Flashback. 2007, MB&F unveils Horological Machine No.1. The shape of its case stands out in an industry where the orthodoxy of case geometries (round shapes, in particular) reigns supreme. Against the current, the creation provokes thought. A UHO (Unidentified Horological Object)? An anti-watch? Or simply a talking piece with ephemeral fame? Every new machine added to the collection has since dispelled these doubts. More than just a dazzling coup, the Geneva-based brand has patiently built a unique universe, where high watchmaking converses with kinetic art and creative irreverence. The recently unveiled Horological Machine No.8 Purple serves as a chromatic manifesto.
The Right to Be Different
“We are never in opposition, always in creation. A Horological Machine is intrinsically a kinetic sculpture powered by a three-dimensional watch movement. The caliber orchestrates the choreography while telling the time. As a young engineer more than thirty-five years ago, I fell in love with mechanical watchmaking because it was one of the rare places where engineering, humanity, and beauty came together to tell a story,” notes Maximilian Büsser, founder of MB&F. These words echo the vision of Eric Giroud, who has participated in designing all the timepieces in the range. “It's not about dissent, but rather simply a different and unique approach. The various inspirations regarding MB&F watches are often of a nature different from watchmaking and thus, the stylistic result differs from the usual codes used in watchmaking. If I had to classify MB&F in a more cultural registry, I would say it is more of a horological counter-culture.”
A Creative Process at Its Peak
“The Grail in watchmaking is the quest itself. The objective for the creator is always to create, to take risks, to blaze new trails. One only feels alive by putting oneself in danger,” aptly reminds Maximilian Büsser. Over the years, the boundary between industrial design and mechanical art has continued to blur. The Horological Machines establish themselves as narrative objects, wearable sculptures, both conceptual and functional.
While the futuristic lines of each HM remain immediately identifiable, the color, in turn, becomes a vector of expression in its own right. The Purple hue of the HM8 is not just a simple aesthetic artifice. It redefines its presence on the wrist, amplifying its attraction power. “The color brings diversity to the model and allows it to appeal more thanks to its different appearance depending on the colors. Not forgetting that a new color can allow a model to live longer and sometimes give it a new visual identity,” analyzes Eric Giroud while specifying, “the impact of a color change affects many components and sometimes this can be a bit complex… In the case of a project, it is necessary to integrate the different colors from the beginning of the creative process to test whether such or such a color is coherent, without forgetting the trends related to color that can come into play.”
The approach is therefore thoughtful and controlled. The HM8 Purple is announced as one of the final iterations of this model of pilot watches with a disruptive personality. “Next year will see its last iteration. In four summers, it will have experienced four limited series, and then it will be gone,” informs the CEO of MB&F.
Between creative freedom, stylistic boldness, and respect for craftsmanship, MB&F continues to assert the right to be different. Not on the fringes of contemporary watchmaking, but as a parallel path, decidedly singular, authentic, and very much alive.
