follow the dome’s curved contours and it's black and white design. Behind that, a smaller rotating dome, accompanied by a revolving radar dish, provides an intuitive view of remaining energy: five bars indicates the movement is fully wound —40 days of power; one bar means Starfleet Machine is running low on propellant and there are only eight days of remaining power. Once the Starfleet runs out of power reserve, the bars are completely gone and only five white dots remain on the rotating dome indicating that is time to wind the clock once again.
Below 12 o’clock on the central hour-minute dome are the double retrograde seconds in the form of turret-mounted laser cannons. The cannons start in parallel and cross over one another before rapidly flying out again, an action marking off 20-second intervals. The red-tipped cannons provide eye-catching visual animation and the regulator has deliberately been placed in full view for all to admire.
One of the biggest challenges for L’Epée was respecting the movement configuration required by MB&F’s spacecraft design. L’Epée’s calibre 2175 featuring five main spring barrels, usually equips vertically standing clocks, but here it is laid flat. The escapement platform also had to be set horizontally to be protected by the turret-mounted laser cannons. Naturally, the movement beats with a precision that Starfleet would be proud of, for an impressive accuracy of -2 to +2 minutes over 40 days.
When conceiving Starfleet Machine, MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser set out to boldly go where no clock designer had gone before, and L’Epée has enthusiastically enjoyed the ride. CEO Arnaud Nicolas says: “MB&F’s idea for Starfleet Machine blew my mind. Like Max, I am a big sci-fi fan so when MB&F came to us with the design, we had to accept the challenge. Our team has been really inspired by this piece, and we think others will be too.”
But the surprises are not over yet, flipping the clock over reveals the beautifully finished calibre 2175 with five barrels and 48 jewels. A movement with enough jewels to make a nice ruby necklace. All the bridges and wheels are highly polished while some the barrels and other components are delicately finished with 'Côtes de Genève'. This movement is a real treat for the eyes with superb attention to detail.
To protect this piece of art from dust or impact, the Starfleet Machine is supplied with a glass dome. This fascinating table clock is available in a limited edition of 175 pieces and in ‘light’ or ‘dark’ finishing. The one featured here is the 'Light' version of the clock, the 'Dark' is finished with ruthenium-finished components. Now, just imagine how good this clock would look on top of that George Nelson bench table next to your Eames Lounge chair.
Sticker Price 28,000 CHF ex VAT. For more info on MB&F click here.
Experience: MB&F's M.A.D Gallery. A Must See When You are Visiting Geneva.
Next time you are visiting Geneva, you need to make sure you stop by MB&F's M.A.D —Mechanical Art Devices— Gallery. This fascinating cozy and intimate gallery is not only the office to some of the team members from MB&F, but also an interesting place where horology and mechanical objects blend into one.
Currently, the gallery is exhibiting work mainly from four different artists including:
Xia Hang, sculptor from Beijing, China and the main source of inspiration for the new MB&F Legacy Machine N°1 Xia Hang reviewed here. Here are some of the sculptures we saw while we were there. The sculptures are meant to be touched and play with as a link between the artist and the visitor.
Fabian Oefner a Swiss artist is presenting his 'Hatch & Disintegrating' breathtaking photographs that we featured here back in December of 2013. The three images of the Disintegrating series are exploded views of classic sports cars that Fabian has painstakingly created by deconstructing vintage roadster scale-models, photographing each component, piece by piece in a very specific position, to create the illusion of an exploding automobile. The images show exploded views of classic sports cars: intricate scale models of an eye-wateringly beautiful Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé with gullwing doors from 1954; an iconic sleek, black Jaguar E-Type from 1961; and a curvaceous sensual Ferrari 330 P4 from 1967.
Quentin Carnaille a French architect converted into an artist to explore time’s mysteries. The young artist develops an increasingly thorough reflection around the notion of time, questioning themes like infinity or relativity with the use of mirrors, magnets and mechanical watch movement parts. He is the creator of the 'Apesanteur' and the 'Infini' sculptures. The 'Apasanteur' —which can be translated as ‘Zero Gravity’ or ‘Weightlessness’—is a sculpture fitted with a levitating disk composed of thousands of mechanical watch components and suspended in air thanks to the powerful magnetic field of a magnet hidden inside the wooden base of the sculpture. ‘Apesanteur’ is an invisible link between astronomy and mechanical watchmaking in a limited edition of 12 pieces priced at around $15,000 USD.
