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Futuristic Time Machines

By Steve Huyton

Distant galaxies and the thought of potential planets with life forms have fascinated astronomers for centuries. It has also inspired writers and filmmakers to re-imagine certain possibilities. Ultimately this has filtered into costume design and various accessories.

Within the world of horology, several brands are conceiving futuristic creations that display time differently. Their work offer a perfect balance of innovative design and traditional mechanical watch technology. Here are five brilliant examples that have an intergalactic aesthetic.

Azimuth Land Cruiser

The Land Cruiser was developed over four years and carries the DNA of its predecessor, the SP-1 Landship. This incarnation has a much more curvaceous façade and futuristic appearance.

The Azimuth Land Cruiser

For this particular piece, Azimuth has opted for a 316L stainless steel case rather instead of a titanium case. Functionally the watch features regulator hour and retrograde minute complications. Beneath the sleek façade lies a specially modified Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with perlage finishing. This calibre comprises twenty-six jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28.800 vibrations per hour.

Gelfman IN-16 Nixie

The Gelfman IN-16 Nixie watch was officially nominated for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2022 in the “Petite Aiguille” category. In my opinion, this watch is a brilliant example of modernistic design.

The Gelfman IN-16 Nixie

The timepiece exudes masculine proportions and has a hand-polished sculpted stainless-steel case measuring 45.9mm x 47.8mm x 20.5mm. Time is displayed on two IN-16 Nixie tubes and is programmable via a PC or Mac App. Functionally the watch features hours, minutes, date and battery percentage indications. This device also has an accelerometer with gesture recognition.

Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System

The MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System is one of the most distinctive pieces Hublot of produced to date. Incredibly, this watch required five years of fastidious research and development to create.

The Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System

With 592 individual components, two linear weights, one inclined tourbillon and a circular power reserve, this is definitely a formidable piece. What makes it so remarkable is the open-worked architectural 3-D dial that is devoid of hands. Hours, minutes, seconds and dates are presented on anodized black aluminum cylinders. Beneath the titanium micro-blasted chassis is a sophisticated self-winding inclined tourbillon movement.

MB&F Horological Machine Nº11 Architect

MB&F is synonymous for the production of exquisite timepieces, and they don’t come much finer than the Horological Machine Nº11 Architect.

The MB&F HM11 Architect

The original concept was first introduced by acclaimed designer Eric Giroud in 2018. However, it was several years before the completed version was presented to the market. By comparison, this particular timepiece is smaller than previous models released by the brand.

Nevertheless, the futuristic spaceship-style Grade-5 titanium case is designed to make a bold impression. Powering the watch is a highly complicated 29-jewel mechanical hand-winding movement that is composed of 364 individual parts.

SEVENFRIDAY FreeDb

SEVENFRIDAY is a progressive Swiss brand that has gained a solid reputation within the watch industry for its modernistic designs. Recently the brand decided to incorporate 3-D print technology into its flagship models.

Three versions of the SevenFriday FreeDb

The FreeDb is a new release that utilizes a special polyamide (PA11 & PA12) normally associated with the medical, aerospace, and racing sectors.

Its unique textural qualities give the timepiece a futuristic aesthetic. Hour, minute and second indications are displayed on domed discs.

At the heart of the watch is a Swiss automatic Sellita SW300-1 movement. This mechanism comprises 26 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.

Steve Huyton is an industrial designer, illustrator and author who publishes Total Design Reviews

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The Watches

MB&F Launches Metallic Blue HM8 Mark 2

MB&F returns to the race track with a new automtive-themed hue for its HM8 Mark 2, the compact version of the MB&F HM8.

The newest MB&F HM8 Mark 2 features a metallic blue body.

You might recall that the HM8 Mark 2 combines the supercar styling of the watchmaker’s HM5 with the driving watch display and open ‘hood’ of the MB&F HM8 from 2016. Its horizontal time display, inspired by a 1976 design from Amida Digitrend, is optically magnified and projected 90 degrees to the wearer via a series of sapphire prisms.

Launched last year in white or green options, the HM8 Mark 2 collection now includes this model with a glossy sapphire blue case, available as limited edition of thirty-three pieces. MB&F explains that with similar metallic pigments and a translucid material, the blue body panels on the new model recall the sheen on luxurious car paints.

