RE-WRITING HISTORY, LEGACY MACHINE No1 BY MB&F

Last Week in the SIAR (Salon de la alta relojeria) in Mexico City we had the opportunity to explore the new MB&F watch and it is simply awesome. Wild, extreme, outrageous, unrestrained: all might be used to describe MB&F's futuristic Horological Machines, but traditional, classical… round? With its monumental central balance; superlatively finished movement; completely independent dual time zones; unique vertical power reserve indicator and elegant annular case, Legacy Machine No.1 (LM1) is a tribute to the great innovators of traditional watchmaking; and above all, an authentic three-dimensional MB&F Machine.

Legacy Machine No.1 was conceived when Maximilian Büsser started fantasising: "What would have happened if I had been born in 1867 instead of 1967? In the early 1900s the first wristwatches appear and I would want to create three-dimensional machines for the wrist, but there are no Grendizers, Star Wars or fighter jets for my inspiration. But I do have pocket watches, the Eiffel Tower and Jules Verne, so what might my 1911 machine look like? It has to be round and it has to be three-dimensional: Legacy Machine No.1 was my answer."

In fidelity to high-quality 19th century pocket watches, LM1 features a sedately oscillating (2.5 Hz), large diameter balance with traditional Breguet overcoil suspended from majestic twin arches; its enigmatic regulating mechanism in full view, but without apparent connection to the movement. Both the hours AND the minutes on each of the two sub dials can be set completely independently of each other – dual time zone complications usually do not allow independent adjustment of the minutes – their domed dials further reinforcing visual references to the golden age of watchmaking (1780-1850). Looking like a miniature sextant, a world-first vertical power reserve indicator keeps track of available power while providing a visual three-dimensional counterpoint to the graceful arches supporting the balance.

Gazing down through Legacy Machine No.1's crystal clear bubble sapphire dome to the micro-mechanical fantasy below, it's easy to imagine Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo looking upon the mythical underwater city of Atlantis.

Legacy Machine No.1's transcendental in-house movement bears testimony to the enormous talent of its creators. Jean-François Mojon and his team at Chronode (Best Watchmaker Prize at the 2010 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève) met the considerable challenge of developing the calibre for LM1 from a blank sheet, while acclaimed independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen took responsibility for the aesthetic design and for strictly ensuring the utmost respect for tradition and finish. Immaculate Geneva waves, highly-polished gold chatons and bridges with impeccably executed bevels following deliberate internal angles (which cannot be finished by machine) showcase the movement's absolutely peerless fine-finishing. The movement of Legacy Machine No.1 proudly bears the names of both its creators, and is the first calibre other than Voutilainen's own to bear his name.

With Legacy Machine No.1, MB&F has majestically reinterpreted traditional 19th century watchmaking excellence to create a contemporary, three-dimensional objet d'art


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REMAKING HISTORY, THE MARIE-ANTOINETTE WATCH BY BREGUET

The history that you are about to read is worthy of a best seller, we decided to divided in two parts, here is the first.

2005… Nicolas G. Hayek decided to challenge himself to precisely reproduce the Queen Marie-Antoinette watch, stolen in 1983 from a Jerusalem museum. Simultaneously, near the Queen’s residence at Versailles, Le Petit Trianon, the favorite oak tree where she liked to daydream was about to be struck down. Nicolas G. Hayek decided to extend its life by fashioning a presentation case to hold the second Marie Antoinette watch. Versailles offered the tree to Montres Breguet, who committed to the restoration of Le Petit Trianon in memory of this particularly loyal patron.

As the watch neared completion late 2007, the spoils of the 1983 robbery suddenly reappeared in Jerusalem and the original Marie-Antoinette was part of the recovered lot. The saga continues. Montres Breguet has yet not had the opportunity to inspect the watch to this date. Presented at Basel 2008, the Queen of all watches reveals a host of complications. Research in the archives and study of original drawings from the Breguet museum and from other key institutions like the museum des Art et Metiers in Paris were the only available sources of information available to complete the formidable task.

1783… Marie Antoinette was a truly passionate of the Breguet watches, she acquired number of timepieces including a Perpétuel watch embellished with a self winding device developed by Breguet.

In 1783 one of Marie Antoinette admirers ordered form the workshops in the Quai de L`Horloge, the most spectacular watch possible, incorporating the entire body of the horological science of the time, as a gift to the queen. The order specified that gold should, wherever possible, be used instead of other materials, and the complications should be multiple and varied. Unconstrained by limitations of cost or time, Breguet had a free hand.

The queen never had the opportunity to admire the timepiece. It was not completed until 1827, 34 years after her death, 44 after it was ordered and 4 years after the death of the founder. Breguet No 160 known as the Marie Antoinette, entered into watchmaking legend from 1783. Its extreme complexity, its roots and legend, had haunted the watchmaking landscape and the minds of collectors for more than two centuries. More recently, its destiny shrouded in mystery, stolen from a Jerusalem museum and lost for decades, has written a new page in the saga.

