MB&F Horological Machine 5 Watch
MB&F HM5
The MB&F HM5 (Horological Machine 5) ‘On the Road Again’ is the latest creation by Maximilian Büsser. Like it’s predecessors dating back to the HM1 in 2006, MB&F do not regard the HM5 as a watch or a timepiece. Instead creations are micro-mechanical sculptures, where time-keeping is a secondary function. Not convinced? Please read on.
Amida Digitrend
The HM5 is inspired by two watches from the 70s – the Amida Digitrend and Girard-Perregaux Drivers LED. Both featured tapered metal cases that display the time from a side view, designed so that motorists could read the time quickly without turning their wrists. However, while undoubtedly cool in an retro old fashioned way, today the Amida and the Girard-Perregaux resemble aircraft seatbelt buckles. Luckily, the HM5 has also taken inspiration from another 70′s design source that’s close to my heart – the supercars.
MB&F HM5 – Opening Louvers!
Take a look at the HM5′s sleek tapered zirconium casing with slatted louvers and think back to the pioneering of the wedge shaped, louvered rear windowed supercars like the Lamborghini Countach, the Muira and even the BMW M1. But not just all about looks, these louvers open to allow sunlight to charge the Super-LumiNova numbers on the time disks.
MB&F HM5 – Exhausts in Timepiece form!
In a further nod to the supercar, MB&F have also incorporated dual exhausts at the rear – here designed to drain water. An inner water-resistant case provides the primary protection to allow the HM5 to dive to 30 metres.
MB&F HM5 – What time is it?
Despite all these cool details, time-keeping hasn’t been forgotten and is taken care of by a deceptively simple mechanical mechanism displaying the hour and minutes on separate disks. An optical grade sapphire prism reflects the horizontal hour and minutes so that they display vertically and a convex lens magnifies the numeral by 20% for improved legibility.
A rubber wristband completes the picture that fits the overall character of the watch well – perhaps like the tyres to the supercar.
Limited to 66 units, the MB&F HM5 isn’t exactly cheap at around $63,000. But if there is a watch, sorry micro-mechanical sculpture that is more evocatively designed, I’d like to see it. Let us know what you think below.
Really great watch!