Swiss high-end watchmaker MB&F is known for its unusual, yet very beautiful creations. Though in fact, the word “watchmaker” isn’t the most accurate one could use when talking about the company. Those at MB&F rather refer to their timepieces as “horological machines”: exquisite mechanical devices first and foremost, and only then timekeeping instruments.
The Horological Machine No. 5 (HM5) is a great example of this. The piece is inspired by 1970s-style sports cars and is what you call a “driver’s watch”, with its dial on the side you can read the time with your hand on the steering wheel. The timepiece comes in a black case which is 49mm wide, 51.5mm long, and 22.5 mm thick, made from something called “CarbonMacrolon”, a newfangled material based on Makrolon (which is itself a polycarbonate invented by Bayer some years ago).
One of its more interesting features is the louvre system on the top of the case. Basically there’s a small leaver which allows the wearer to open and close the shutters, letting in light. This charges the lume on the discs that display the time, so the wearer can read the time easily even in low-light conditions. The discs themselves are actually horizontal, but the time is displayed vertically, thanks to a “prism” that bends and magnifies the image – which is quite a cool effect.
The MB&F Horological Machine No. 5 CarbonMacrolon will be released as a limited edition comprising just 66 pieces, each with a price tag of $63,000.
[aBlogtoWatch]
