A Watch Made Just For Fun

10/28 Update: Added a few of the more interesting specifications of the watch, and a photo of MB&F and Alain Silberstein’s signatures on the caseback

Today creative genius Maximillian Busser of MB&F (Max Busser and Friends) revealed a new, very limited and very special watch.  This new “horological machine” (as MB&F likes to call them) is called the HM2.2 “Black Box” and is a take on the HM2 – as seen through the eyes of French designer Alain Silberstein (himself a creative genius and famous designer/watchmaker).   The HM2.2 Black Box is entirely crafted out of Titanium, and there will be only 8 pieces made in total.   According to Maximillian Busser, the watch “really is only for the pleasure of working together, and of course to pay homage to 23 years of Alain’s truly amazing creativity.”

While Max Busser’s horological machines are not everyone’s cup of tea, he has a very passionate following, and I am sure this watch horological machine will get a lot of attention from the watch community.  For me personally, the more I look at his creations, the more they call to me.  These truly are some amazing creations – well done, gentlemen!

Here it is:

Left dial: Retrograde Date and Moon Phase

Right Dial: Jumping Hours and Concentric Retrograde Minutes

Case: Silicium PVD coated titanium; Dimensions (exclusive of crown and lugs): 59mm x 38mm x 13mm; Number of parts: 89 (case only)

Movement: Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor designed functionality regulated and powered by a Girard-Perregaux oscillator and gear train; Balance oscillating at 28,800 bph; 22K blued rose gold “Battle-AX” automatic winding rotor; Number of components: 349 including 44 jewels

Presentation box: Precision engineered aluminium and leather instrument case featuring an integrated Rüeger thermometer

The Creators Maximiliian Busser (left) & Alain Silberstein (right)

More info:

MB&F

Alain Silberstein

Now here’s an exciting development from the world of watches – Linde Werdelin, maker of fine luxury watches with attachable high performance digital instruments – has launched its own blog.  The blog is called “The Lab – where creative thoughts flow” and you can visit it by clicking the logo below.

“The Lab” is written by LW’s creative director and co-founder, Morten Linde.  The theme of The Lab seems to be to give readers a look into the window of Linde Werdeln through Morten Linde’s eyes, and so far the content fits this concept.

Linde Werdelin joins another independent, “high horology”, watch brand that also maintains an excellent blog that I look forward to reading – MB&F’s A Parallel World.

More broadly, I think that having a blog is one of the best things that small production, independent watchmakers/brands can do to help create greater brand awareness.  If published regularly, they are an excellent way to constantly reach out and “touch” (and even expand) your audience (for an independent watchmaker that offers web sales, these are potential customers, after all!).  This is especially true for someone like me who can’t live without my Google Reader (and the 65+ watch blog feeds I follow).  Also, a blog is a perfect platform for helping to shape and fine tune the identity of a brand beyond just the pictures.  And finally, a blog is a great point of differentiation vs. the “big brands” who I think are unlikely to run their own blogs, because these brands have grown way beyond the individual(s) who are behind the brand.  Truly offering that high level of customer contact and interaction with watch owners, collectors & enthusiasts that the big brands can not and will not ever offer!

So well done, Linde Werdelin – I look forward to following “The Lab – where creative thoughts flow.“

Sage Vaughn:  Reseda Butterfly © Galerie Bertrand & Gruner