‘Infini’ —Infinity— is made of 16 watch sculptures also composed of thousands of vintage micro-horological components that are magnetically stuck to one another. They float in an endless picture, part light fixture, part sculpture and part mirror. There, time and infinity coexist in a stunning work. 'Infini' is available in a limited edition of 12 pieces and priced around $21,500 USD.
Lastly, Berlin-based Frank Buchwald who worked as a freelance artist and science-fiction illustrator until 1993 when he turned his attention to designing and manufacturing metallic furniture. He created all manner of metal furniture until about a decade ago when he started to focus his efforts on making lamps. It took Frank many years before he felt that the designs of his sculptural lights were moving in the right direction, and an even longer time until he could say he was completely satisfied. His work titled 'Machine Lights' is literally a combination of industrial machines and lights to create captivating light fixtures and lamps that are priced between $10,900 and $27,500 USD.
At the gallery, you will also find other interesting objects and works from artists like Japanese artist Chicara Nagata whom for the past 20 years, has been dedicating his entire energy to the creation of art pieces, most commonly known as motorcycles. His motorcycles called Chicara Art I, II, III, IV and V cost approximately $407,000 USD each and Chicara Nagata became the World Champion of Custom Bike design in the Freestyle category when he presented the Chicara Art I in 2006.
Oh and if you were wondering if any MB&F machines are on display at the gallery, the answer is yes. The M.A.D Gallery is located on Rue Verdaine 11 in Geneva, Switzerland.
For more info on MB&F's M.A.D Gallery click here.
Insider: MB&F Horological Machine No.5 in Red Gold. A Fascinating Retro-Futuristic Timepiece in a 66-Piece Limited Edition.
Last month while we were visiting the M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva, we decided to work on this special review with live pictures of the fascinating MB&F Horological Machine No.5 in red gold. After the original Horological Machine N.5 5 in zirconium was presented in 2012, most would wonder why would MB&F craft the HM5 in a limited edition of 66 pieces in red gold. Well, because they thought it would look damn beautiful and they were damn right. Perusing this watch in the flesh was an exhilarating experience and a tremendous joy.
This watch inspired by iconic watches from the 70s —with a similar case shape— like the Girard-Perregaux Casquette LED, the Amida Digitrend Jump Hour and even the Bulova Computron Driver, comes full of surprises.
Fitted with an 18K Red gold and titanium case —with internal water resistant titanium engine container— measuring 51.5mm x 49mm x 22.5mm, a slide button to open/close its back louvers and exhaust ports to drain water, the HM5 RT is something out of this world and conceived in the most futuristic and flawless way possible.
Perhaps one of the most interesting features of this fascinating timepiece is the way the hour and minutes are shown via a display that faces the front of the watch, but where the time is indicated with bi-directional jumping hours that are inverted, reflected at a 90° angle and magnified at a 20%. The smoked optical grade sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides and magnification provides excellent readability in any angle. Looking at this watch directly from the front, definitely brings memories of WALL-E the romantic robot from Pixar's science fiction animated movie with the same name.
HM5 RT has a mechanical movement, but its inspired by an era when quartz was king. The rear louvers on super cars block light, but on the HM5 RT they let light in. Befitting its automotive heritage, HM5 RT has exhaust pipes, but they drain water. The gold endowing the HM5 RT case with such a rich lustrous glow was found on earth, but was actually created billions of years ago in deep space. The louvers are angled and the back of the watch appears as if it was the rear window of the iconic DeTomaso Mangusta but fitted with louvers. Frankly, a watch doesn't get any sexier than this.
Via the display case back of the Horological Machine No. 5 —HM5 RT— one can see the amazing beating heart inside this timepieces. The display case back also reveals the surprise of an inner case. Like a Russian Matryoshka doll, peeling away one layer reveals a second case in titanium/zirconium. The reason for housing the movement in an inner container is for water resistance. Jean-François Mojon, Vincent Boucard and the team at Chronode developed the HM5 movement. The automatic calibre is composed of 224 parts, 30 jewels, a battle-axe 22K gold ‘mystery ’ rotor and is fully hand-finished. Opposed to what one would think, the discs with the hours and minuted are actually placed in horizontal position but displayed vertically thanks to the reflection and magnification of a sapphire crystal optical prism. It may appear simple, but it’s very complicated. Jumping hours are bi-directional, enabling the time to be easily set both forwards and backwards —via the crown located at the back of the watch or what would be considered the 12 o'clock position on a conventional watch. The two mineral glass disks of the hours and minutes are supported by a flat wide bridge and the disks overlap to maximize their diameter and space for large legible numerals.
