Hands On: MB&F SP One

Wonderous and wearable.

With its fifth new model in as many months, MB&F has been on quite the run to kick off its third decade. Fresh off the launch of the fun and affordable M.A.D.2, which followed closely on the heels of a collaboration with Bulgari and the introduction of the the Legacy Machine Longhorn editions, the brand has returned with the SP One, a contemporary take on the open-worked dress watch.

Sleeker than the typical Horological Machine yet more avant garde than a Legacy Machine, the pebble-like SP One is the first model in a new “Special Projects” collection that packages the brand’s signature contemporary aesthetic in a smaller more wearable 38 mm footprint. The SP One joins the collection as a regular production model in either platinum or 18k rose gold.

Initial thoughts

Picking up the SP One for the first time, one is struck by the light and airy nature of the watch. On the wrist, the minimalist case almost disappears, making the the SP One something of a wrist-worn display case for the Y-shaped movement. This effect is accentuated with a brushed internal flange dubbed ‘the amphitheater’ that focuses attention on the spectacularly three-dimensional mechanical architecture.

The smooth pebble-like case measures 38 mm and is just 12 mm thick, making it the most compact MB&F watch to-date. The front and rear sapphire crystals are cambered to blend seamlessly with the case, giving the SP One the feel of a polished stone.

Visually, the smoothness is emphasised by lugs that are integrated into the case back, making the mid-case appear to float. On the wrist, the SP One is effortlessly wearable thanks to its short 41.9 mm lug-to-lug length, and the inclined dial at six o’clock is legible even at arm’s length.

The Y-shaped movement architecture divides the key component groups into distinct ‘wings’ that are roughly equal size, creating a pleasing degree of symmetry. The watch displays just the hours and minutes, though the open barrel design provides a general idea of the state of wind.

But what seems simple when viewed straight-on becomes much more interesting when viewed from an angle, because the suspended movement offers a tremendous amount of three dimensional variation in a small space, resulting in one of the most striking time-only calibers on the market. The manually wound movement is otherwise quite traditional, with a large 2.5 Hz free-sprung balance, a mobile stud carrier, and an overcoil hairspring.

The SP One is also one of the most affordable models in the MB&F collection, priced at CHF63,000 in platinum and CHF58,000 in 18k rose gold.

This makes the SP One a reasonable proposition as such things go, comparable to modular mid-complications from establishment brands and more generic time-only models from other low-volume independents.

A decade, a new collection

The new Special Projects collection was dreamed up during the COVID-19 pandemic, quickly sketched by founder Max Busser and refined by long-time collaborator Eric Giroud. The fundamental idea was a watch with “three circles” of equal sizes, designed to deliver the brand’s signature technical flair in a more minimalist format.

The original sketch for the SP One. Image – MB&F

Historically, MB&F has pursued two distinct stylistic paths, embodied by the exotic Horological Machine (HM) collection and the nostalgic Legacy Machine (LM) collection.

HMs tend to be highly futuristic, with imaginative movement architecture and large, structural cases. On the other hand, LMs reimagine vintage pocket watches with touches like blued steel hands and traditional movement layouts.

In some ways, the SP One bridges these two philosophies, with a distinctly contemporary design in a more normal size and shape. The smooth round case is as traditional as its choice of materials – platinum or rose gold. But inside, the movement feels more like an HM, with bold angular forms and a circular brushed grey dial and faceted gold hour markers.

Aesthetically, my only reservation is a practical one, which is that the highly transparent design subjects those of us with hairy wrists to a slightly less appealing view. This is not an issue unique to the SP One – I have a similar experience with the Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon, among others.

A symmetrical caliber

Open-worked movements are nothing new, but MB&F, true to form, has managed to breathe some new life into the concept by leveraging conical gearing and their signature inclined dial to create a movement that slopes downward from a central peak.

The Y-shaped movement architecture of the SP One was developed in-house by the team at MB&F, from conception to engineering. The brand has a deep bench of engineering talent which helps explain their prolific output.

