MB&F is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, and with it, their remarkable breadth of work within the Horological Machine and Legacy Machine collections. Not content to stop there, the brand is introducing a third pillar called Special Projects, and with it, the SP1 One. Special Projects watches will live somewhere between HM and LM creations, a space which seems prime for opportunity. MB&F’s Max Busser is something of an idea machine, and as such, there are no shortage of tabled concepts that, for one reason or another, never quite fit into the HM or LM framework. With the SP collection, these ideas now have a second chance at life. That’s exactly what we find with the SP One.
True to form, MB&F have created a spectacle with the SP One, but one that lives within the cozy confines of a 38mm pebble shaped case that measures 12mm in thickness. These numbers, paired with the 41.9mm lug to lug distance make this arguably the most wearable MB&F ever. But these watches are supposed to be about the experience, so they generally get a pass on the usual ergonomics that we tend other watches by. With the SP One, there are no such compromises.
I want to note here that, in my experiences with Horological Machines, they are surprisingly easy to get along with on the wrist, and are in fact, quite ergonomic despite their generally unwieldy forms.
The SP One features a trio of forms that appear to be floating within the center of an otherwise transparent volume where you’d typically expect to see the dial. The viewer is presented with the open mainspring barrel, the balance wheel, and a sub-dial hosting the hour and minute display. All three are equal in proportion, and connected via tri-point bridge that situates the going train underneath the structure. The dial displaying the time is tilted at a shallow angle toward the viewer, which necessitates a domed crystal (and in turn the 12mm thickness).
The movement was developed in-house by MB&F by Pierre-Alexandre Gamet and his team, and represents a wholly novel concept for the brand that manages to utilize their now signature details. As situated, the three components come together in a poetic manner, and are set within the ‘amphitheater’ like center of this case structure. The whole thing is rather tidy, but still gets an impeccable level of finishing, and even at this size still gets a healthy 72 hours of reserve. The coil of the mainspring is visible, and should be a pseudo power reserve indication depending on its level of tension.
All of this is set within a rather formal case that will be offered in either platinum ($82,000) or rose gold ($76,000). These two watches represent a new chapter for MB&F, a brand with no signs of slowing down. Just how the SP collection will evolve remains to be seen, but if their prior work is any indication, I like where it’s going. MB&F
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