While the initial HM8 models were built with titanium and gold, the newer HM8 Mark 2 is built from titanium topped with CarbonMacrolon, a composite material composed of a polymer matrix injected with carbon nanotubes.

The material, developed for MB&F, is eight times lighter than steel and can be colored, polished, bead-blasted, lacquered or satin-finished. MB&F creates a  more unisex appeal with the watch, taking full advantage of the new material to create a lighter, smaller and more brightly colored driving watch.

When it debuted last year, the first HM8 Mark 2 models also debuted  a new type of crown for MB&F. The crown’s ‘double de-clutch’ system works by pushing the crown in and turning it three-quarters of a turn to release it. This saves space and creates a tighter seal for the crown itself.

Price: $78,000.

Specifications: MB&F HM8 Mark 2

The MB&F HM8 Mark 2 is available:

– in titanium and green CarbonMacrolon body panels limited to 33 pieces;

– in titanium and white CarbonMacrolon body panels;

– in titanium and blue CarbonMacrolon body panels limited to 33 pieces.

Movement:

Three-dimensional horological engine, composed of a jumping hour and trailing minutes module developed in-house by MB&F, powered by a Girard-Perregaux base movement.

Mechanical movement, automatic winding

22-karat gold automatic winding rotor

Power reserve: 42 hours

Balance frequency: 28,800bph/4Hz.

Number of components: 247 components

Number of jewels: 30 jewels

Functions/indications:

Bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes, displayed by dual reflective sapphire crystal prisms with integrated magnifying lens.

Case: Grade 5 titanium with green, white or blue CarbonMacrolon

Dimensions: 47mm x 41.5mm x 19 mm

Number of components: 42, Water resistance: 30 meters

Sapphire crystals: Sapphire crystals on top, front and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces. Dual reflective sapphire crystal prisms with integrated magnifying lens.

Strap & Buckle: Calfskin strap – white for the British green and sapphire blue models and green for the white model with a titanium tang buckle.

Price: $78,000.

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The Watches

MB&F Launches M.A.D.1 Time to Love

The latest MB&F M.A.D. 1 watch, the M.A.D.1 Time to Love, is a colorful meld of technology, optimism and artistic expression.

Teaming with French artist and avant-garde designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, MB&F has infused the M.A.D.1 design with the artist’s color pallet (red, blue and yellow) as well as his trademark use of upbeat phrases and text. 

Like its three predecessors in the accessibly priced series, the M.A.D. 1 Time to Love is a 42mm titanium-cased automatic watch characterized by a dial-side rotor that spins gleefully as its wearer moves.

Hours and minutes are displayed along the side of the case with revolving hour and minute cylinders, engraved and highly visible thanks to a liberal use of SuperLumiNova. 

MB&F has taken a reliable Miyota  821A automatic movement, flipped it upside down (in a reference to MB&F’s HM3 and HM8) and added a triple-blade, titanium and tungsten rotor with unidirectional winding (which MB&F explains is essential for easy, high-speed rotation).

For this latest edition, MB&F incorporates de Castelbajac’s colors in lacquer on the three rotor blades, one of which is heavier than the others to optimize spinning. A fourth color, bright green, is seen on the piece’s case-side hour disc.

Several thoughtful quotes from the artist also provide a personal touch to the piece. These include a quote on the base of the dial (“Ce trésor rare et précieux, c’est ta vie. Le temps vole de ses ailes blanches. Tu es le gardien de ton temps”. This translates into English as: “This rare and precious treasure is your life. Time flies with its white wings. You are the guardian of your time”.

In addition, de Castelbajac’s own handwriting provides the font for the hour and minute rings, while the crown features an engraving of an angel talking to the moon, a recurring theme for the artist.

The leather strap is embroidered with the name of the watch, ‘Time to Love’, and each timepiece comes with two straps – one in black and the other in white.

As with previous M.A.D. 1 offering, MB&F will launch the new 999-piece limited edition model via an online raffle, which for this model opens today (April 3) and will be live until until April 17.

Half of the pieces will be made available for the MB&F Tribe (registered collectors of MB&F pieces) and Friends (suppliers) on a first-come, first-served basis. The rest will be available to the general public using the same raffle system as before to ensure fair distribution.

