6,224 articles · 385 videos found · page 5 of 221
Quill & Pad
The horological awesomeness that comes straight from space age aesthetics is the MB&F; HM11 Architect, a literal spaceship home for the wrist, packed with goodies that you might be surprised to find.
Quill & Pad
Once upon a time, there was a watch enthusiast (GaryG) who admired the work of Max Büsser and his watchmaking enterprise MB&F; and who dearly wanted to own one of his watches. But which one? Well, it took years, but Gary eventually decided on the eye-catching 2021 LM101 in white gold and here he explains why.
SJX Watches
The very first wristwatch François-Paul Journe created was the Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalité – three prototypes were made in 1993 and he retained the very first example. Arguably the most famous F.P. Journe wristwatch alongside the Résonance, the tourbillon has since evolved into the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical, which is likely the final version of the watchmaker’s take on Abraham-Louis Breguet’s invention. Conceived for chronometric utility as a wristwatch, the Tourbillon Vertical, or “TV” for short, is the latest iteration of Mr Journe’s interpretation of A.-L. Breguet’s invention. It was launched in 2019 for the 20th anniversary of the Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite. The vertical tourbillon sits in a countersink with mirror-polished sides The Tourbillon Vertical retains the signature double feature of the original F.P. Journe tourbillon, namely a tourbillon regulator and a remontoir d’egalite, or constant force device. But while the prototype and all subsequent iterations of the F.P. Journe tourbillon had a flat tourbillon on the same plane as the movement, the Tourbillon Vertical is self-descriptive. Its tourbillon sits perpendicular to the movement, with both the carriage and balance wheel standing at a 90° angle to the plane of the dial. In sophistication, finish, materials, and even size, the Tourbillon Vertical is far removed from the 1993 prototypes. Yet it is quintessential F.P. Journe in its elegant, concise technical approach while al...
Fratello
Our Sunday Morning Showdowns are usually quite sensible. Okay…relatively sensible. We often pit two attainable everyday watches against each other to see which wins the popular vote. Well, today is a bit different. Today, we have a brawl between two Nouvelle Horlogerie watches that, unless you are reading this from the sundeck of your 200-foot […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Urwerk EMC SR-71 Vs. MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Steampunk, but in the most MB&F; and L'Epée way possible.The post The MB&F; x L’Epée 1839 Albatross brings Jules Verne to life appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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SJX Watches
MB&F;’s sculptural clocks made by L’Epee 1839 have ranged from sci-fi spiders to robots. And now the pair have debuted their most elaborate and expensive desk clock to date, the Albatross. Inspired by the airship of the same name in the Jules Verne novel Robur the Conqueror, the steampunk Albatross does more than tell the time. The clock also incorporates an hourstriker as well as a propellor automaton that activates alongside the hourstriker. Initial thoughts The Albatross is more interesting mechanically than MB&F;’s past collaborations with L’Epee, which were mostly about the form of the clock. This, on the other hand, incorporates mechanics into the design with the propeller automaton linked to the hourstriker. Coupled with the chiming and spinning propellors, the sheer size – 60 cm high and some 17 kg – makes the Albatross a truly impressive object. But the Albatross costs about CHF120,000 before taxes, which is a big number even considering its complexity. While the impressive mechanics and careful construction of the clock arguably justify the price, the price tag puts it in competition with a lot of compelling watches, at least for a watch collector. For someone looking for an impressive desktop object or the ultimate in home decor, this has arguably less competition. Jules Verne’s airship Made of steel, brass, and aluminium, the Albatross contains two separate movements. The first is a twin barrel, eight-day movement for the timekeeping and hourstriker...
Monochrome
In 10 years, MB&F; and L’Epée 1839 (recently acquired by LVMH) have created no fewer than 15 clocks, all more impressive and creative than the next. Far from the dust-collecting clock you’ll find on your favourite aunt’s mantlepiece, the collaboration between these two watchmakers has resulted in robots, octopods and sci-fi vessels from another world. […]
SJX Watches
Conceived as an affordable sub-brand of MB&F;, M.A.D. Editions has become a runaway success by making an MB&F;-esque design accessible. Now the concept has been further refined with the M.A.D.1S, where the suffix stands for slimmer, Swiss, and single cylinder. The case is thinner by almost 4 mm, and now contains a Swiss-made movement that indicates the time (approximately) on a single cylinder. Initial thoughts The original M.A.D.1 was a fun watch that was affordable but expensive, and extremely thick at almost 19 mm. The slimmed down version has sleeker proportions, and the same price tag, but offers comparatively better value. The M.A.D.1S is priced at CHF2,900, just like the original version. Like the original, the M.A.D.1S is priced well for a watch with a little bit of the MB&F; magic, but expensive for a watch of its build and movement. However, the M.A.D.1S is comparatively less expensive, and conversely offers a bit more value, because it has a slightly more upscale movement inside. Mad but more wearable Two versions of the M.A.D.1S are available, one with a blue dial and the other in purple. The blue is available to the public, while the purple is only for “Friends & Tribe”, namely associates of the brand and owners of MB&F; watches. Both will be sold via an online raffle, as is convention for the M.A.D. watches. Both editions are otherwise identical, with a case that’s substantially slimmer than the original M.A.D.1. While the original was almost 19 mm high, th...