To round out the amazing design of the MB&F Horological Machine No. 5 in Red Gold, the watch is fitted with a black rubber strap with pin buckle. The strap features oval perforations as well as very thin ridges to match the ridges on the back of the case and the oval display window on the front. Although the rubber on the strap is very malleable and comfortable, the ridged texture on it is a magnet for collecting dust and lint.
On the wrist, be prepared to wear a very unconventional watch with a funky but very comfortable fit. Once you strap this timepiece to your wrist, be prepared to be transported back to the future. While the design of the case and the time display window are very reminiscent of those 70s iconic watches, the craftsmanship, finish and overall design of this watch is definitely years ahead of our time. Without a doubt, this is another singular and fascinating creation from MB&F.
Sticker Price $82,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.
Insider: Presenting the New MB&F LM1 Legacy Machine No. 1 Xia Hang. Live Pictures and Pricing.
After working for nearly 45 hours without a break —all at peak performance— it’s been a long tiring day and energy levels are low. While it was relatively easy to sit up straight at the start of the day, fatigue has now set in, back languidly bends, head hits lap. ‘Mr. Up’ has become ‘Mr. Down’. But before Mr. Down shuts off completely, an invigorating influx of energy lifts his head, straightens his back and brightens his spirits. Mr. Up has been brought back to life!
Welcome to the world of Legacy Machine Number One Xia Hang. Welcome to the world of Mr. Up and Mr. Down, a collaboration between MB&F and Chinese artist Xia Hang.
Legacy Machine N°1 Xia Hang —LM1 Xia Hang— retains all of the 19th century pocket watch-inspired features of the original LM1, including the majestically suspended slowly oscillating balance wheel and dual time indications that can be set completely independently, but with a twist: the power reserve is indicated by a miniature, highly-polished aluminum man, designed by talented Chinese sculptor, Xia Hang. The man sits up straight when the movement is fully wound —Mr. Up— and gradually slumps over as the power diminishes —Mr. Down. “I call these little men ‘comma men’, and their distinctive shape comes from a selection of art I created from 2005 to 2008. Commas do exist in Chinese writing and for me the ‘comma man’ represents a chubby boy.” says artist Xia Hang.
Xia Hang and MB&F share much in common. While MB&F create serious works of time-telling kinetic art, they don’t take themselves too seriously. Similarly, Xia Hang believes the world of art is often too serious; he likes it to be playful, and wants his sculptures to entertain and make people smile. And just like MB&F, Hang calls his kinetic sculptures ‘machines’. “I was first introduced to Xia Hang a few years ago by a Chinese art collector friend, and visited him on the outskirts of Beijing in his workshop. I was like a child in a toy factory!” says Maximilian Büsser. The in-house movement powering LM1 Xia Hang bears testimony to the enormous talent of its creators. Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode developed the LM1 calibre, which features the world’s first vertical power reserve and allows completely independent setting —including minutes— of both time displays. Acclaimed independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen was responsible for the aesthetic design and for strictly ensuring the utmost respect for tradition and finish. No easy task with such an unconventional suspended-balance design from which to begin. A finely engraved sun-ray pattern on top of the movement plate —dial side— subtly catches the eye at certain angles without distracting attention from the twin white dials, floating balance or vertical power reserve. But it is in the style and finish of the bridges and plates visible through the display on the back of the movement where Kari Voutilainen has excelled in providing exquisite historical fidelity in both the shape of elegantly curved bridges and the traditionally wide space between the bridges and between the perimeter of the bridges and the case. On the back of the movement, 23 over-sized ruby jewels set in highly-polished countersunk gold chatons provide striking visual counterpoints to the Geneva waves traversing the sensually curved bridges. While providing historical links with the large jewels seen in high-grade antique pocket watch movements, the ruby bearings have a practical application in reducing wear/increasing longevity by accommodating large diameter pinions and holding more lubricating oil.