Presented in Basel 2008 the queen of watches reveals a host of complications, research among the archives and original drawings from the Breguet museum and from the high institutions of culture like The Musée des Arts et Métiers (arts and crafts museum) in Paris, are the only available sources of information.

Reproducing and designing such a large number of complications on the sole basis of documents is against the odds and reveals the talent of the watchmakers at Montres Breguet. Each function and every decorative feature was minutely analyzed. In the coachwork of the the watch for example, the yellow gold of the 63mm diameter case was cast in special, more coppery alloy in order to match the period Hue. The glasses for the dial and the case, made of rock crystal, allow the movement to display its finery and the marvels of its finish. The research has moreover brought to light a complication of the original watch: jumping hours.

As a self winding watch with a minute repeater sticking hours, quarters and minutes on demand, the new Marie Antoinette has all the makings of a work of art. A full perpetual calendar displays the dates, the day and the months respectively at 2 o clock, 6 o’clock and 8 o’clock. The equation of time at 10 o’clock proclaiming the daily difference between the solar and the mean time. In the center the jumping hours invented by Breguet and the minute are joined by a long independent seconds hand, while the small seconds are shown at 6 o’clock. The 48 hour power reserve indicator at 10,30 balances a bimetallic thermometer at 1:30.

The self-winding Perpétuel contains 823 components, The baseplates and bridges, the smallest gears-wheels in the trains for the under dial work, the dates and the repeater are fashioned in pink gold polished with wood. The screws are in polished blue steel; the points of friction, holes and bearings, set with sapphires. The smallest details demonstrate perfect execution and have been finished by hand. This masterly and unprecedented mechanism is furthermore fitted with a particular type of natural- lift escapement, a helical balance-spring in gold and a bimetallic balance wheel.

The anti shock device, a double Pare chute, another Breguet invention, gives protection against blows and shocks the balance staff to the shafts of the winding weights.

This masterpiece fits for a queen rests in a precious presentati box made out of more than 3500 pieces sculpted from the wood of the Royal Oak. It encloses a lavishly crafted inlay work of more than a thousand pieces of wood depicting the hand of Marie Antoinette holding her rose, a detail inspired by the famous portrait of the queen. The outside of the box faithfully reproduces the parquet flooring of the Petit Trianon.

As the watch neared completion late 2007, the spoils of the 1983 robbery suddenly reappeared in Jerusalem and the original Marie-Antoinette was part of the recovered lot. The saga continues. Montres Breguet has yet not had the opportunity to inspect the watch to this date. Presented at Basel 2008, the Queen of all watches reveals a host of complications. Research in the archives and study of original drawings from the Breguet museum and from other key institutions like the museum des Art et Metiers in Paris were the only available sources of information available to complete the formidable task.

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HOROLOGICAL MACHINE No4, THE THUNDERBOLT BY MB&F

One of the most amazing and unique brands in the last years is MB&F, not only because their bold and special pieces and movements, also because this brand has achieved something that not many brand had, to produce an hexcentric watch, a unique way of telling time and succeed in this process.

MB&F has taken the mechanical complication into another lever, inviting the customer to experience time in a different fashion, making from a complicated watch, a unique masterpiece that reflects attitude and the true soul of the founder after an impressive career in brands as Jaeger-LeCoultre and Harry Winston.

MB&F has a simple way of doing things witch can be defined in this piece as follows: a  the traditional wristwatch has a relatively straightforward role: to tell the time. All that is needed is a hand for the hours, another for the minutes and perhaps a power reserve indicator to keep track of running time. Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt has a hand for the hours, another for the minutes and a power reserve indicator. HM4 Thunderbolt tells the time.

But HM4 Thunderbolt is not a traditional wristwatch.

The aviation-inspired case and engine of the Thunderbolt are one. Neither would, nor could, exist without the other, yet each is so transcendental as to be able to stand alone as a work of art in its own right.

The Thunderbolt's engine is the culmination of three long years of development. Each of the 300-plus components – including the regulator and even the screws – was developed specifically for this anarchistic calibre.

The sleek aerodynamic form of the Thunderbolt's titanium and sapphire envelope has its roots in Maximilian Büsser's childhood passion for assembling model plane kits.
Every component and form has a technical purpose; nothing is superfluous and every line and curve is in poetic harmony. 
Articulated lugs ensure supreme comfort. Highly legible time is a fringe benefit.

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CONCEPT WATCH No3 THE X WATCH BY DEWITT

Just a couple of day ago Montres DeWitt was invited to participate in the Only Watch 2011 Charity Auction in favour of research programmes on the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), to be held in Monaco under the high patronage and in presence of S.A.S. Le Prince Albert II of Monaco. After a first participation in 2005 and, in 2007, the presentation of the WX-1 (concept watch no 1), an exceptionally complicated horological piece of art, DeWitt is presenting this year yet another masterpiece: the X-Watch.

