MB&F Horological Machine No. 3 Revealed

After months of tantalizing teasers, the avant garde watchmaking firm of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser and Friends) has finally revealed the third installment in its trilogy of mind-bending mechanical creativity--the Horological Machine No. 3. 

Crafted from a combination of titanium and 18K red or white gold, the MB&F Horological Machine No. 3 breaks boundaries for what is "expected" in a luxury watch, with its miraculously inverted mechanical movement, battle-ax inspired gold winding mass, over-sized date display, and arrestingly unique twin sapphire cones that house the unconventional displays for hours and minutes.  Two complex case forms are being offered, which give the owner a distinct choice in how the dual cone displays are oriented--the 53-piece Starcruiser case places these in line with the wearer's arm, while the Sidewinder version--comprised of 57 components--orients them in a perpendicular fashion.  Both of these exceptional three-dimensional cases represent a daunting achievement in terms both design challenges and actual execution; according to MB&F, the creation of the cones was quite an odyssey in itself, from finishing the curved sapphire windows, to fashioning the caps in such a way that water resistance was maintained without any sacrifices to elegant workmanship.  Unique aesthetic signatures, exemplified by the elaborate cloverleaf-shaped case screws, emphasize the uncompromising creativity behind the watch.  

To realize the unique mechanical functions of the Horological Machine No. 3, MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser and MB&F designer Eric Giroud turned to Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, a winner of the Best Watchmaker prize at the 2007 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve.  Working in concert with his team at the specialist firm of Agenhor, Wiederrecht succeeded in turning concept into mechanical reality.  Composed of 300 individual components, this remarkable miniature machine displays a number of unique technical elements; among these are a date wheel which is larger in diameter than the base movement itself and an ingenious system of ceramic bearings for the timekeeping cones, which offer a reduced overall movement height compared to what would have been the case had conventional jeweled pinions been employed.  The spectacular 22K gold rotor is a feat of engineering in its own right; its pleasing symmetrical shape--evocative of a battle ax--required that one side be machined exceptionally thin to reduce mass and achieve optimal winding functionality.  A Girard-Perregaux base movement provides the power source for the exotic mechanism, and features a balance wheel that oscillates at a rate of 28,800 alternations per hour.  

Each MB&F Horological Machine No. 3 is fitted with a hand-stitched alligator leather strap from Camille Fournet and a custom-designed deployant buckle in titanium and 18K gold.  As might be expected in such a spectacular execution, production is extremely limited.