The MB&F Legacy Machine N°1 was conceived when Maximilian Büsser started fantasizing: “What would have happened if I had been born in 1867 instead of 1967? In the early 1900s, the first wristwatches appeared and I would've wanted to create three-dimensional machines for the wrist, but there would have been no Grendizers, Star Wars or fighter jets for my inspiration. But I would have had pocket watches, the Eiffel Tower and Jules Verne, so what might my 1911 machine look like? It has to be round and it has to be three-dimensional: Legacy Machine N°1 was my answer.” Legacy Machine N°1 Xia Hang is a limited edition of 12 pieces in red gold and 12 pieces in white gold. Each Machine is accompanied by a pair of polished stainless steel large-scale sculptures —approximately 15cm / 6" high— of Mr. Up and Mr. Down signed by Xia Hang. “Legacy Machine N°1 Xia Hang is the first time and hopefully not the last) that there has been a cross-pollination between an MB&F M.A.D. Gallery artist —Xia Hang— and a MB&F watch —LM1. In curating these amazing artists at our M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva, it opens a world of possibilities in possible co-creations with MB&F’s Machines”, mentions Maximilian Büsser.
Legacy Machine No. 1 LM1’s ingenious three-dimensional movement was specifically developed for MB&F from Maximilian Büsser’s sketches by Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode in Le Locle, Switzerland. The balance wheel and spring are at the very heart of any mechanical watch movement and are responsible for regulating timekeeping accuracy. Büsser has long been fascinated by the large, slowly oscillating —18,000vph compared with the 28,800vph common today— balance wheels of antique pocket watches, so it was no surprise this was his starting point from which to let his imagination roam free. What was surprising though is just how radically he reinterpreted tradition by relocating the balance wheel from its more usual position hidden at the back of the movement to the top, majestically floating above the movement… even floating above the dials. This manual wound movement provides a power reserve of 45 hours when fully wound and is composed of 274 parts.
While the location of Legacy Machine N°1’s regulating organ may be considered avant-garde, ‘tradition’ is upheld by the large 14 mm diameter balance wheel with regulating screws specifically developed for MB&F, balance spring with Breguet overcoil and mobile stud holder. Another very special feature of the LM1 movement is the ability to set the two time zones completely independently. The vast majority of dual time zone movements only allow the hours to be independently adjusted, while a rare few offer setting to the half hour. Legacy Machine N°1 allows both hours and minutes of each dial to be set to whatever time the user wishes. The vertical power reserve indicator on LM1 Xia Hang is driven by an ultra-flat differential with ceramic bearings, allowing for a slimmer complication and a more robust and longer-wearing mechanism.
LM1’s power reserve complication was modified to enable Xia Hang’s comma man to seamlessly transition from slumping right over when power is low to sitting up straight at full wind. Xia Hang first created full-size sculptures, which MB&F then scaled down to a height of just 4mm —1/8”— and then developed the articulation required. The head, shoulders, back and chest of ‘Mr. Up’ —as the power reserve indicator in known when wound—, all bend down —thanks to a concealed hinge— towards the horizontal as he becomes tired and Mr. Up becomes Mr. Down. The tiny micro-mechanical sculpture is crafted from aluminum to minimize energy requirements. A very high polish ensures that the little man both catches the light and the eye, as well as remaining faithful to Xia Hang’s original conception.
The rate-keeping of the twin dials is controlled by the same regulator —balance and escapement— so that once set, the two times stay perfectly synchronized with each other. Both the hours and minutes on both dials can be set to any time desired via their respective crowns. Complementing the three-dimensionality of the balance floating in space, the dual white dials with their bright blue gold hands float above the top of the movement. The dials are gently domed with a translucent, high-gloss luster created using a “laque tendue” process in which multiple layers of lacquer are applied and heated, causing them to stretch over the surface of the dials. To ensure aesthetic purity of the dials and their traditional Roman numerals, a sophisticated fixation underneath negates the necessity of visually obtrusive used screws. A fine golden perimeter circumscribing each dial elegantly reinforces their timeless classicism.