One of the new details debuting in the SP One is the proprietary escape wheel which now features the MB&F logo depicted in the design of the spokes.

The escape wheel that forms the MB&F emblem. Image – MB&F

The movement is richly hand-finished in the MB&F house style, with prominent anglage that contrasts with straight-grained bridges and prominent brushed flanks. Several jewels are set in mirror-polished bowl-shaped gold chatons, adding a welcome pop of colour that livens up the otherwise monochromatic palette of the ruthenium-plated bridges.

One of the reasons MB&F is so admired throughout the industry is the brand’s transparency when it comes to suppliers. The “& Friends” portion of the brand is significant – MB&F is short for “Maximilian Büsser & Friends” – and everyone thought Max was crazy in 2005 for giving away so much of the credit.

But this honesty is key to the appeal of MB&F and it’s interesting to note the brand works with both well-known suppliers like Atokalpa for the balance wheel as well as more unusual names like DSMI Electronics for hand finishing.

Closing thoughts

I’ve always found watches from MB&F easy to love but somewhat difficult to wear, primarily due to the case sizes and shapes. The SP One manages to pack almost everything I like about the brand into a completely new and more comfortable format, an undeniably appealing combination that should help MB&F bring new collectors into The Tribe.

Key facts and price

MB&F SP One
Platinum with sky-blue flange
18k rose gold with anthracite flange

Diameter: 38 mm
Height: 12 mm
Material: Platinum or 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: SP One
Functions: Hours and minutes
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Leather strap with 18k white or rose gold pin buckle

Limited edition: No
Availability: At MB&F retailers and MAD Galleries
Price: CHF63,000 in 950 platinum) and CHF58,000 in 18k rose gold (excluding taxes)

For more, visit MBandF.com.

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News

Highlights: Diverse Single-Owner Collections at Christie’s Hong Kong

A trilogy spanning time, art, and complexity.

Christie’s continues its spring season in Hong Kong with an unexpected single-owner trilogy – three separate collections of timepieces owned by one collection going on the block – The Chronicle, The Generations, and Stories in Time.

The Generations collection will be sold on May 28, and focuses on sports watches from Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Slated to be sold on the same day, The Chronicle collection is more eclectic but focuses on traditionally styled watches. Thirdly, Stories in Time will hit the block on May 29, and features notable vintage Rolex watches – including a fine mid-century cloisonné Oyster – stunning Cartier clocks, and avant-garde creations by independents.

One of the top lots in the sale is the Rolex Oyster ref. 6100 with a cloisonné enamel dial that is only now reemerging publicly after having last been sold in 1990

Concurrently, watches from The Legacy Collection, including rare watches from Richard Mille and gem-set Patek Philippe complications, will be on show from May 22 to 28 (though that are not part of the auction).

We round up five fine and fascinating watches, and one clock from the upcoming sale. Online bidding and the catalogue for the May 28 sale and the May 29 sale, and the catalogue in PDF format for both sessions, are available on Christies.com.

Lot 2291 – F.P. Journe Sonnerie Souveraine

The Sonnerie Souveraine was F.P. Journe’s flagship, and most complicated, model for over a decade. According to Francois-Paul Journe, the Sonnerie Sourverine was one of his most challenging undertakings, as it needed to be reliable enough to chime 35,040 times per year without failure, while remaining compact enough to fit well on a wrist, without sacrificing sound quality.

Like all of F.P. Journe’s other striking watches, the Sonnerie Souveraine is equipped with the brand’s signature flat gongs and hammers that reside under the dial. They give a distinctly crisp, if subtle, sound through the stainless steel case compared to traditional wire gongs.

Image – Christie’s

The rose gold movement has been inverted, allowing the hammers and gongs to be on the front while the striking works remain on the back. The striking mechanism itself builds on concepts pioneered in Cesar Racine’s simplified grande sonnerie designs, while introducing new safety features, all without sacrificing the petite sonnerie mode.

