The platinum SP One with sky-blue accents (Photo: MB&F)
For two decades, MB&F has surprised the world with one fantastical timepiece after another. From jet engines and spaceships to jellyfish and vipers, a hodgepodge of erratic ideas conjured up in its MAD discussions have been brought to life at its benches. But unlike traditional watchmakers who would most likely spit out their morning tea at the sound of a mechanical frog or bulldog, the MB&F school of thought has always been the more preposterous, the better.
Founder Maximilian Büsser has instilled in his company a culture to flee as far away from the comfort zone as possible. While its Horological Machines (HM) are dedicated to futuristic three-dimensional sculptures, it was also able to completely reinvent traditional 19th-century complications, such as the perpetual calendar and chronograph, with its Legacy Machines (LM). For its 20th anniversary, the independent watchmaker is finally adding a third line to the mix, inaugurated by a timepiece that debuts new dimensions.
The Special Collection is largely dedicated to the pile of projects that have lain dormant over the years — half-done sketches and flashes of wild ideas that perhaps were unfeasible or simply of lower priority at the time. This never-ending to-do list grew and grew, peppered with drawings of skateboards and razors. Fun fact: The MAD 1 was one of these whimsical ventures. What started out as an experimental project — offering the same level of creativity at a more accessible price point — on the side to thank MB&F’s Friends (suppliers) and Tribe Members (collectors) became a runaway success on its own.
As more ideas were amassed and the company strengthened its foundations, there is now more leeway to have some fun.
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“The concept of the SP collection is there is no concept. We are free to create whatever we want in this line,” said MB&F head of sales Thibault Verdonckt, who brought along the new SP One for a special preview during a visit to Kuala Lumpur in April.
Code-named “Three Circles”, SP One displays a trinity of levitating elements — the barrel, balance wheel and dial — hovering over the centre of a lofty amphitheatre enveloped by a sapphire crystal dome. At 38mm, it is MB&F’s slimmest and smallest watch so far.
When you are constantly pulling surprises out of the hat, the audience eventually becomes accustomed to astonishment. The expectation of something wilder, more radical and unorthodox grows, which is why the team asked themselves, what if they did a one-eighty and produced something classic?
“Since the beginning, Max has wanted to create watches that were as far away as possible from what a traditional watchmaker would make. Then, he thought it would be fun, too, if he was able to create an interpretation of a thin, elegant 38mm time-only watch. It is basically a Patrimony of Calatrava, but with an MB&F approach,” Verdonckt explains.
“The first sketches were done in 2018. We had an apprentice on board at the time and this was a project on the side for him to develop. But, then, Covid happened and we had to put it on hold. It didn’t really fit in our existing collections either. At the end of 2021, we started the process again for this piece and went into R&D, designing the case and ordering the components for the first prototypes.”
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Through tactile feel alone, the satisfyingly smooth, pebble-like case, bezel-free design and delicately detached lugs already convey its elegance as a dress watch. But adjust your shirt cuff at a formal function, and double takes are 100% guaranteed.
“The idea was to have the three main elements of the watch be the exact same size, or as close as possible. So, we had to develop a new balance wheel, barrel and dial specifically for that. They are positioned in a triangular shape. We tried to keep the bridges hidden as much as possible, so you have the impression of these elements floating,” he says.
In fact, getting the size of the bridges right posed a great challenge. “You want them as thin as possible, but not too thin or they will bend when you wind the watch. It’s very tough for our engineering team because you can easily calculate the number of wheels you need on the gear train to make it accurate, but the exact size of every bridge to avoid it being too thin is something the system has difficulty in calculating. We had to find the right balance between finesse and how the bridges can be strong enough for winding and accuracy.”
The view comprises a captivating oscillating balance wheel at 2 o’clock and a suspended barrel delivering 72 hours of power reserve reflected on the other side. Hawk eyes will notice the dial at 6 o’clock is tilted towards the wearer, highlighting MB&F’s expertise in conical gearing. A bevelled flange — anthracite for the 18-carat rose-gold iteration and sky-blue for the platinum — channels the grandeur of Greco-Roman theatres to spotlight the intricacies of the movement, which can also be observed from the sapphire caseback. Understated calfskin straps adorn the two models.
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The SP One sits squarely between the HM and LM, and is enrobed with a classic flair that sets it apart from the brand’s usual boldness while keeping its roots alive.
The initial 2018 sketch was refined and reworked with the help of long-time designer and friend Eric Giroud, who is also the face of the recently released MAD 2, inspired by vinyl culture and the early days of disco.
MB&F clearly has no shortage of creative people on its team and the will to explore uncharted territories is still as strong as ever. Verdonckt discloses that there are seven calibres in the pipeline and five other projects that the team is currently working on, but everything can shuffle. “I’ve been with the company for the past seven years. We’ve paused projects because someone else launched something similar. Sometimes, there are technical problems that are impossible to solve. I remember one time we had a patent issue, where another brand protected the idea but did not launch a product.”
For those who have been asking MB&F for a minute repeater, rest assured the team is working on it.
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“If we ever release a minute repeater, it won’t have the traditional gong system. When you look at musical instruments, there are several techniques to generate sound, but only one is used in watchmaking. So, we’re exploring different options, which takes fundamental research. Plus, musical instruments are not water-resistant.” he says.
Who knows? Strings and woodwinds might enter the picture someday.
Though the latest SP One was conceived as a classical interpretation, there is nothing traditional about it — and it is this very paradox that continues to captivate collectors.
“What’s lovely about MB&F is our boutiques, labs and galleries do not look at all like those of any other watch brands. The press and community are also expecting us to be creative. Max always says we need to come up with ideas that can put the brand in bankruptcy,” Verdonckt laughs.
“In everything we do, we want to do it differently and that will continue to define us. It’s not a wish, but a need.”
Here’s to a new decade.
This article first appeared on May 26, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