The watches are fitted with elegant hand-stitched alligator straps made by renowned Parisian leather good and strap maker Camille Fournet. The 18K red gold model features a dark brown strap while the 18K white gold version features a black one. The straps round up the elegance and refinement of this new timepiece with their gold pin buckles matching the case and their exceptional finishing.
Just as expected from a name like MB&F, the finishing on the robust 18K white or 18K red gold cases —measuring 44 mm in diameter— is exceptional and clearly shows the signs of the superb craftsmanship and the attention to detail that MB&F is known for. The cases are very solid and quite thick measuring 16 mm in thickness with an amazing satin-brushed finish and the most beautiful chamfers at the lugs.
On the wrist, prepare to have one of the most amazing horological creations and get ready to wow anyone asking you for the time. Every time you look at Mr. Up or Mr. Down, it will be a nice reminder of why MB&F is one of the most unique watch companies and why their watches are true horological machines and not just timepieces.
Sticker Price $107,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here and for Xia Hang here.
Technical Specifications
Three-dimensional horological movement developed exclusively for MB&F by Jean-François Mojon /Chronode with aesthetics finishes specified by Kari Voutilainen. Manual winding with single mainspring barrel, power reserve indicator with a little man designed by Chinese artist Xia Hang and a power reserve of 45 hours while beating at a frequency of 18,000 vph.
Functions:
Hours and minutes; completely independent dual time zones displayed on two dials;
unique vertical power reserve indicated by a highly-polished little man in aluminum. Left crown at 8 o’clock for setting time of left dial; right crown at 4 o’clock for setting time of right dial and winding.
Case:
Available in 18k red gold or 18k white gold
Dimensions: 44mm wide x 16mm high
Number of components: 65
Sapphire Crystals:
High domed sapphire crystal on top and sapphire crystal on back with anti-reflective coating on both sides.
Experience: Fabian Oefner Presents Exploding Cars Images at the MB&F M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva. Just Amazing.
The MB&F M.A.D. Gallery is delighted to present a series of prints by Swiss artist Fabian Oefner. Fabian has carved out his reputation by fusing the fields of art and science, creating images appealing to heart and mind. He is constantly on the lookout for capturing life moments that are invisible to the human eye: phenomena like sound waves, centripetal forces, iridescence, fire and even magnetic ferrofluids, among others. The artworks on display at the M.A.D. Gallery from Fabian’s series are mind-boggling.
The three images of the Disintegrating series are exploded views of classic sports cars that Fabian has painstakingly created by deconstructing vintage roadster scale-models, photographing each component, piece by piece in a very specific position, to create the illusion of an exploding automobile. The images show exploded views of classic sports cars: intricate scale models of an eye-wateringly beautiful Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé with gullwing doors from 1954; an iconic sleek, black Jaguar E-Type from 1961; and a curvaceous sensual Ferrari 330 P4 from 1967.
The three other images on exhibition form his Hatch series, which explores the theme ‘the birth of a car’. Inspired by a picture of a hatching chick, Fabian decided to show a manufactured object being born just like a living organism – in this case a Ferrari 250 GTO breaking out of its shell, to create a witty high-octane take on the beginning of life. While both series feature cars, they both also involve fooling the observer into seeing the images as computer-generated renderings rather than the real photographs that they are. Fabian says: “I have always been fascinated by the clean, crisp looks of 3D renderings. So I tried to use that certain type of aesthetic and combine it with the strength of real photography. These images are also about capturing time: either in stopping it as in the Hatch series or inventing it as in the Disintegrating series.” Fabian started by making a latex mold from the model car, which was then filled with a thin layer of gypsum to create the shell. Several dozens of these shells were made in order to complete the next step: smashing the shell onto the car to create the illusion of the vehicle breaking out. This step had to be repeated a great many times until the desired results were achieved.
Fabian Oefner explains that photography usually captures moments in time; but his Disintegrating series is all about inventing a moment in time. “What you see in these images, is a moment that never existed in real life,” says Oefner. “What looks like a car falling apart is in fact a moment in time that has been created artificially by blending hundreds of individual images together. There is a unique pleasure about artificially building a moment…freezing a moment in time is stupefying.” Fabian first sketched on paper where the individual pieces would go, before taking apart the model cars piece by piece, from the body shell right down to the minuscule screws. Each car contained over a thousand components.