Instead of using two separate barrels like most clock watches, the Sonnerie Souveraine employs a clever construction with a single, central barrel that unwinds from both sides to power the timekeeping and strikes. On a full wind, the watch can run for five days, but is reduced to two days with 24 hours of grande sonnerie striking.

Image – Christie’s

Like the subsequent Astronomic and FFC, each Sonnerie Souveraine is engraved with the name of its first owner instead of a serial number, and comes with a replacement crown, stem, hands, mainspring, balance complete, and escapement to ensure the watch can be repaired if factory parts are unavailable. F.P. Journe will replace the case back with one bearing the new owner’s name, but it costs a good five-figure sum to do so.

While Mr Journe has hinted that the grande sonnerie as a complication is likely to return at some point, the Sonnerie Souveraine will not. For a flagship complication, with only mid double-digit produced, the estimate of HK$3.8-7.8 million (US$490,000 – 1.0 million) seems surprisingly reasonable.

Lot 2277 – Seiko Credor Eichi I

Unveiled in 2008, the Credor Eichi I was the second product of Seiko Epson’s elite Micro-Artist Studio, after the Credor Sonnerie of 2006. The run of only 25 watches took until 2011 to complete, with the case for this example being built in May 2009. The watch was then replaced by the Eichi II that remains in the catalogue today. (We covered the differences between this and its successor in great detail here.)

The platinum case is only 35 mm in diameter, making the Eichi the smallest Spring Drive model so far; the straight lugs and thin bezel are reminiscent of the vintage Seiko Lord Marvel, the very watch that inspired the Eichi’s creator.

The Eichi I was powered by the cal. 7R08 that belongs to the family of manually wound Spring Drive movements launched back in 1999, but is nearly unrecognizable due to the high degree of decoration. The barrel has been gilded and skeletonized with a bellflower pattern, while bridges are in untreated German silver and beveled by hand using files and gentian wood, as it is done in Swiss haute horlogerie.

A novel Torque Return system siphons off extra power to rewind the mainspring during the first 35 hours of the power serve, allowing the watch to run for over 60 hours on a 48-hour-long mainspring.

Image – Christie’s

The high level of execution extends to the dial and case. The porcelain dial and crown insert were made by noted Japanese chinaware manufacturer Noritake. All markings, including the dial code at the bottom, are painted free-hand by an artisan using only a brush and skill.

Credor’s trademark “24-7” motif is hidden on the dial, painted in matte white enamel so it only appears from certain angles. The stack of thermally blued steel hands is capped off to hide the seconds pinion.

Image – Christie’s

The estimate is conservative at HK$160,000-320,000 (US$20,000-40,000), considering another sold for HK$1.80 million at Phillips last November.

Lot 2565 – Rolex Oyster ref. 6100 “Dragon” Cloisonné

Rolex watches with enamel dials always make a splash when they come to auction, and this ref. 6100 is no different. Rolex, as well as Patek Philippe and Universal Geneve, sourced their enamel dials from the famous Stern Feres, who worked with local artisans like Nelly Richard.

Image – Christie’s

The cloisonné enamel dial is made from a solid gold blank, and partitioned by thin gold wire, which is shaped by hand before being welded to the dial.

These cloisons, or partitionings, are then filled with enamel, and fired over and over again as more colors are added. All cloisonne dials are unique by nature, but this is also the only known ref. 6100 with a dragon dial.

Image – Christie’s

Besides the dial, and being 18k yellow gold, it is a classic Oyster Perpetual. A–presumably very high–estimate is available on request for this very special Rolex.

Lot 2536 – MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO

Max Büsser enlisted his friend, Irish constructor Stephen McDonnell, to bring MB&F’s first in-house complication to life. While Mr McDonnell’s design looks like a conventional grand lever-based system at first glance, it’s actually far more interesting as it’s a retrograde system in disguise with numerous safety mechanism built-in.

The EVO, short for “Evolution”, is a more rugged variant of the original Legacy Machine Perpetual. Besides the rubber strap, the water resistance is increased from 30 m on the normal model Legacy Machine Perpetual to 80 m, and the movement is protected by the brand’s FlexRing shock absorber.