Reversible is not enough !

For its third concept watch, DeWitt is continuing its exploration of reversible watches. The mechanism, initially inspired from a concrete mixer, was already masterfully executed in The Antipode (concept watch no 2) and confers both a spectacular liveliness and a playful twist to the watch. But for the
X-Watch, reversible was not enough! DeWitt therefore imagined a spectacular articulated “bonnet” in the shape of an “X” that partly covers the face of the watch. A typical DeWitt approach that intends to arouse curiosity by hiding some parts of the mechanism in a subtle game of layers. The “X”-shaped bonnet is activated by four push-pieces positioned in the upper and lower part of the case. By pressing the push-pieces, the “X” separates in its middle and smoothly opens up to disclose the face of the watch. A special mechanism was integrated to control the speed of its opening. The rotation of the 49 mm Grade 5 Titanium case is only liberated when the “X” is in the open position. The case can then be flipped over and locked again by closing the “X”. Quite naturally, the “X” is designed in such a way that all the features of the watch remain perfectly readable even when the bonnet is in its closed position.

In house is beautiful!

The X-Watch houses DeWitt’s third 100% in-house manufactured movements, Calibre DW 8046. One single reversible movement displaying bi-retrograde hours and minutes on each side and featuring an automatic Tourbillon, a Chronograph and a patented Automatic Sequential Winding (A.S.W.) device driven by a peripheral oscillating rotor. Built out of some 544 components, the calibre DW 8046 is the perfect illustration of the inventive audacity of DeWitt’s master watchmakers.

A.S.W. or the art of mastering energy distribution!

The peripheral oscillating rotor is attached to a ring with a sinusoidal profile on its inner edge. This particular shape will, in turn, activate the patented A.S.W system, which enables the movement to always operate in an ideal functioning range, between 92 and 96% of the main-spring torque. The main gear-train is therefore guaranteed to always receive a constant and stable flow of energy thanks to the sequenced winding of the barrel.

Indeed, two little arms, rocking up and down the sinusoidal profile, ensure the winding of the barrel until it reaches 96% of the movement’s full winding. At that moment, a lever disengages the pawl from winding the barrel and forces it to continue its movement in the air, without hooking on to the wheel. The movement then runs on its reserves of energy, until it reaches 92%, and the pawl hooks back on. Such a technical prowess enables to obtain an ideal functioning range with the usage of a single, manual-type barrel. Moreover, it avoids all the running defects observed when slip-springs are used on conventional automatic calibres.

Unidentified flying object!

The upper side of the dial is adorned in its centre with a rhodium plated and polished applique in the shape of an hourglass. In its upper part, a window displays a 120-degree power reserve indicator, an indispensable feature to observe the short back and forth movement of the hand when the watch is operating in its ideal functioning range and the A.S.W. is in action. In the lower part, the actual motor of this unidentified flying object is revealed through a nicely proportioned opening. A small seconds hand is attached to the Tourbillon cage and gently glides round. The hourglass applique is also decorated with the “DeWitt” logo, and elegant vertical lines remind us of the finishing given to the peripheral rotor (visible on the other side). In the background, a nice atmosphere is given by a sunray guilloche pattern that radiates right out to the two retrograde counters. The hours and minutes hands are rhodium plated and positioned on the same axis. Both hours and minutes are read from bottom to top, with the hours West and the minutes East. When the “X”-shaped bonnet is closed, everything remains, except the mere symbol of passage of time, the hourglass.

A sporty skeleton … in a punchy “Monaco-red”!

On the lower side of the dial, the hidden face of the X-Watch! Operating on the same movement, a skeleton chronograph with disk seconds indication and a 3-arm minutes hand covering a 30-minute time span on 3 different levels. The peripheral oscillating rotor, streamlined and with elegant rose gold finishings, travels freely around the dial and is a marvel to observe. Since the crown and the two chronograph push-pieces must remain on the right hand side, the watch itself is turned by 180 degrees. The disk seconds indication, placed underneath the Tourbillon, is therefore now positioned in the upper part of the dial. A polished and rhodium plated cover is placed over the disk, leaving only a small window opening to display the passing seconds. The cover is also decorated with the “DeWitt” logo. The minutes, in the lower part of the dial and printed on the sapphire glass, are positioned on 3 different levels. A 3-arm rose gold hand with small disks on each tip covers the three 10-minute levels in a single rotation.

In order to best valorise this skeleton side of the movement and give it a sporty twist, a very punchy “Monaco-red” separation plate (1,0 mm thick) with no less than 58 holes had to be placed in the middle of the movement to isolate both sides. On this side of the watch, the positioning of the two retrograde hours and minutes hands on one single axis is also revealed. However, hours and minutes are now read from top to bottom.

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