Dear Friends,

I hope you closed 2023 and started the New Year well! We finished the year absolutely knackered but extremely happy and after a few days' rest, we are back on the block for an amazing 2024. We have several new Machines coming your way, along with some other cool initiatives... so watch this space :)

The big piece of news these last months was the release of Horological Machine No.11 during Dubai Watch Week. In case you missed the action, the full story is below.
If you've been following our horological adventures for some time, you know that our previous Horological Machines have explored themes that I dreamed about as a kid: science fiction, aircraft, supercars… Horological Machine No.11 – our 21st calibre! - is different: it was inspired by a more recent area of interest, from my adult life: architecture.
But not any form of architecture: more specifically the experimental, postmodern architecture of the 1960s, when a handful of ground-breaking architects went against the prevailing utilitarian trend, creating innovative, organic forms. A few years ago, when I started to discover some of the amazing houses and buildings created by those architects, I couldn't help but wonder how they could define the concept of a watch...
From a technical standpoint, HM11 Architect is the culmination of 18 years of watchmaking R&D at MB&F, as much in case design as in movement engineering. Starting with the 364 components of the movement: a vertically stacked 60-second flying tourbillon, housed under a double-domed sapphire crystal, that sends information to four “rooms” through conical gears – an MB&F specialty.
Like the rooms of a house, each room of HM11 has a separate function. The first three contain modules for the hours and minutes, a power reserve indicator and - because it's a house, and temperature is important - a thermometer (you can order either the Centigrade or Fahrenheit version)! The fourth room is for time setting: thanks to an oversized, see-through crown in sapphire crystal, a world first.
By the way, HM11 is probably the world's first watch movement that cannot be entirely assembled before placing it in the case: our watchmakers need to first place the main section of the movement inside the grade 5 titanium case, and then carefully finalise assembly of the four modules within!
And now for the surprise: to wind a normal watch, you turn the crown - and that's what was initially planned. But with HM11, we wanted the case to rotate, so you could decide which room was facing towards you when the watch was on your wrist. At some point during the creative process, I asked: wouldn't it be cool if rotating the case would ALSO wind the movement?
The engineering team rolled their eyes... but the result is here, and it's a key feature of HM11: to wind the movement, you rotate the entire case on its base! A very tactile experience and to the best of my knowledge, another world first. The rotating case system turns out to be so efficient, that turning it just 90 degrees will power the watch up for 2½ hours. 10 turns will give you the full four days of power.
And finally, the insane case itself – undefinable in terms of shape but actually super comfortable to wear, at just 42mm in diameter. The case alone is composed of 92 components, including no less than 19 gaskets (most likely a world record) that make this 3D sculpture of titanium and sapphire water-resistant.
HM11 Architect launched during Dubai Watch Week, in two limited editions of only 25 pieces each, with blue or red gold dial plate. Retail price before taxes is CHF 198,000 + VAT. Have a look at the CGI video below to see the piece come to life in the Arabian desert!
I can still remember that day in November 2005, when I stumbled into John Simonian’s Westime office with a piece of plastic vaguely resembling my very first MB&F creation, Horological Machine No.1. I was there to ask him to order and partially pre-finance a few HM1 pieces (which he fortunately did!)... but I never, in my wildest dreams, thought we would open the Beverly Hills MB&F LAB on Rodeo Drive together one day. Exactly 18 years later, this actually happened!
On November 29th, at 216 North Rodeo Drive, I had the pleasure of officially opening this new location - our first MB&F Lab in the U.S. - with John's son and President of Westime, Greg Simonian. Next to our MB&F M.A.D.Galleries in Geneva and Dubai, there are now MB&F LABs in Singapore, Paris, Taipei and Beverly Hills – with more to come this year.
Like our other locations, the new MB&F Lab has a white, gallery-like interior that forms the canvas of our architectural identity. In the center, a striking blue lens – a visual marker for all M.A.D.Galleries and MB&F Labs – takes pride of place. We've traded the traditional glass cage display cases for curved glass domes, arranged on sci-fi tripods that have been custom-made for us. Neo-vintage tables and matching furniture, also created especially for MB&F, complete the new design.
Inside, you'll discover a mix of our timepieces, various clocks and music boxes we've co-created with L’Epée 1839 and Reuge, and a selection of mechanical and kinetic artworks. The MB&F Lab is positioned somewhere between a cabinet of curiosities and an art gallery, but is above all a meeting place for our community of collectors and watchmaking enthusiasts.
Our slowly but steadily growing network of M.A.D.Galleries, MB&F Labs and MB&F corners will give you a little glimpse of our world. Talking about glimpse, if you haven't had the chance yet to visit our workshops and offices in Geneva - aka the "M.A.D.House" - I invite you to have a look at the video above. We look forward to your visit!

As you may remember, the M.A.D.Editions project took its first steps in 2021 as a totally experimental, low-key initiative to thank those who made MB&F possible. After the initial M.A.D.1 Blue version - reserved for Friends and Tribe members - and the following RED and GREEN editions (including a 'Lucky Clover' version for those who have participated in all raffles and lost every single time!), rest assured the story is not over - there's more coming this year!

We'll be releasing a surprising new edition of the M.A.D.1 as early as this April, so if you are interested and haven't signed up for updates on our raffles page, and you aren't following the M.A.D.Editions Instagram page, I recommend you do :)

 
Wishing you once again a great 2024 - I look forward to seeing you soon! Maybe during the Geneva watch week in April? Our Geneva M.A.D.Gallery is currently closed for 3 months, for extensive refurbishment, but should open just in time at the beginning of April. If you're in town at that time, please do visit the new space!
Very best regards,
Maximilian Büsser
Owner & Creative Director