MB&F has the reputation for creating timepieces, or "horological machines" as founder Maximilian Busser would call them, through the contemporization and realization of childhood dreams.
With its fifth interpretation comes "On the Road Again", a futuristic re-imagination based on retro inspirations from the 70's: the louvred silhouette of the Lamborghini Miura and assorted supercars of the period as well as the Amida Digitrend watch.
By bringing to life and celebrating distinctive design features drawn from the past, MB&F has once again taken memories "On the Road Again" — hence the name of the newly launched Horological Machine N°5 (HM5).
SENATUS spoke to Max who gave us some background on the inspired decision to create a new line of Horological Machines, the fifth in the series, with a timepiece that is both futuristic yet retro, simple looking on the outside yet artistically and mechanically complicated in the inside.
"From the age of 4 to approximately 18, I had always dreamt of being a car designer. Life thereafter changed that aspiration, but automobiles have always remained very close to my heart," Max recalls.
"The late 60’s early 70’s brought us amongst others the Lamborghini Miura, the Lancia Stratos and the Lotus Esprit, so it was just normal that at some point in MB&F, I would touch on that subject."
The HM5 has been constructed like a car with an independent steel chassis on which Zirconium body panels are screwed on.
In fact, the HM5's dial also looks like a speedometer whilst its crown looks like a wheel.
[HM5] is also tribute to a completely forgotten watch called the Amida Digitrend which came out in 1976, eighteen months before the company went bankrupt.
A quartz-looking watch that was "too early for its time", figuratively speaking, the design elements of the Amida Digitrend thus lay the framework for MB&F's mechanical movement.
The wedge shape of the HM5 is also an homage to both the silhouette of the Amida and the supercars, with one unique twist: The louvres on the rear of the vehicles block out the sun, whilst the HM5's slide-operated ones does the opposite, allowing light in to charge the Super-LumiNova numbers on the time disks, as well as to dry the internal waterproof compartment.
Two tiny "exhaust holes" on either side of the crown also facilitate water drainage in case the HM5 does get wet.
We were inspired by the Amida Digitrend's prism mirror technology and wanted to bring it back to life.
A clever innovation well-suited for the HM5-wearing driver is the orientation of its dial, which is displayed vertical and forward facing, meaning the wrist doesn't need to be turned or lifted from the steering wheel for the time to be read.
This is achieved with bi-directional jumping hours with indications inversed, reflected 90° by an optical grade sapphire prism to the vertical and magnified 20%.
With the Horological Machine N°5, MB&F has succeeded once again in showing how with each magical timepiece it creates, it has the ability to take the wearer on an adventure, and in this instance, with icons from the 70's, "On the Road Again" to the now and into the future.
Only 66 pieces of the HM5 will be made.
MB&F in Singapore
L'Atelier at ION Orchard | 2 Orchard Turn . #02-06 . Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6509 9268
More Passion at Paragon | 290 Orchard Road The Paragon . #01-24/25 . Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 6735 6466
Malmaison at Knightsbridge | 70 Orchard Road . #01-01 . Singapore 238857
Tel: +65 6735 6466
Go to MB&F's website at //www.mbandf.com
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