After 20 years of crazy looking watches, MB&F is releasing an elegant, time only 38mm watch. But of course it is not a classical watch. But one with a very aesthetic like no other. Introducing the MB&F SP One.
Press Release information with commentary in italics.
New: MB&F SP One
The MB&F SP One is launched in two editions:
- – 18K rose gold with an anthracite flange, retailing for CHF 58,000 + VAT (USD 76,000 / EUR 64,000 + tax);
- – Platinum 950 with a sky-blue flange, retailing for CHF 63,000 + VAT (USD 82,000 / EUR 69,000 + tax).
Commentary
After all the incredible sculptures which Max Büsser calls Horological Machines, MB&F launches a new series called Special Projects which is a classical watch. The basic description is even more classical than their, admittedly not traditional, Legacy Machines. But therein lies the tale.
The case is 38mm in diameter. Round. Sounds classical enough. But it has no bezel, and is more like a ring with two sapphire glass crystals on both sides, with lugs which have been soldered on. You can look directly into and out of the watch. We do not have wrist shots, but when one dons the watch, the skin on one’s wrist is visible from the dial side. Interesting? Perhaps not very for those with hairy wrists.
But the watch looks marvellous. The case is pebble like, and looks like it flows continuously from the crystal to the case band to the crystal on the other side. It must be quite nice to the touch.
And this is not all, the movement looks like it is suspended within. The movement is best described using MB&F’s own blurb – three circles. One which is the balance wheel at the 2 o’clock position, and opposite at 10 o’clock is the mainspring in its barrel with the crown directly attached. And at the 6 o’clock position is the time indication showing a dial with the hour and minutes. Interesting. Flip the case over, from the back the architecture of the movement is apparent. A Y-shape base plate supports the movement train allowing the three circles to be displayed on the other side. This Y-shaped base plate is almost invisible from the dial side.
We expect the finissage to be at the usual very high levels already established by the HM and LM series watches. The pricing is not low, but pitched below the HM and LM watches.
Release details
Over the last two decades, MB&F has generated next to its Horological and Legacy Machines a number of dormant projects, sketched over the years, seemingly senseless at the time – flashes of unrealised intuitions. As MB&F approached its 20th Anniversary, the team was reminded of the brand’s spirit, which according to any management book epitomizes doing everything wrong: no business plan, no market research, just a will to create the unexpected and go against the grain. So why not plunge into that basket of dormant projects and create a new collection of undefinable timepieces?
Inaugurating this new collection, Special Project One – aka SP One – is somewhere between MB&F’s radical Horological Machines and more classic Legacy Machines. Initially code-named “Three Circles”, SP One showcases a trinity of levitating elements – the barrel, balance wheel, and dial – that appear to hover mysteriously at the centre of an amphitheatre, entirely visible through sapphire crystal domes: a mechanical marvel that turns your wrist into a stage for a captivating, gravity-defying performance.
Encased in a 38mm pebble-like case, SP One melds a smooth, tactile feel with a bezel-free design and delicately detached lugs; the first sketches, dating back to 2018, were all about crafting a watch that whispered sophistication instead of shouting for attention. As MB&F’s slimmest and smallest watch, it nonetheless remains true to the brand’s signature three-dimensional architecture and boundary-pushing spirit.
The SP One in-house movement is crafted around the three key elements of any mechanical watch. The signature balance wheel oscillates at 2 o’clock and captivates the wearer’s eyes like a flying saucer. The dial is tilted just right to highlight MB&F’s expertise in conical gearing; rarely seen in watchmaking, it adds a subtle three-dimensional flair. The manual winding, suspended single barrel – nonetheless delivering 72 hours of power reserve – enhances the levitation effect. Thanks to the sapphire crystals on both the front and back, these three elements – which visually have identical circumferences – appear to defy gravity, but it’s the thoughtful architecture of the movement that truly creates the captivating levitation effect. The bridges are almost like magic practically invisible, and most components are cleverly hidden beneath the three key elements, letting their beauty take centre stage.
Surrounding the 191-component movement is the “amphitheatre”: a bevelled flange that spotlights the intricacies of the movement. Flip the SP One over, and you’ll uncover the other side of its arena, showcasing the meticulous hand finishing, polished bevels, internal angles, generous chatons and hand-made engravings, against the backdrop of satin, polished, and micro-blasted surfaces typical of MB&F – one of the rare watchmakers today perpetuating traditional hand finishing and artisanal craftsmanship.
In essence, a classical MB&F that has nothing classical about it 🙂
