MB&F Launches Horological Machine N° 8

By Victoria Townsend | September 27, 2016

Launched today worldwide, Horological Machine N° 8 ‘Can-Am’ is the tenth collaboration between MB&F founder Maximillian Bûsser and independent designer Eric Giroud. Having designed all the Horological Machines and Legacy Machines for MB&F, Giroud “as part of a team effort” he says, knows how to transform Büsser’s dreams into reality. For this project, Büsser wanted a racing car for the wrist.

Giroud describes the “HM8 Can-Am” as a new evolutionary member in the MB&F family. Let’s have a look. Features previously seen in Horological Machines such as the angular form and optical prism displays seen in the HM5 and HMX, and the “battle-axe” winding rotor from the HM3, are also features of the HM8.
But this is a new Machine. Inspired by the legendary Canadian-American Challenge Cup from 1966 to 1987, where “Can-Am” turbo-charged race cars were equipped with chrome roll-bars to stabilize the 1000 horsepower machines, MB&F has invented its own roll-bars that curve from the front to the tapered back of the HM8 bringing a powerful aerodynamic look that roars.

The two roll-bars on the HM8 are individually milled and mirror-polished in a Grade 5 titanium alloy for lightness, strength, and resistance to corrosion.

Measuring 49 mm x 51.5 mm x 19 mm, the angular case that takes on a more curvaceous appearance has double-side anti-reflective sapphire crystals on the front, back, top and bottom. On the top, sections of the crystal have been metallized to create a bluish border around the blued 22K gold battle-axe rotor that reveals the movement’s circular wave finish through its open centre. In the corners, we see the hour and minute indication discs with SuperLuminova coated numerals.

A driver’s watch, we read the bi-directional jumping hour and trailing minute displays at the front of the case, projected vertically thanks to optical grade sapphire crystal prisms that reflect light from the discs at 90°, while magnifying the indications by 20% with a convex lens at the front for enhanced legibility. And on the back? Dual oil sumps, of course.

The three-dimensional engine that powers the HM8 was conceived and developed by MB&F with a bi-directional jumping hour and trailing minute indication module on a Girard-Perregaux base movement. Inverted to have the winding rotor on top, and modified to drive the prism indicator module, the fine-finished automatic movement has a power reserve of 42 hours and balance frequency of 28,800bph / 4Hz.

Water-resistant to 30 meters, the HM8 Can-Am is available in two versions: grade 5 titanium with 18K white or red gold, with a hand-stitched alligator strap in marine blue for the white gold version and dark brown for the red gold. The folding buckle of the straps matches the case material. The first pieces are arriving in stores now, priced at CHF78,000 or USD82,000 + TVA for either version.