MB&F - HM8 Mark 2

0 0 Tuesday 13 June 2023 Edit this post

MB&fF’s Founder Maximilian Büsser has a strong passion for super cars since he was a child so it’s only natural that his watch brand has developed several automotive-inspired Horological Machines over time.

MB&F’s connection to cars started in 2012 with the HM5 and continued with the HMX in 2015 and the HM8 in 2016. Each of these iterations is linked by its instantly recognizable speedometer-style display on the side of the case that brings back some futuristic design of the 1970s.

The Swiss brand is now revealing the latest chapter in this automotive series, the HM8 Mark 2, the most technologically evolved model to date.

This model finds inspiration in different sources, such as the iconic Porsche 918 Spyder for the shape of the body, and the Zagato double bubble for the sapphire crystal.

Measuring 47 x 41.5 x 19 mm, the HM8 Mark 2 is built from a water-resistant chassis to which the body panels of the watch are added. This coachwork comes in a choice of white or British racing green CarbonMacrolon that has a matt finish on the top and a high polish on the sides.

CarbonMacrolon is a solid composite material, developed specifically for MB&F, that offers remarkable strength and rigidity while weighing eight times less than steel. In addition to these attributes, this high-tech material can be coloured, polished, bead-blasted, lacquered, and finished with great versatility, making it extremely versatile and interesting from both a technical and design point of view.

The white version is paired with a green CVD rotor and light green minute markers, while the British racing green version comes with a red gold rotor and balance wheel and turquoise minute markers and is limited to 33 pieces.

In consideration of the small production quantities, the CarbonMacrolon body panels could only be milled from a block, adding another layer of complexity to the watch’s coachwork.

The Grade 5 titanium chassis was not less complicated to mill due to the hardness of this alloy.

Another challenge came from the creation of the double-curved sapphire producing which was 30 to 40 times more expensive than a dome sapphire. During production, the risk of breakage is very high but once safely completed and fitted into the timepiece, it is just as robust as the sapphire crystal on any sports watch.

Finally, the battle axe rotor powering the movement is incredibly complex to make as one of the 22-carat gold blades is only two-tenths of a millimetre thick. It cannot possibly be machined so it had to be stamped, with the engraving already incorporated into the stamp.

To release the crown and adjust the time, it is sufficient to push it and perform three-quarters of a turn. Water resistance is ensured up to 3 ATM (30 metres / 100 feet).

Composed of a jumping hour and trailing minutes module developed in-house by MB&F and powered by a Girard-Perregaux base movement, the three-dimensional horological engine of the HM8 Mark 2 beats at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with a power reserve of 42 hours.

The hour and minute discs lay horizontally and are optically magnified and projected 90 degrees to the vertical display thanks to high-precision prisms crafted in sapphire crystal.

The new MB&F HM8 Mark 2 is completed by calfskin straps - white for the British green model and green for the white model - with a titanium tang buckle and has a retail price of CHF 68,000 plus VAT / Euro 70,000 plus VAT / USD 78,000 incl. sales taxes. mbandf.com