I don’t know what number of really nice collaborations there have been between watch manufacturers, however it’s not many. Lately there is no such thing as a scarcity of watch manufacturers partnering with non-watch manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, and media retailers however you virtually by no means see it with two watch manufacturers. Nonetheless, MB&F and H. Moser & Cie, led by Max Büsser and Edouard Meylan, respectively, joined forces to place out this pair of restricted version metal watches. The H. Moser X MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon and the MB&F X H. Moser LM101 take among the greatest design cues from one another whereas maximizing their shared relationship with Precision Engineering AG.
How did the 2 get linked and perform this collaboration? Based on the manufacturers:
Maximilian Büsser says: “Once I known as Edouard to inform him that I needed to collaborate on a creation, I discussed that I actually appreciated the double balance-spring, the Moser fumé dials and the Idea watch sequence. Edouard instantly instructed me that he would let me borrow these options, however given that he might additionally reinterpret certainly one of my machines. After an preliminary second of shock, I gave it some thought. Being 50% Indian and 50% Swiss, I’m firmly satisfied that mixing DNA creates fascinating outcomes, so why not attempt the experiment in watchmaking?”
They’ve created fifteen items of every fumé dial variant, a quantity chosen due to the timing of the 15th anniversary of MB&F and the 15th anniversary of H. Moser & Cie’s relaunch. I bought my arms on one dial variant every, so let’s get to it.
H. Moser X MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon
I used to be completely floored once I first picked up the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon and put it on my wrist. It’s not correct to explain it as a bauble since there’s a extremely subtle horological mechanism at work inside, however it’s, above all, designed to please. The idiosyncratically attention-grabbing and deliberately impractical domed sapphire crystal design makes it mainly unattainable to neglect you have got this murals in your wrist. The Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon case might be instantly reminiscent to many as a tackle MB&F’s first girls’s watch, the Legacy Machine Flying T and final 12 months’s MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome, being sized proper between the 2. The domed show case (which jogs my memory of the glass overlaying over the enchanted rose in Magnificence and the Beast shrunk to suit on a wrist) rises 10mm over the 9.4mm-thick case.
There are 5 fumé dial variants: Funky blue; Cosmic Inexperienced; Off-White; Ice Blue; and Burgundy, which is the one I hung out with and that you just see right here. There are simply two distinct dial points throughout the fumé canvass. At 12 o’clock is the one-minute flying tourbillon that has a cylindrical stability spring, performed by Moser’s sister firm Precision Engineering AG. This is identical stability spring that was first used within the MB&F LM Thunderdome, which itself was a masterpiece in three-dimensional actions.
Having a comparatively tall cylindrical stability spring, versus a extra real-estate-conscious flat stability spring, has all the things to do with the theatrical intent behind its design. It’s a marvel to observe, virtually resembling an organ within the physique, concentrically at work. Clearly, there’s a horological motivation along with aesthetics with improved isochronism on account of a discount in friction.
At six o’clock is a Moser tackle the MB&F tilted subdial design, which was performed in white lacquer on the LM Thunderdome however is completed in sapphire on the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon. The rationale behind utilizing sapphire is easy — they needed to have as little disturbance of the fumé dial as doable. Tilted at 40 levels, the subdial is meant to actually solely enable the wearer to inform the time. Thankfully, the hour and minute arms are literally fairly legible, which continues to be essential even on a watch like this.
Beneath the subdial sits the blacked conical gear practice, which seems to fan out like mechanical peacock feathers from sure angles. I consider the MB&F HM9 additionally had a novel conical gear practice system for its horizontally oriented subdials. All that is powered by the brand new HMC 810 three-dimensional motion, made doable by Precision Engineering AG, which additionally labored with MB&F on its LM Thunderdome motion. With a cylindrical stability spring, one-minute flying tourbillon completed with skeletonized bridges, and a recognizable gold rotor with Moser brand, the HMC 810 operates at 21,600 vph and has a 75-hour energy reserve.
All 5 variants of the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon are performed in metal, measuring 42mm-wide and 19.5mm-thick with the domed crystal (9.4mm with out). The general quirky vibe of the piece is furthered by the crown being at 9 o’clock, which is definitely a little bit disorienting when carrying it for the primary time. There might be a complete of 75 H. Moser & Cie X MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillons, with fifteen items in every of the 5 colorways.
LM101 MB&F X H. Moser
The LM101 is what occurs when MB&F’s base Legacy Machine LM101 meets Moser’s minimalist-dial Idea line. The result’s a novel and contemporary tackle the Legacy Machine that, just like the Endeavour, appears like a real considerate collaboration that’s executed with close to perfection. Already one of the vital, if not the single-most, wearable MB&F watches, the LM101 is getting new life breathed into it since debuting again in 2014. There are 4 variants of this watch: Aqua Blue fumé; Purple fumé; Cosmic Inexperienced fumé; and Moser’s gorgeous Funky Blue fumé, which is the model I bought my arms on.
Essentially the most instantly noticeable departure from the unique Legacy Machine 101 is the elimination of the floating subdials, leaving simply the hour/minute and power-reserve indicator arms. As a lot as I get pleasure from MB&F’s recognizable subdials, I would favor this iteration over the traditional 100 occasions out of 100. The model identify, brand, and any textual content in anyway have additionally been faraway from the dial, which is an echo of the Moser Idea assortment, leading to a clear dial that enables the main focus to remain on essentially the most important components of the watch.
In fact, that enormous 14mm-wide centered stability wheel and its supporting bridges dominate the dial. Nonetheless visually wondrous and architectural, there’s now a Straumann double stability spring to enhance accuracy and isochronism, courtesy of Precision Engineering AG.
The double AR-coated sapphire crystal is domed (although, clearly, nowhere almost as a lot Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon), permitting for a surprisingly legible view of the dial. This AR coating is doubly essential as a result of there’s nothing extra disappointing than having to battle to understand the design and end on a watch like this.
The manually wound motion seen by the case again on this LM101 is just not completed by Kari Voutilainen as the unique was, however quite is given a barely extra up to date remedy. With NAC black bridges, hand-done engraving, and Geneva stripes, the motion is all hand-finished and expectedly stunning within the metallic. With a 45-hour energy reserve, the LM101 motion operates at 18,000 vph which permits for the distinctive construction of the motion with its view of the big stability wheel on the dial.
The 40mm-wide and 16mm-thick metal case with off-center crown is fairly ideally sized, for my part. The truth is, it’s downright wearable. On the wrist, the LM101 wears completely and having a extra, let’s say, conservatively sized sapphire crystal than the Endeavour doesn’t damage both.
I really assume these are two of essentially the most interesting watches launched lately by both MB&F or H. Moser & Cie, which is strong reward for each of them. With Precision Engineering AG’s sources and a clearly current mutual appreciation between these two impartial manufacturers, the 2 had been in a position to pull off a critical design and watchmaking targeted collaboration.
The H. Moser & Cie X MB&F Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon might be accessible in 5 variants: Funky Blue fumé, Cosmic Inexperienced fumé, Off-White fumé, Burgundy fumé, and an Ice Blue fumé, the final of which is able to solely be accessible on the Moser e-commerce web page, whereas the remainder might be accessible at approved retailers. Every variant is proscribed to 15 items, every with a worth of $79,000. You possibly can see extra at h-moser.com.
The MB&F X H. Moser LM101 might be accessible in 4 variants: Aqua Blue fumé; Purple fumé; Cosmic Inexperienced fumé; and Funky Blue fumé. These will solely be accessible at approved retailers. Every variant is proscribed to 15 items, every with a worth of $52,000. You possibly can see extra at mbandf.com.
