MB&F Launch Horological Machine 11 “Architect”
Dubai Watch Week is host to a large number of launches this week, and one of the first was the MB&F Horological Machine 11
The first time I saw HM11 Maximilian Büsser had a sly grin on his face when he mentioned this horological machine took inspiration from architecture. Immediately my head traveled back to his instagram account to a period where he was posting nothing but post-modern architecture from the 1960’s. And in my head these images stood out; I knew something was afoot in the brain of Maximilian Büsser.
Max Büsser’s Concept Sketches of HM11
I could see these buildings as an Horological Machine. After five-years of ideation, creation, research and development, MB&F have delivered on that promise creating their eleventh Horological Machine: HM11 Architect. Offered in two variants, titanium with a blue dial plate, and titanium with a rose gold dial plate, both offer the same features.
From the top down, a 60-second tourbillon is housed under a double-domed sapphire crystal. The top down view is like looking at the top of a house with the roof removed. From there, four distinct spaces, or “rooms,” become clear, and these house some interesting complications. One room houses the hours and minutes, another the power reserve, and the third room holds something special
The Top-Down View of HM11
Room number three features a mechanical thermometer which indicates the temperature inside the watch. It’s not the ambient temperature, but the actual temperature inside the watch. It’s amazing. They offer two variants, one for Celcius and one for Farenheit, a unique challenge in and of itself to get the scales correct for operating temperatures. The final “room” is time setting, which is done by an oversized sapphire crystal crown, a world first.
The Hours and Minutes “Room”
To wind the watch, you twist the entire structure. It’s unnerving to do, but is actually super cool. By nature of this system, it also allows you to position either the time, temperature, power reserve, and crown exactly as you’d like them. I found that positioning the time telling dial towards me at a slight angle toward myself was my preferred vantage.
My preferred positioning of the watch on my wrist for quick-glance time telling
The case is small for MB&f, coming in at 42mm. The watch sits comfortably on the wrist thanks to curved lugs that help to guide the strap on a downward angle around your wrist. Despite how large it might look, it sits very comfortable on your wrist and is actually quite sleek. I know the “rooms” seem large and bulbous in the photos, but they do not rise above the top of the watch, and the curved lugs allow for depth below, making it a watch that is easy to maneuver and also a watch that is likely one of the smaller Horological Machines.
Overall, the watch exudes the feel of architecture from the 1960’s. To me, the indices on the hours and minutes dial remind me of the bulbous suspended fireplaces seen in these houses. The watch has a little bit of a Jeston’s feel to it, and that is in no way a knock on the watch. It’s a cool object that allows for interactivity and enjoyment, while also providing serious watchmaking prowess.
I will admit, it is a watch I had to spend time with and see multiple times before I truly understood it and felt like I was able to gather my thoughts about the watch. It’s a unique interpretation of an era of architecture and design, and there is no substitute for putting it on your wrist to get a better understanding of the watch. The 42mm case size makes this a small Horological Machine, and the lugs do well to keep the watch close to your wrist, lowering the overall profile. If you have always wanted an HM, but wanted a smaller size, this might be your chance.
Available in two editions, titanium with blue dial plate or titanium with rose gold dial plate, HM11 Architect is priced at 213,000 CHF.
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