World Premiere: Introducing the MB&F HM7 ‘Aquapod’

I’ll start off with the one realization. The MB&F Horological Machine No. 7 (HM7) is in my opinion, and in light of an eye-opening conversation recently, quite possibly the greatest representation of the ideas that drive the effort that is Maximilian Büsser & Friends.

I understand that’s a rather bold statement to make, considering that every timepiece — or kinetic sculpture — that MB&F produce are always nothing short of amazing. But allow me to make my case in two, short, points. We’ll get to the HM7 and its nitty gritty bits then.

Point One: The Past Reflected

The HM7 is a summation of where it all started for MB&F.

Think about the first watch that Max produced under this brand name: the HM1. That watch was, and still is, a triumphant execution of horological art and design.

It is where the language of MB&F took root. Especially their philosophical language that yes, their watches are exactly what they appear to be but the more you interact with them, the more you discover hidden ideas, facets, coded messages and the fine line between madness and genius.

But why are there are these complex dimensions to MB&F’s creations? Here’s how I like to make sense of it: MB&F’s timepieces are always realizations of the ideas of Max (the MB) and the friends who come alongside to help that idea become a reality (the &F). These kinetic sculptures are therefore, in essence, a sort of multiverse where the different universes represented are the ideas and contributions of the different people who come together to create these objects.

MB&F HM7
MB&F HM7

In the case of the HM7, I’d like to propose that Max had intended for it to reflect the beginning days of MB&F. Two reasons why I think so: 1) HM7 bears at its heart a tourbillon. When was the first time an MB&F watch had a tourbillon? It was in the HM1.

2) Fundamentally, what was the HM1? At its most basic form, it was two circles that overlapped. Kinda like a Venn diagram. A representation of maybe the overlap that Max felt between the MB and the &F at the start of the journey. One circle held the hours the other held the minutes. Again — and I’m sure you’re starting to wonder what on earth have I been smoking — think about what the HM7 is. It’s one circle, more than that it’s a bulbous sphere, which is suggesting that the two worlds, the two parallel worlds that started it all have now come together in a big bang to give birth to the reality that MB&F is today.

There are just so many possible lines of thoughts there, just in the message of two circles coming together. But I won’t lead us there today. I will, however, leave you with this: Max has been definitely thinking about his company’s start. 12 years on now, Max is perhaps more comfortable than ever with the coming together of MB and &F. Of which, the HM7 is an incredible reflection.

But an object can’t be “the greatest representation” if it only reflects the past.

MB&F HM7
MB&F HM7

Point Two: The Future Worth Having

I’d like to propose that the HM7, as well, represents Max’s future state of mind.

If you’ve heard the stories that Max tells when sharing about the LM Perpetual, you’d also have heard a very frank Max talking about the dismal days of the company’s start. You would’ve also heard about the people who came to walk the road with him. Many of whom are still by his side.

But that was, never the less, an immensely trying time for Max and MB&F. 12 years since then, however, MB&F holds its head up high as one of the biggest and most successful names in modern horology. I’d like to think, though, that success has also meant for Max to be able to take time out for himself now and then to spend time with things which are more important in life than constantly creating mind-blowing watches.

“Gasp. What blasphemy is this?”

You do know that Max is a married man, right? In fact, Max is a husband and a father. That aspect of his life he keeps private, which I will trust you to respect. What I hope you will understand from this truth is that for a man who works as hard as Max does, the purpose and reason behind all the struggles, the triumphs, the blood sweat and tears is, always, family.

MB&F HM7
MB&F HM7

Now, back to the HM7 for a quick second. As you read about the HM7 from the various other watch sites, you are going to come across the tale of how the inspiration behind the design of the HM7 is the form of the jelly fish.

There’s, however, a bit of a story going around that the reason why the jelly fish was so embedded in Max’s mind while he was thinking about the HM7 was because of a nasty jelly fish stinging incident that his wife had suffered at that time.

You see, Max had more on his mind then than the HM7. Or the jelly fish for that matter. Max had, on his mind, the most important thing in life worth having: family.

And what happens when a man has greater things in life on his mind rather than the task at hand? Well, if the HM7 is anything to go by then Max has only the best days of his life — not just in the matters of career and MB&F — ahead of him.

MB&F HM7

HM7 Aquapod technical details

Launch editions in grade 5 titanium with blue bezel and 18k 5N+ red gold with black bezel – both with blue luminescent details.

Engine
Three-dimensional vertical architecture, automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house by MB&F
Central flying 60-second tourbillon
Power reserve: 72 hours
Balance frequency: 2.5 Hz / 18,000 bph
Three-dimensional winding rotor in titanium and platinum
Number of components: 303
Number of jewels: 35

Functions/indications
Hours and minutes displayed by two aluminium / titanium spherical segment discs rotating on oversized central ceramic bearings
Unidirectional rotating bezel for elapsed time
Numerals, markers and segments along the winding rotor in Super-LumiNova
3 panels of AGT Ultra (Ambient Glow Technology) lume around the flying tourbillon
Two crowns: winding on left and time-setting on right

MB&F HM7

Case
Spherical construction
Material: launch editions in grade 5 titanium or 18k 5N+ red gold
Dimensions: 53.8 mm x 21.3 mm
Number of components: 95
Water resistance: 50 m / 150 feet / 5 atm

Sapphire crystals
Top and bottom sapphire crystals treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces.

Strap & buckle
Rubber bracelet moulded in aircraft-grade Fluorocarbon FKM 70 Shore A elastomer with folding buckle matching case material.

MB&F HM7
MB&F HM7
MB&F HM7
MB&F HM7
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