Image – Christie’s

MB&F has offered the EVO model in titanium and zirconium, with this example being the latter. Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) ceramics are widely used in the industry, but metallic zirconium remains rare. It’s dark, lustrous, and lighter than steel, making it an attractive titanium alternative.

The quadruple subdials pop against the “atomic orange” PVD finish on the movement’s dial side. The calendar works are left exposed, as is the balance, which is suspended from a curved and specular polished steel bridge. While busy, the symmetry of the dial keeps it from devolving into chaos, and mirroring the power reserve with the leap year indicator is a nice touch.

The movement is jarringly traditional from the back, and quite well finished. It’s dominated by two large barrels, though the bridges gave a clear view of the going and power reserve trains in action.

The estimate is HK$800,000 – 1.6 million [US$100,000 – 205,000].

Lot 2501 – Cartier Mystery Clock

Cartier made its first Mystery Clock back in the 1910s, with the help of French watchmaker Maurice Couet. The maison continues to build its famous Mystery Clocks for its most important clients to this day; this example was sold as recently as 2022. An identical one was exhibited by Cartier back in April 2016 at a six-day event in Taipei.

Image – Christie’s

This example, reference number H1000024, is made of 18k white gold, silver obsidian, and onyx. The legs are topped with chrysoprase accents and sit on topaz hemispheres. It’s quite large, standing 125 mm tall, with an 85 mm by 57 mm footprint. It also has a ruby accented sibling, H1000013, which is not on the block–yet.

Images – Cartier

The hands, which are made of gold and set with brilliant-cut diamonds, are attached to clear glass plates, giving the illusion of being suspended in air, and faceted lead-glass crystals on the front and back allow you to see straight through. The dial sits in a square frame, with baguette diamonds to mark the hours and brilliant cut diamonds filling the space between. This is encircled by a second diamond-set frame, with emeralds and Roman numerals on the four cardinal directions.

Concealed in the base is caliber 6002 MC, which Cartier uses in most of their modern mechanical clocks. It can be wound and set using a pair of white gold knobs on the bottom, and will run for eight days between winds.

Image – Christie’s

The estimate is HK$300,000 – 600,000 [US$40,000 – 75,000], probably a mere fraction of its original retail price.

Lot 2527 – Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Technique Blue

The Double Tourbillon 30° Technique is an impressive watch in many ways. First is the sheer size, at 47.6 mm in diameter, it’s larger than many pocket watches.

More impressive still is Greubel Forsey’s exacting finishing–something few can match, and none that can surpass. On this version, the plates have been given a blue PVD finish, likely by Positive Coating, the same company responsible for the “atomic orange” on the MB&F.

Image – Christie’s

As the name suggests, there are two tourbillons, the outer rotates at a leisurely rate of once every four minutes and carries a wandering four-minute display. Inside is a second tourbillon that once per minute.

Note that the entire inner tourbillon is inclined by 30°, not just the balance. It also has an up/down indicator and discrete running seconds, important features for a chronometery-focused watch.

Image – Christie’s

The movement develops five days of power reserve from four stacked, fast-rotating to prevent main spring adhesion, mainspring barrels. Greubel Forsey was one of the few brands brave enough to (publicly) submit their watches to the ill-fated Concours International de Chronométrie, where another Double Tourbillon Technique set a record of 915 out of 1000 points in 2011.

More special still, this example is numbered “1/11”. This extraordinary watch carries an estimate of HK$1.2 million – 2.4 million [US$150,000 – 305,000], and comes with a free factory service that can be redeemed within six months of purchase.

The Legacy Collection Exhibition

Several watches from The Legacy collection are on display, but not (yet) for sale. Highlights include a Patek Philippe Ref. 5104/10P-010, a variant of the 5104 with an invisible set bauggete diamond bezel. While not unique, the diamond set variant is exceedingly rare. Also on display is a, possibly unique, black and rose gold ‘Jackie Chan’ edition RM057 Tourbillon, with an intricately sculpted dragon on the dial.