HM8 Only Watch
Overview
Dive into the imaginary world of children with the HM8 Only Watch created by MB&F with the young artist Cassandra Legendre.
Based on Horological Machine N°8, this Pièce Unique in 18k white gold and grade 5 titanium is instantly recognisable thanks to its special sapphire crystal pane – engraved and metallised with a whimsical drawing created by the talented 15-year old Cassandra. Visible under the illustration, the automatic HM8 engine features a unique purple winding rotor. Check the lateral time display and you’ll notice a miniature white gold elephant situated between the hour and minute prism; the elephant was sculpted by engraver Olivier Kuhn based on the elephant in Cassandra’s drawing. Final touch: the MB&F logo on the double-screwed plate has been replaced by a happy face – symbolising the childlike perspective that Legendre brings to HM8.
Only Watch is a biennial charity auction of unique timepieces under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. All proceeds go to medical research on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
About the collaboration
Both intricate and simple, an approach that perfectly matches MB&F’s sophisticated yet direct approach to watchmaking, the illustration captures childhood objects of joy in a continuously drawn frame. Despite being in her mid-teens, Legendre possesses the rare touch of communicating the perspectives of someone much younger, perspectives that still retain much of the innocence and whimsy that we lose as we grow up.
DRAWING
Look closely at the drawing and you can spot a robot, a jet plane, a toy car and a jellyfish, visual touchstones that originate in the life and creations of MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, and resonate with children everywhere. There are also elements of pure childlike delight, such as the ice-cream cone, football, sunglasses and video game controller.
SMILEY
Where previously there was a double-screwed plate engraved with the MB&F logo, the HM8 Only Watch has a disc depicting a happy face with the two screws now forming its eyes. It is the ultimate symbol of the childlike perspective that Legendre brings to HM8 Only Watch, which is also found in all those who feel aligned with the creative drive of MB&F.
MINIATURE ELEPHANT
The miniature elephant is made of white gold and required 120 hours to complete. Particular care and attention was paid to details such as the tusks, which measure 0.2mm in diameter at their finest point, and the eyes, measuring 0.18mm in diameter.
Machine in action
One of the elements in Legendre’s drawing is given particular prominence in the HM8 Only Watch. The elephant, situated under the racing-inspired roll bar closest to the minutes disc, is reproduced in three dimensions between the optical prisms. Positioned on a tiny white-gold plinth, the micro-sculpture hand-crafted by Oliver Kuhn is a striking allusion to the majestic beast that occupies large swathes of children’s literature from Kipling to Disney.
THE MACHINE
Dive into the imaginary world of children
Where previously there was a double-screwed plate engraved with the MB&F logo, the HM8 Only Watch has a white-gold disc depicting a happy face, or smiley, with the two screws now forming its eyes. It is the ultimate symbol of the childlike perspective that Legendre brings to Horological Machine N°8 Only Watch, which is also found in all those who feel aligned with the creative drive of MB&F.
- Material: 18k white gold and grade 5 titanium
- Dimensions: 49 x 51.5 x 19 mm
- Three-dimensional engine conceived and developed by MB&F from a Girard-Perregaux base calibre
- Automatic battle-axe winding rotor in 22k gold with purple PVD
- 251 components / 30 jewels / 42h power reserve
- Bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes displayed by two optical prisms that both reflect and magnify
- All sapphire crystals – front, back, top, bottom – treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces. Top plate metallised and laser engraved with a drawing.
- This pièce unique HM8 in white gold and titanium features a sapphire crystal engraved with a drawing created by 15-year old Cassandra Legendre, along with a miniature white gold elephant sculpture between the hours and minutes.
Inspiration
Dive into the imaginary world of children with the HM8 Only Watch created by MB&F with the young artist Cassandra Legendre.
Based on Horological Machine N°8, this Pièce Unique in 18k white gold and grade 5 titanium is instantly recognisable thanks to its special sapphire crystal pane – engraved and metallised with a whimsical drawing created by the talented 15-year old Cassandra. Visible under the illustration, the automatic HM8 engine features a unique purple winding rotor. Check the lateral time display and you’ll notice a miniature white gold elephant situated between the hour and minute prism; the elephant was sculpted by engraver Olivier Kuhn based on the elephant in Cassandra’s drawing. Final touch: the MB&F logo on the double-screwed plate has been replaced by a happy face – symbolising the childlike perspective that Legendre brings to HM8.