Then, according to his initial sketch, he placed each piece individually with the aid of fine needles and pieces of string. After meticulously working out the angle of each shot and establishing the right lighting, he photographed the component, and took thousands of photographs to create each Disintegrating image.
All these individual photos were then blended together in post-production to create one single image. With the wheels acting as a reference point, each part was masked in Photoshop, cut and then pasted into the final image. “These are possibly the ‘slowest high-speed’ images ever captured,” says Fabian. “It took almost two months to create an image that looks as if it was captured in a fraction of a second. The whole disassembly in itself took more than a day for each car due to the complexity of the models. But that’s a bit of a boy thing. There’s an enjoyment in the analysis, discovering something by taking it apart, like peeling an onion.” However, he adds: “The hardest part was actually setting up the camera, lens and light, because the biggest frustration is when you can't get any beautiful image out of it!”
With Hatch, Fabian Oefner presents his interpretation of how cars might be ‘born’. The first two images show a Ferrari 250 GTO from 1962 – again a detailed scale model – breaking out of its shell. The third image shows one of the empty shells left behind among several others yet to hatch. To capture the very moment where the shell hit the model, Fabian connected a microphone to his camera, a Hasselblad H4D, and flashes, so that every time the shell hit the surface of the car, the impulse was picked up by the microphone which then triggered the flashes and the camera shutter.
Representing a car as a living, breathing organism that has been gestated is a neat twist on car conception; it could be said Hatch is to the automotive world what a stork is to delivering babies.
Fabian Oefner was born in Switzerland in 1984. Coming from a family with an artistic background, he attended art school and gained a degree in product design. At the age of 14, Fabian discovered Harold Edgerton’s photo of a bullet piercing an apple, and this prompted him to get his first camera. “I have always experimented with all different kinds of art forms at a very early stage,” he says. “Photography turned out to be the form of art that I was most interested in.” Fabian has gone on to blend art with science: beautifully photographing ‘nebulae’ formed in a fiber glass lamp and feathery or cotton candy-like puffs made by bursting balloons filled with corn starch. He has shot crystals of color rising in reaction to a speaker's sound waves; spectacularly captured the patterns created by magnetic ferrofluids pushing paint into canals and he has taken color-crazy photos of paint modeled by centripetal forces. “I am trying to show these phenomena in an unseen and poetic way,” he pauses, “and therefore make the viewer pause for a moment and appreciate the magic that constantly surrounds us. I am inspired and influenced by the world that is around me. I have a deep interest in all kinds of fields of science. When I start with a new subject I rarely know how the final images will look. After experimenting with it, I start to get a feeling for it and after a while an idea for images develops.”
Fabian has a photographic studio in Aarau, 40 minutes away from Zurich in Switzerland. His work has only been sold through direct private sales around the globe. He has worked on assignments for big international brands, on ad campaigns and art projects, including a number of free projects, available to view on 500px.com. Fabian recently demonstrated his ideas and artwork during a TED Talk, as part of the non-profit’s initiative devoted to ideas worth spreading. His reputation has been growing steadily for the past two years. Check the amazing video at the bottom of the post showing exactly how these images were created.
Fabian Oefner’s artwork will be on show at the M.A.D. Gallery in Geneva until May 2014.
For more info on Oefner click here and for MB&F and the M.A.D. Gallery here.
MB&F M.A.D.Gallery
Rue Verdaine 11
1204 Geneva
Switzerland
News: MB&F Unveils the Horological Machine No.5 RT in Red Gold. A New Limited Edition of Only 66 Pieces.
Press Release
Horological Machine No.5 is back 'On the Road Again', with a new 'RT' limited edition in red gold. After the original HM5 in zirconium presented in 2012, most would wonder why is the manufacture crafting another 66 pieces in red gold? Well, gold is highly resistant to corrosion; it conducts heat or electricity and reflects infrared radiation. Gold is highly malleable: a single gram can be beaten into a sheet of 1 micron. Gold is precious: all the gold ever mined in human history would fit in a cube of just 21 meters on each side. But let's get to the point: the real reason why MB&F is crafting this edition in red gold is because they think it looks damn beautiful!
