A few days ago I received a press release for a very exciting new release from MB & F. The opening gambit cites a quote from Swiss architect Le Corbusier, “une maison est une machine à habiter“ (a house is a machine to live in). This intrigued me because I’ve written several books on the subject including my Gold Award-winning edition called ‘Australian Modern’. This has given me a huge insight into the mind of an architect and how they can create space from nowhere. In the context of horology, brands normally adopt this terminology to describe a complicated mechanical movement. Not surprisingly king marketeer Max Büsser has used this reference to describe the Horological Machine Nº11 Architect.
Most nicely Max Büsser is one of the greatest showmen in the watch industry. He’s a guy who would be the life and soul of a dinner party with numerous anecdotes and cultural references. I love his energy and admire his visionary skills. The Horological Machine Nº11 Architect is a continuation of the MB & F narrative. Aesthetically it has all the hallmarks of the brand and is instantly identifiable as one of their creations. Whether it’s their finest work is debatable. However, from my perspective, it is certainly worth reviewing because it’s a piece of noteworthy design merit.
Dimensionally the Horological Machine Nº11 measures 42mm x 23mm, which is much smaller than it looks in the images. Personally, I am disappointed at these measurements compared to previous models in the series. In my humble opinion, a watch that describes itself in architectural terms should make a much bolder statement. In theory, this could be a dress watch and maybe that was the methodology behind the concept. However, the futuristic titanium façade with multiple satellite windows contradicts this. To add to this narrative Max Büsser describes these horological features as rooms. Each room has a different function which is highlighted by stainless steel conical rods.
At the heart of the watch is a three-dimensional horological engine featuring bevel gears and a central flying tourbillon. This extraordinary 29-jewel manual winding calibre comprises 364 components and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour. Functionally the Horological Machine Nº11 features hours, minutes, power reserve and temperature gauge indications (-20 to 60° Celsius, or 0 to 140° Fahrenheit). The timepiece is also classified as water-resistant to a depth of 20 metres. As a perfect finale, the Horological Machine Nº11 is presented on a white rubber strap with a complimentary titanium folding buckle.
The Horological Machine Nº11 Architect is limited to only 25 pieces.