SJX Watches
The second wristwatch Francois-Paul Journe ever made and the counterpart to the similar example in the brand’s own museum, the F.P. Journe Tourbillon à Remontoir d’Egalité “15/93” was made by Mr Journe in 1993, by hand naturally. It will be offered by Phillips at its 1990s thematic sale in November (that includes the original Rolex Daytona “Rainbow”), accompanied by associated documents. One of three examples his tourbillon prototype, the watch has all of the telltale signs of a hand-made watch. It also serves as the design template that would later shape the signature F.P. Journe Tourbillon. One of the readily apparent details is the fact that the dial is actually the underside of the base plate. The actual dial, namely the guilloche register at three o’clock, is actually secured by screws on the base plate. With an estimate of over CHF2 million, the 1993 F.P. Journe tourbillon be sold at Reloaded: The Rebirth of Mechanical Watchmaking, 1980-1999 that takes place on November 8, 2024 in Geneva at the Hotel President.
SJX Watches
Proving recent rumours to be true, MB&F; has just announced that Chanel now owns 25% of the company. The terms of the deal were not disclosed but it is likely that the valuation of the independent watchmaker not far from the CHF120 million mark. Though meaningful in the context of independent watchmaker, it is a small investment for Chanel, which had 2023 revenues of almost US$20 billion. MB&F; will continue to be controlled by founder Maximilian Büsser (above left), who pares his stake down to 60% stake, while his longtime deputy, Serge Kriknoff, continues with a 15% share in the brand best known for its sculptural, sci-fi creations. The pair were the only shareholders in the brand prior to the Chanel investment. The MB&F; HM11 A major player behind the scenes With its MB&F; investment, Chanel continues to grow its presence in watchmaking, particularly independent watchmaking. The stake in MB&F; follows on Chanel’s investment in F.P. Journe (believed to be about a quarter), and about a half share in Romain Gauthier. Chanel has also long owned a substantial stake in Bell & Ross, as well as a quarter of movement maker Kenissi. Add to those Chanel’s holdings in the watchmaking supply chain, and the result is a luxury group that has a substantial and growing player in watchmaking. Chanel’s watch and jewellery chief, Frédéric Grangié, said the investment in MB&F; “is part of our long-term strategy to continue to preserve, develop and invest in specialist know-how and...
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Quill & Pad
MB&F; movement constructor for LM Perpetual,Stephen McDonnell’s focus was split between ease of use, durability, and packaging. Ease of use comes in the form of an independent corrector for each of the day, date, month, and leap year. Unlike most perpetual calendars, the MB&F; LM Perpetual has a permanent freestanding button for advancing each display; no separate tool is required.
Quill & Pad
Technically, this F.P. Journe watch is called the “Chronomètre Optimum Black Label,” but it should be called the “Ultimate.” That’s how much Tim Mosso reveres and admires a timepiece Journe himself describes as the most accurate mechanical watch he knows how to construct.
Fratello
I think it’s fair to say that the Casio F-91W is a watch with legendary status. In this feature, I look at why such status is well deserved. The Casio F-91W has served well on the wrists of people around the globe. In my travels as a journalist, I have regularly seen the F-91W on […] Visit Spending Time With The Casio F-91W - A Watch Far More Rugged Than We May Think to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
With the MB&F; HM8 Mark 2, Max Büsser returns to his roots to deliver a watch that deftly captures the automotive spirit. It's a hypercar for the wrist.
Quill & Pad
In an interesting twist, Stephen McDonnel, the developer of the MB&F; LM Sequential, initially envisaged the left side chronograph as a flyback chronograph, however, due to the number of technical issues to resolved, decided it would be safer to save that for a later version: and here it is. And with two flybacks!
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Deployant
Louis Erard adds to their signature new regulator model with a novelty with a grand feu enamel dial: the Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel.
