Horological Machine N°8 Mark 2
Overview
MB&F’s connection to cars runs deep, starting in 2012 with the HM5, followed by 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 recalls the daring and futuristic design of the 1970s.
The HM8 Mark 2 takes the best features of its predecessors and fuses them into a very different Machine. From HM5, it takes the external bodywork’s very apparent supercar styling; from HMX, the ergonomic, compact size; and from HM8, the visible mechanics and very “kinetic” nature, with its dial-side winding rotor. Place all this within an aerodynamic sandwich of CarbonMacrolon, grade 5 titanium and hyper-complex sapphire crystal, and you get a true supercar for the wrist. Like its predecessors, the HM8 Mark 2 is powered by a unique combination of mechanical and optical engineering: the automatic movement’s hour and minute discs, which lie horizontally, are optically magnified and projected 90 degrees to the vertical display thanks to high-precision prisms crafted in sapphire crystal.
What's so special about this machine?
Automobile-inspired volumes, a world-premiere crown and apparent mechanics - what's not to love?
AUTOMOBILE-INSPIRED BODY PANELS
Not only did the design codes of the HM8 Mark 2 find their inspiration in the automobile world, but the construction did too. The HM8 Mark 2 is built from an independent water-resistant chassis to which the body panels of the watch are added.
A WORLD-PREMIERE CROWN
Not under the hood, but equally hidden, is a brand-new type of crown that has a sort of “double de-clutch” system, to coin an automobile term. It works by pushing the crown in and turning it three-quarters of a turn to release it. This has the advantage of gaining space and providing additional security to the system, which is a genuine advantage for a sports watch.
APPARENT MECHANICS
A long line of MB&F timepieces has pushed the limits of what is physically possible in terms of sapphire crystal production, and the HM8 Mark 2 is no exception. The creation of this double-curved sapphire has reached a complexity that is 30 to 40 times more expensive than a dome sapphire. Only one supplier agreed to take on the challenge.
Machine in action
Aerodynamic lines and sleek forms, wear a supercar on your wrist.
THE MACHINE
A decade after the first automotive-inspired MB&F Machines, get ready for the latest HM8 Mark 2, the most technologically evolved supercar-inspired model to date.
Three editions in grade 5 titanium and CarbonMacrolon®: White, British racing green limited to 33 pieces or blue limited to 33 pieces.
- Dimensions: 47 x 41.5 x 19 mm
- Number of components: 42
- 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
- 22K gold automatic winding rotor
- Power reserve: 42 hours
- Balance frequency: 28,800bph/4Hz.
- Number of components: 247 components
- Number of jewels: 30 jewels
- All sapphire crystals – front, back, top, bottom – treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes, displayed by dual reflective sapphire crystal prisms with integrated magnifying lens.
Discover the models available for this collection
Inspiration
To fully understand MB&F’s link to the car world, we need to step back in time to 1985 for a moment. As children, we all have dreams, some of them come true, others get abandoned along the way, and some are so part of who we are that they end up happening despite us. This was the case with MB&F’s Founder Maximilian Büsser, who spent the majority of his childhood dreaming about becoming a car designer. He was so smitten with the idea that from the age of 4 to 18, cars were the only thing he would sketch and draw. When his classmates started discovering other areas of interest, his heart remained steadfastly loyal to the automobile with its aerodynamic lines and sleek forms.
The HM8 Mark 2 finds inspiration in some of the most iconic supercars – not only in terms of design, with the distinctive “double bubble” shape of the sapphire crystal, but also in terms of actual case construction. The HM8 Mark 2 is built from an independent water-resistant chassis to which the body panels of the watch are added, while previous models like the HMX and HM8 favoured a monobloc construction.
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Horological Machine N°11
Horological Machine N°10
