Horological Machine N°5
Overview
At first glance HM5 appears to be a relatively simple timepiece… but it’s more complicated than you might think.
The time display consists of bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes – with indications inversed, reflected 90° and magnified thanks to an optical prism. Looking below the surface of the HM5 case reveals a surprise: another water resistant case, which protects the high-performance engine inside.
HM5 has a futuristic case design, but it’s a direct homage to two 1970’s icons: the first high-performance supercars, and the plucky Amida Digitrend watch. Last but not least, even though it was inspired by an era when quartz was king, HM5 has a self-winding mechanical movement.
What's so special about this machine?
A sapphire crystal prism, a waterproof engine container, louvres and exhaust pipes will bring your wildest 70s supercar dreams to life.
Machine in action
Horological Machine No5 CarbonMacrolon (HM5 CM): Super car styling; bi-directional jumping hours, compartmentalised Engine in its own water-resistant inner case; functioning louvres allowing light in to charge the Super-LumiNova indication discs; and water-draining exhaust ports.
THE MACHINE
The wedge-shaped case of HM5 has unmistakable references to the low-slung supercars of the 70s.
The purpose of the louvres on these awe-inspiring cars was to restrict sunlight (and heat) from entering the near horizontal rear window. The functional louvres on HM5 do the opposite in that they open to allow light down onto the Super-LumiNova numbers on the hours and minutes indication disks to charge them.
The disks are actually flat on top of the movement (under the louvres), not vertically at the front of the case where they appear to be thanks to some optical magic. Opening and closing the louvres also changes the dial’s light intensity. The louvres are opened and closed by a slide set into the side of the case.
- HM6 Ti: Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) titanium
- HM6 RT: 18K 5N+ red gold and Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) titanium
- HM6-SV: Sandwich construction of two transparent sapphire crystal plates on either side of a central precious metal case band, in 18K 5N+ red gold or platinum 950.
- HM6 Alien Nation: sapphire crystal with white gold aliens and 4 different gasket colours.
- HM6 FE: Stainless steel.
- Three-dimensional horological engine developed exclusively for HM6 by MB&F with David Candaux
- Flying Tourbillon with retractable shield and twin aluminium turbines driven by winding rotor
- Power reserve: 72h
- 475 components / 68 jewels (Alien Nation 496 components / 68 jewels) / 72h power reserve
- 10 sapphire crystals: 9 domed (4 for the hour and minute indications, 4 for the turbines, 1 for the tourbillon) and one flat (display back); 2 additional sapphire crystal plates for the SV and Alien Nation editions; and additional case band in sapphire crystal for the Alien Nation.
- Hours and minutes on separate semi-spherical aluminium indications
- Crown to open/close tourbillon shield
Inspiration
For MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, growing up as a child in the 1970s meant living in a constant state of awe and wonder. Supersonic jets flew through the air and through space; American muscle cars dominated the silver screen in road movies and fuelled the imagination.
The Lamborghini Miura launched a new genre of Italian super cars that looked as though they could break the sound barrier while standing still (creations that led the young Max to dream of being a car designer). Lasers, transistors, microwaves, hovercrafts and jet-packs gave the impression that the difference between science fiction and science fact was just a matter of when, not if.
And with the arrival of quartz wristwatches, watch designs were transformed from looking like something your grandfather wore, to something Captain Kirk might wear. HM5 takes these childhood dreams and gives them a new lease of life.