Worn & Wound
MB&F; has announced its second-ever chronograph, the LM Sequential Flyback, a spiritual and technical follow-up to the LM Sequential EVO that evolves its predecessor’s double chronograph with the addition of a flyback function, all in a platinum version of one of MB&F;’s most wearable cases. When MB&F; released the LM Sequential EVO in 2022, the biggest surprise wasn’t how good the watch was or even that MB&F; would think to release a watch with not one, but two chronograph trains. No, the most surprising thing about that watch was that, up until that point, MB&F; had never produced any sort of chronograph. Considering the wide range of extraordinary and experimental watches MB&F; has released over the years, the omission of a chronograph seemed obvious in retrospect, even if we hadn’t noticed the glaring hole in the moment. But that omission was more than accounted for with the release of the LM Sequential EVO, a watch that I readily count among my favorite releases of the last five or so years, and which, thanks to a pair of chronograph trains and a mechanism MB&F; calls the “Twinverter” presented a new and unique take on what a chronograph could be. But apparently, it wasn’t everything MB&F; and Stephen McDonnell (one of the brand’s earliest friends, who built movements for the HM No.1 and developed the movements for the Legacy Machine Perpetual, the LM Sequential EVO, and, now, the LM Sequential Flyback) wanted it to be. Development constraints and the inherent...
Fratello
The chronograph that won the GPHG Aiguille d’Or two years ago is now available in platinum. Well, not exactly. The 33 pieces of the LM Sequential Flyback Platinum have an extra function compared to the prize-winning watch - a flyback function. On top of that, the chronograph comes in a different case. The sporty EVO […] Visit It’s A Complicated MB&F; Kind Of Monday With The New LM Sequential Flyback Platinum to read the full article.
Monochrome
The aphorism “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is not often used by watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, the mastermind behind MB&F;’s most complex timepieces enhanced with his innovative technological breakthroughs. Responsible for the 2015 LM Perpetual and the LM Sequential EVO, fans of MB&F;’s wonderful watches will be delighted to learn that Stephen McDonnell is […]
Deployant
MB&F; enhanced their innovative LM Sequential chronograph with a flyback system and an anbled hour minute dial. Presented in a platinum case.
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Time+Tide
MB&F; and Stephen McDonnell prove that you can always do better, making the LM Sequential even more complicated.The post The MB&F; LM Sequential Flyback Platinum gets a tad less sporty, but a lot more decadent appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
In 2022 MB&F; launched its first ever chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO. A twin-chronograph constructed by Stephen McDonnell, it was a clever reinterpretation of the split-seconds function. Today MB&F; upgrades the concept with the LM Sequential Flyback Platinum that boasts a revised movement incorporating an additional flyback function. Initial thoughts The LM Sequential Flyback is certainly polarising in terms of style and technique, like most MB&F; creations. The original Sequential EVO was praised for its exceptional and creative movement construction, though the utility of the twin chronograph was debated. The LM Sequential Flyback now adds a flyback function to the package, which may seem excessive. But that misses the point: the question of utility needn’t be answered nor asked. Such a timepiece goes far past the realm of practicality and needs to be judged simply by what it is: an incredible concept painstakingly executed. We already explored in detail how Mr McDonnell implemented the Twinverter system of double chronographs mechanisms while making the complex movement chronometrically-potent, despite the obvious challenges. I recommend reading the original story, as it thoroughly explains the beautiful mechanical subtleties of the watch. In the original Sequential EVO, the layered and complex construction of the movement meant the flyback function couldn’t be reliably implemented. Mr McDonnell ultimately dropped the idea and focused on perfecting the rest of t...
Time+Tide
Many independents are launching more and more new models and big box brands are not far behind with some interesting additions to their collection.The post New releases from Ming, Timex, F.P. Journe and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Let’s get straight to the point, as there are a few important things to know about this watch. This is a new, unprecedented watch, despite being a commemorative and limited piece. It is also the first hand-wound chronograph (no split-seconds) of F.P. Journe. It is released in the frame of the 20th anniversary of the […]
SJX Watches
To mark 20 years of its first boutique, and also 20 years of limited editions, F.P. Journe has created its final limited edition of any sort. Limited to 200 pieces, the F.P. Journe Chronographe FB is a flyback chronograph with big date that’s powered by the manual-wind cal. 1518.2. Like past boutique anniversary editions, this has a titanium case with pink gold accents. Initial thoughts In terms of intrinsic attributes, the Chronographe FB scores well on all counts. It is a good looking watch that is priced well. The FB doesn’t depart from the established aesthetic for boutique editions, which is a good thing since the titanium-and-gold combination is appealing. The watch is classical F.P. Journe in terms of dimensions at 40 mm wide and just over 10 mm high, which makes it elegantly slim. Styling aside, the FB is also notable as it is equipped with a new calibre. Few brands design new movements for a small-run limited edition. Admittedly the cal. 1518.2 inside is based on the current split-seconds movement, but it is still a new, different construction. Technically, the movement is not as much of an achievement as say the FFC or Vagabondage III, but it is executed well, and the watch is priced right for the complication. As is typical for majority of F.P. Journe watches, the Chronographe FB is reasonably priced at retail, just CHF90,000 before taxes. Accessibility, rather than affordability, is instead the problem. That’s true despite the 200 piece run is bigger than...
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