HM5 RT is full of surprises: Hour and minute displays look straightforward, but they are bi-directional jumping hours with indications inverted, reflected 90° and magnified 20%. HM5 RT has a futuristic case design, but it’s from the 1970s. HM5 RT has a mechanical movement, but inspired by an era when quartz was King. The rear louvers on super cars block light, but on HM5 RT they let light in. Befitting its automotive heritage, HM5 RT has exhaust pipes, but they drain water. The gold endowing the HM5 RT case with such a rich lustrous glow was found on earth, but was actually created billions of years ago in deep space.
While we might still be waiting for flying cars, with the HM5 RT you can put a high-tech golden super car on your wrist! As with any super car, the best often lies under the hood and ‘lifting the hood’ of the HM5 RT case reveals a surprise: an inner case! Like a Russian Matryoshka doll, peeling away one layer reveals a second case in titanium. The reason for housing the Engine in an inner container is for water resistance. Those super car louvers let in water as well as light —the reason for those dual exhaust ports— so to protect the high-performance Engine from moisture as well as shocks, it is housed in its own titanium shell. This inner case is similar to the rigid chassis of a car on which the external coachwork/body is attached. Jean-François Mojon, Vincent Boucard and the team at Chronode developed the HM5 Engine. It may appear simple, but it’s complicated! Jumping hours are bi-directional, enabling the time to be easily set both forwards and backwards. The two mineral glass disks of the hours and minutes are supported by a flat wide bridge. The disks overlap to maximize their diameter and space for large legible numerals. Turning HM5 RT over reveals the Engine, with its 22k gold battle-axe shaped ‘mystery’ winding rotor, fast oscillating balance and stunning hand-finished bridges, through a sapphire crystal display back that is set into the water resistant container.
Horological Machine No. 5 RT retains all the key features of the HM5: a hand-finished automatic movement with bi-directional jumping hours; a vertical time display reflected and magnified by a sapphire crystal optical prism; 'light convector' flaps which allow to charge the superluminova hour and minute discs and to compensate for the higher weight of the external red gold case, they've modified the inner protective compartment from stainless steel to titanium. While HM5 RT has a generously sized 51.5mm x 49mm case and gold is known for its weight as much as its beauty, thanks to the discrete use of ultra-light titanium, HM5 RT is a very comfortable machine to wear.
Technical Specifications
ENGINE
Three-dimensional horological engine developed by Jean-François Mojon and Vincent Boucard of Chronode. Powered by a Sowind gear train. Battle-axe 22k gold ‘mystery ’ automatic winding rotor.
Power reserve: 42 hours
Balance frequency: 28,800bph/4Hz
Number of components: 224
Number of jewels: 30
Engine housed in a water resistant, titanium inner container
FUNCTIONS / INDICATIONS
Minutes and bi-directional jumping hours displayed by reflective sapphire crystal prism with integrated magnifying lens. Slide to open/close louvers on case top.
CASE
18K Red gold and titanium with internal water resistant titanium engine container. Slide button to open/close louvers. Exhaust ports to drain water.
Dimensions: 51.5mm x 49mm x 22.5mm
Number of components: 80
Water resistance of engine container: 30 meters
SAPPHIRE CRYSTALS
Smoked optical grade sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating and 20% magnification. Sapphire crystal on back with anti-reflective treatment on both faces.
STRAP & BUCKLE
Sculptured rubber strap, titanium tang buckle.
Sticker Price $82,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.
News: MB&F Presents the Legacy Machine No. 2. The Legacy Continues.
Press Release
Two years ago, MB&F took us back in time, asking us to imagine what MB&F would have created a century ago… the answer was Legacy Machine No.1. An unexpected new line for MB&F, who had accustomed you to futuristic, totally unconventional Horological Machines. The worldwide response was flabbergasting – climaxing in a double win at last year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, where LM1 took both the jury’s Best Men’s Watch and the Public Prize.
Legacy Machine No. 1.
Today, MB&F is asking us to push the time-traveling machine a bit further: adjust the knobs and levers to about 250 years ago. With a bit of luck we would've bumped into some of the greatest watchmakers this planet has seen: Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807), Antide Janvier (1751-1835) and Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823). These horological legends of the 18th century are united not only by
their inventive genius, but also by the fact that they have all
constructed clocks and watches with two balances.
