Swiss watchmaker MB&F collaborates with Stefan Sarpaneva to create a unique interpretation of the Horological Machine No3.
MOONMACHINE by Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva is the first of the MB&F Performance Art Pieces by a watchmaker as well as the first to endow a Machine with a new complication.
Performance Art Pieces by MB&F
Performance Art pieces are where MB&F offers a timepiece to a third party creator who modifies the Machine according to his taste and offers a unique interpretation of the horological machines. Below are the wonderful collaborations so far:
- 2009: American artist Sage Vaughn made a powerful statement when he imprisoned a butterfly in gold barbed-wire on HM2 for Only Watch 2009 .
- 2009: French watch designer Alain Silberstein created the strikingly minimalistic HM2.2 Black Box.
- 2010: French Jeweller Boucheron created the stunning JWLRYMACHINE by transforming HM3 into a colourfully bejewelled owl.
- 2011: Chinese artist Huang Hankang enabled children’s dreams to soar free with HM4 piloted by a flying panda for Only Watch 2011.
- 2012: Finnish watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva endows HM3 Frog with his passion for the Moon and the stars in the MOONMACHINE.
MOONMACHINE by Stepan Sarpaneva
With MOONMACHINE, Stepan has taken a specially configured Horological Machine No. 3 Frog and transformed it with his iconic moon-face moon-phase indicator set in a scintillating firmament of northern stars.
Stepan’s three signature themes are all celestial: his very distinctive moon face; the northern stars and constellations; and the crenellated form of his Korona case – the korona/corona is the plasma atmosphere of the Sun – and all three have been incorporated in MOONMACHINE.
Sarpaneva's two moon faces indicate the phase of the moon through a Korona shaped aperture, while the mystery winding rotor is actually steel and 22k gold disc with laser-pierced stars forming stars and constellations visible in the northern sky.
The Horological Machine No. 3 Frog was chosen as the MOONMACHINE platform because the large visible movement opening in the dial side provides space for the watchmaker to play and the bulbous indication domes of the Frog are reminiscent of how science fiction buffs have long imagined habitable domes on the Moon.
The Frog differs substantially from HM3 in that it is the aluminium domes that rotate under the sapphire crystals in the Frog, whereas it is the hour and minute hands that rotate around their respective stationary cones on HM3. The domes of the MOONMACHINE are unique in that they are perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the wrist.
The visible movement at the top of HM3 Frog added a technical aspect that provided a serious counterpoint to the playfulness of the bulging frog-eyed indications. In covering the movement, the moon phase and sky hides this and makes the timepiece more poetic.With MOONMACHINE, HM3 is transformed into a fairy tale." Stepan Sarpaneva
MOONMACHINE may portray the time in a playful manner, but there is nothing but serious and meticulous attention to detail and care regarding the fine hand-finishing of the high-tuned engine purring within.
MOONMACHINE is available in three limited editions of 18 pieces each: titanium case with white gold moon faces in a light blue sky, black titanium case with white gold moon faces in a dark blue sky and red gold case with red gold moon faces in an anthracite sky.
SENATUS congratulates fellow member Maximilian Busser for yet another wonderful performance piece from MB&F.
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