Given the strong demand of previous models, we expect this new MB&F  M.A.D.1 Time to Love to sell out quickly. 

Price: $3,600.

Artist and designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (left) with MB&F founder Maximilian Busser.
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The Watches

MB&F Adds Onyx to LM FlyingT

 

MB&F combines onyx with yellow gold to create the latest model in its GPHG-award-winning Legacy Machine FlyingT collection, the independent watchmaker’s series of three-dimensional watches inspired by women.

The new MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT Onyx.

The new Legacy Machine FlyingT Onyx follows previous models in the collection that have featured colorful stone dials such as malachite, tiger eye and lapis lazuli.  

Tilted to a 50-degree angle, the dial, here in polished onyx, is positioned to be primarily visible to the wearer. The dial sits adjacent to a dramatic flying tourbillon that beats at a leisurely 18,000 vph. Atop the tourbillon MB&F affixes a single large diamond that operates just shy of the top of the sapphire crystal dome.

On the back MB&F creates a rotor that looks like a three-dimensional red gold sun with sculpted rays.

The movement provides four days of power reserve. (See below for additional technical specifications).

You may recall that MB&F debuted the LM FlyingT in 2019 in three editions, all in white gold and set with diamonds. Two limited editions in red gold and platinum came next, both without diamonds but with guilloché dial plates. New gemstone dials have been added to the collection each year. The debut won the GPHG prize in 2019 in the Ladies Complication category.

“I wanted LM FlyingT to reflect the personality and qualities of the women of my family, particularly my mother,” MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser explains “It had to combine supreme elegance with tremendous vitality.”

Price: $133,000.

 

Specifications: MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT Onyx

Movement: Three-dimensional vertical architecture, automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house by MB&F, central flying 60-second tourbillon.

Power reserve: 100 hours

Balance frequency: 2.5Hz / 18,000 vph

Three-dimensional sun winding rotor in 18k 5N+ red gold, titanium and platinum

Number of components: 280

Functions/indications:

Hours and minutes displayed on a 50° vertically titled dial with two serpentine hands.

Two crowns: winding on left and time-setting on right.

Case: 38.5mm x 20mm yellow gold, high domed sapphire crystal on top with anti-reflective coating on both sides, sapphire crystal on back.

Water resistance to 30 meters.

Strap & buckle:

Calf or alligator leather straps available with gold pin buckle matching the case.

Price: $133,000.

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MB&F Adds a Blue Hue to LM Perpetual EVO

MB&F adds an eye-catching light blue dial color to its collection of titanium-cased Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO watches, which the independent watchmaker first launched in 2020.

The new MB&F LM Perpetual EVO Blue

When MB&F debuted the EVO, it was a zirconium-cased, sportier version of the award-winning Legacy Machine Perpetual, initially decked out in an orange, blue or a black dial plate. MB&F then added a titanium-cased version with a green dial plate to the collection in 2021.

This latest edition retires that 2021 model, replacing it with the LM Perpetual EVO Blue, which  boasts a cool icy blue CVD dial plate.

The Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO built its sporty chassis and new hues around the original GPHG-award-winning Legacy Machine Perpetual from 2015, devised for MB&F by watchmaker Stephen McDonnell.

McDonnell effectively redesigned the traditional perpetual calendar when he built the LM Perpetual with a so-called ‘mechanical processor.’ Essentially a series of superimposed disks, the component makes the default number of days in the month at 28 and then adds the extra days as required by each individual month.  

McDonnell also built in a safety feature that disconnects the pushers during the date changeover to eliminate any risk of damage to the movement when the date is changed.

With the 2020 EVO edition, MB&F added a series of technical upgrades to that watch, effectively toughening its resistance to shocks and moisture. The EVO offers a redesigned, sleeker case, ergonomic double-sprung pushers, an integrated rubber strap, Super-LumiNova, a specially developed ‘FlexRing’ shock-absorbing system, a screw-down crown and 80 meters of water resistance.

MB&F is now shipping the new LM Perpetual EVO Blue with its all-new icy blue CVD dial to its retailers. Also look for a few in the MB&F eShop. Price: $198,000. 

 

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