We continue to highlight a few of our favorite watches from among the more than sixty watchmakers that have created timepieces for the Only Watch charity auction, which commences Sunday, November 5, in Geneva. Christie’s will auction these incredible one-of-a-kind watches to raise funds that benefit research in the battle against Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
While you may have seen a few of the watches set for auction earlier this year when Only Watch announced them, we thought you’d enjoy seeing many of these impressive designs again just ahead of the event.
The watches are currently touring the globe. After concluding their U.S. visit at Christie’s in New York on September 17, the tour will visit Monaco next, followed by stops in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai and back in Geneva. See the Only Watch website for tour dates and details.
Here we highlight the H. Moser X MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium, the Only Watch entry for both MB&F and H. Moser.
This unusual creation, named to emphasize the ‘panda,’ combines elements we’ve seen in earlier designs from both of these pioneering independent watchmakers. On top of the dial you’ll see a miniature white gold panda, which is already a signature of the Only Watch creations by MB&F.
Here the Panda is the DJ for the minute repeater visible on the fumé dial.
As MB&F founder Max Büsser explains, “Our original panda was created as an allegory for Only Watch 2011, and returned in 2021, before now making its third appearance in 2023. This time, it is an invitation to immerse yourself in the world of music and lose all touch with reality for just a few beats”.
The watch’s dial showcases the large suspended balance wheel characteristic of other MB&F watches, while the stunning aquamarine dial echoes the minimalism found throughout the H. Moser collection.
The dial’s ‘turntables’ are fitted on the axis of the hammers and are driven by the rotation of the mechanism as it operates. The 5.35mm tall miniature took hours to create and build. The unusual balance wheel required its maker to first bend the gongs in two places to allow them to pass over the balance wheel bridge. Occupying three dimensions, the shaped gongs feature a flat coil and an upper coil, positioned one on top of the other.
Furthermore, H. Moser built the minute repeater’s sliding bolt on a Teflon runner to ensure it slides perfectly smoothly. It’s built into the main plate to save space. The case middle has been completely hollowed out in order to accommodate the movement while allowing enough space to create a soundbox.
Estimate: CHF 300,000 to CHF 400,000
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