MB&F presents the HM8 Mark 2
The HM8 Mark 2, MB&F’s latest horological creation, is a true gem for lovers of luxury watches and sports cars. The watch, inspired by the most iconic supercars, is a tribute to the world of automobiles and their bold, futuristic design.
The link between MB&F and cars is not new. Since the creation of the HM5 in 2012, the Swiss watch brand has always been inspired by the automotive universe. MB&F watches are characterized by a speedometer-type display, placed on the case middle, which recalls the design of the 1970s. The HMX, created in 2015, and the HM8, created in 2016, continued this trend.
Today, MB&F unveils the HM8 Mark 2, a watch inspired by the most high-performance supercars. This new creation is available in three versions, each limited to 33 pieces (99/99 pieces in total). The first version features a white body, the second a green body, and the third, a new edition for 2024, a body in brilliant blue sapphire color.
The blue body of the HM8 Mark 2 is composed of metallic pigments and a translucent material, reminiscent of luxury car paint. This deep and sparkling blue sapphire is obtained from mineral-based metallic pigments, the same as those used in metallic automotive paints.
The design of the HM8 Mark 2 is a true game of prisms. Inspired by an extravagant Amida model, the watch uses sapphire prisms to display the jumping hours and trailing minutes vertically, while they are actually flat, on discs at the top of the movement. The time is indicated in a window that resembles a vintage vintage speedometer on the front of the case.
The concept goes even further, to give the numbers an almost digital or electronic look. The sapphire discs are covered with a black metallic layer, except for the numbers, and Super-LumiNova® is added underneath, so that the luminescent surface appears perfectly flat. The numbers are drawn in reverse and restored in the correct orientation by the prisms.
The world of automobiles has inspired not only the aesthetic codes but also the construction of MB&F watches. For the HM5 and HM8 Mark 2, the construction is based on an independent waterproof chassis to which the body is added, while for the HMX and HM8, the construction is monobloc.
The titanium chassis of the HM8 Mark 2 is extremely difficult to machine, even with such a hard alloy. The CarbonMacrolon® body is milled from a block, which makes its realization even more complex. MB&F has pushed the limits of what is physically possible in terms of sapphire production, with a level of complexity 30 to 40 times higher than that of a dome.
The aster-axe rotor that powers the movement requires very complex manufacturing, as one of the 22-carat gold blades is only two-tenths of a millimeter thick. As it is impossible to machine, it must be stamped, with the engraving pre-integrated into the matrix.
The HM8 Mark 2 is offered in titanium with a CarbonMacrolon® body in green, white, or blue. Each version is limited to 33 pieces, for a total of 99 watches. The white calfskin leather strap completes the timepiece, for a sporty and elegant look.
MB&F HM8 Mark 2 - Technical Details
Inspiration: Supercars
Display:
Jumping hours and trailing minutes displayed by two reflective sapphire prisms,
Integrated magnifying lenses
Case:
Grade 5 titanium and CarbonMacrolon® in green, white, or blue
Dimensions: 47 x 41.5 x 19 mm
Number of components: 42 (excluding strap + buckle + bars)
Water resistance: 30 m / 90′ / 3 atm
Sapphire crystals:
Sapphire crystals on top, front, and back, with anti-reflective treatment on both sides.
Two reflective sapphire prisms,
integrated magnifying lenses
Strap and buckle:
Calfskin leather strap – white for the green British and blue sapphire models,
green for the white model -, titanium pin buckle
Engine:
Three-dimensional horological engine,
jumping hours and trailing minutes module developed in-house by MB&F,
base caliber Girard Perregaux.
Mechanical movement with automatic winding.
Rotor in 22-carat gold.
Power reserve: 42 hours.
Balance frequency: 28,800 A/h / 4Hz.
Number of components: 247.
Number of jewels: 30
Functions / indications:
Bidirectional jumping hours
Trailing minutes displayed by two reflective sapphire prisms,
integrated magnifying lenses
Limited editions:
- In titanium with a CarbonMacrolon® body in green, in a limited edition of 33 pieces.
- In titanium with a CarbonMacrolon® body in white.
- In titanium with a CarbonMacrolon® body in blue, in a limited edition of 33 pieces.
- Price (excluding tax): CHF 73,000, or 74,540€
Source : MB&F
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