Hours and minutes: classic watchmaking for the vast majority of brands — only not for MB&F.
This watch was the one chosen to usher in a new collection with a self-explanatory name, "Special Projects." It's in the same range as Horological Machines and Legacy Machines, and is set to feature unusual objects for this company.
Apparently, the brand's treasure chest of dormant projects not only includes watches, but also the likes of skateboard sketches. Yet the first of these objects to be completed is a classic watch.
The caveat here is that it's Maximilian Büsser's idea of classic, and that of his long-time partner, Eric Giroud, who has helped bring to life the Legacy Machine 101, HM4 "Thunderbolt", HM6 "Space Pirate", and HM11 "Architect."
MB&F Special Project One, assembling
The resulting model, originally given the working name "Three Circles," is the tiniest in MB&F's collection. Its case measures 38 mm in diameter and 12 mm in height, which are decent specs while maintaining MB&F's beloved three-dimensional architecture.
As the name suggests, the architecture really is held in three circles. The case houses three "levitating" elements: the balance wheel, barrel, and dial with two hands. The initial sketch of the construction appeared way back in 2018, but then the idea was developed by Giroud, who confirmed its viability.
This configuration of components determined the position of the winding crown, which sits between 10 o'clock and 11 o'clock. And there's no bezel, just two sapphire domes and a thin flange.
The hand-wound movement comprising 191 components with a 72-hour power reserve has the signature balance wheel, all housed in a wrist-hugging, pebble-shaped case. The inclined dial has a black DLC-coated base.
The SP One movement developed in-house by MB&F runs at a frequency of 18,000 vph. The first watch in the new collection debuts in two versions in one go: platinum with a beveled sky-blue flange and rose gold with an anthracite flange.
MB&F are marking their 20th anniversary this year, so the appearance of something unexpected in the anniversary year is totally expected. But did anyone expect a classic from MB&F?