Legacy Machine No.2 is once again a tribute to these amazing Horological ancestors. One movement. Two fully independent escapements, with two Legacy-style flying balance wheels floating high above the dial and a planetary differential which transmits the average rates of those balance wheels to a single gear train. Oscillating on high, the exalted double balance wheels of LM2 were inspired by, and pay homage to, one of the rarest mechanisms in the history of watchmaking: the dual regulator. And rarer still, the average rates of Legacy Machine No. 2’s dual regulators are transmitted by a differential to a single gear train, where the majority had two separate movements.
Legacy Machine No.2 in 18K Red Gold.
On display under a domed sapphire crystal cupola, the dial of Legacy Machine No. 2, which is actually the top plate of the exquisitely finished movement, is an object lesson in symmetrical simplicity. Top to bottom: the white stretched lacquer sub dial at 12 o’clock, with its blued gold hour and minute hands, is visually balanced by the large, raised differential at 6 o’clock. Left to right: the two flying balances and their escapements are identical mirror images, right down to the position of the stud holders pinning their balance springs. While superficially Legacy Machine No. 2 may look like a traditional round watch, its three-dimensional architecture offers visual treats on multiple levels. What looks at first glance to be the main dial is actually the top plate of the movement, which has been finely engraved, plated —or blued for the platinum model— and then hand-engraved with Legacy Machine below the differential.
Legacy Machine No. 2 in Platinum.
Slightly raised above the surface is the hour-minute sub dial, its fine gold circumference highlighting the pure white of the stretched lacquer dial, which is created by applying and heating multiple layers of lacquer, causing them to stretch tightly over the surface of the dial. The white contrasts superbly with the bright blued 18k gold hands. The hands are slightly curved to follow the slightly convex surface of the sub dial. To ensure aesthetic purity of the dial and its traditional Roman numerals, a sophisticated fixation underneath negates the necessity of visually obtrusive screws.
The planetary differential also sits proud of the surface, supported by a stunning double-arc mirror-polished bridge inset with three large jewels. The complex differential is the key element in the double regulator system and raising it just above the movements enables the mechanism to be better appreciated.
Suspended above both the sub dial and the differential are the two oscillating bespoke balance wheels. The dual balances feature Breguet over coils, inset with four fully functional timing screws. The two balances are mirror images of each other so that they react differently to different forces. The distance between the balance wheels has been carefully and deliberately calculated to avoid resonance, as this would negatively interfere with regulation.
Those elegant majestically curved arms suspending the flying balances are sculptural works of art in themselves. The elongated triangular cut out section could not be created by the usual method of wire electro erosion, but necessitated the creation of an electrode precisely shaped to the form of the cut out section.
While the levitated oscillating balance wheels of the binary regulators catch and hold the viewer ’s gaze, it is the large planetary differential sitting proud of the dial that is the real heart of Legacy Machine No. 2. In an incredible feat of micro-engineering − and the sheer paucity of timepieces with multiple regulators connected via a differential attests to the enormous difficulty in creating such a complex high-precision mechanism − the differential has three roles:
1. Transferring power to each of the regulators; 2. Receiving the individual timing rates from each balance; and 3. Transmitting the average rate of the two regulators to the gear train, where it finally manifests itself as the displayed time.
The movement of Legacy Machine No. 2 was developed to MB&F’s specifications by award-winning watchmaker Jean-François Mojon —Best Watchmaker at the 2010 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève— and his team at Chronode. Acclaimed independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen ensured that the movement’s aesthetic style was consistent with high-quality traditional timepieces of the 19th century and for specifying the superlative hand-finishing. Immaculate Geneva waves, gold chatons, mirror-polished bevels and bridges designed with deliberate internal bevelled angles —which cannot be finished by machine— showcase the movement’s peerless fine finishing. Consistent with MB&F’s spirit of transparency, the names of the two men responsible for the movement are hand engraved on the back.
Two and a half centuries after three of the world’s greatest watchmakers put two balance wheels into their movements, MB&F celebrates their pioneering works by creating LM2, a timepiece with two balances hovering outside the movement.
Legacy Machine No. 2 is available in 18K red gold, 18K white gold and a limited edition of 18 pieces in platinum .950 that features a striking sky-blue dial.
Legacy Machine No. 2 in 18K White Gold.
Below you will find a video produced by MB&F of the dual balance wheels in action.
For more info on MB&F click here.
