Hands on with the MB&F HM6 Space Pirate

I don't often let my jaw drop. Bad for the bone structure you see. But that one faithful Monday morning, courtesy of The Hour Glass Sydney, I carelessly let mine drop. Twice. The first was upon seeing the MB&F HM6 in the flesh. The second was when I heard the price.

After I picked up my jaw and clicked it back in place, (come to think of it, I probably didn't put my jaw back properly after the first drop, hence the ease with which it dropped a second time...) I gathered my wits about me and admired the creation as the MB&F Head of Communications, Charris Yadigaroglou, sang its virtues. To be honest I was only half paying attention. I was too mesmerised and captivated by the HM6. (Apologies to Charris) The moment I put it on my wrist I knew I wanted one. It was as if the HM6 was made for me. The tourbillon which resides top and centre was the eye, with the titanium shutters its hi-tech eyelids, met my stare and urged me on. "Buy me buy me" it conveyed subconsciously and telepathically to me.

I shook it off and returned to reality. Just the fact that it EXISTS is astounding. I won't go into the details but a few things certainly stood out for me. The turbines being connected to the rotor, at 90 degree angles. The shutters. By playing with it you know it wasn't easy making it work as smoothly as it does. The shape of the case. THAT could not have been easy to do. The shape of the sapphire crystals (count them- 10 of them!) Nothing in this watch is off the shelf. And it's so wearable.

Of course, the HM6 is not designed to appeal to everyone, nor do they want to. If everyone loved it, then to MB&F, it's a failure. And for a 50-piece run, they don't need too many people liking it. This keeps the circle small, and enables the brand to have a more personal contact with each owner. And like Panerai, it seems MB&F owners cannot seem to stop at just one. But unlike Panerai, each machine looks so completely different, whilst retaining somehow, a sense of familiarity. And calling them "machines"? I think that's underselling them a little. Especially the HM6, whose organic form is almost alive. (You cannot tell me the HM3 Frog isn't alive!) Plus I swear it was communicating with me. Something about selling the house. And a kidney.

What's also impressive are the lists of "friends" that corroborated on each project. You feel as though you're part of the family. You can put a name and a face to each part of the project. You know who did what. Just like those Mercedes AMG cars where the person responsible "signs" the engine they built. It's not done by some machine deep inside a factory somewhere inaccessible, like a Bond villain secret base. Each piece has the warmth and sincerity that is missing from today's mass-produced and mass-marketed production line commodity.

As we all know, this sort of craftsmanship, rarity, research and development and skill set all comes at a price. Price might be stupidly astronomical for something that could barely tell the time, and has no diamonds/precious metals but if you're looking at it as something to tell you the time, then I suggest you're looking at it all wrong. It's a collectable piece of art masquerading as a timepiece. And with this in mind, the odd quarter of a million dollars doesn't seem so bad.

Like art and wine, this is an investment. Even if I sold my home (something the wife might frown upon) and gave the bank its share, I'll still be nowhere close to having the funds to afford my favourite MB&Fs (HM4,5,6 and all the Legacy Machines), so here's what I propose. I'm looking for 50 people to buy shares in the MB&F Ownership Investment Trust Fund. $5000 buy in and this gets you a share of days to wear the HM6, (A second investment fund will be set up for other models) and the possibility to borrow against the equity for other lesser investments such as a property.* Leave your name and bank details below. I'll be in touch.


*details to be worked out later.

This is the eye, urging me to buy buy buy

Exclusive Australian First Look: TNT Challenger Rattrapante for watchuseek

Rattrapante. Split Second Chronograph. Double Chronograph. No matter which way you say it, practically speaking, it's a pretty useless complication to have on your mechanical watch. Tell me, when was the last time you need to time the difference in seconds (up to 60) of two separate things? I suppose you could use it to time 2 eggs. If you put them in the water at different times. But then again I'm not even sure how that would work.

The other way you'd use it, practically speaking, is you're timing laps. You use the split second function to stop it temporarily as you note down the time for the first lap, then let it catch up again and then repeat. So this will come in handy if you're watching formula one. Then again, maybe not.

But it is such a nice complication to have. To watch the two running chrono second hands going at different times, it's just so cool. Watching it catch up and the two hands runs again in sync. It's a lot of fun to watch. Much like staring at a tourbillon. Plus, rattrapante complication is quite rare. Rarer than tourbillons. And minute repeaters. And they're not easy to make either, so there's some bragging rights in that too. Somewhere.

Can you tell the difference between the black dial and the blue dial??

Which makes this watch all the more special. TNT, the company famous for being able to find obscure, long-forgotten movements, and put them into limited edition runs, produced this 75-piece series of rattranpante chronograph watches, exclusive for members of the forum watchuseek.com. The movement is based on the valjoux 7750, with the added rattrapante module and this movement is quite possibly the most popular to base the extra complications on, simply because it is so robust and reliable. Omega has done one with this movement, same with Rado (probably with the exact same movement). IWC also did one, again based on the Valjoux and I believe Chronowiss also had one. Just to name a few. And they're all priced quite high- from $5000k onwards.

I really don't know how TNT manages to track down these movements nor do I know how they can then get them all serviced, turned around with a case and dial and what not, and sold all for around 800 Euro. But I'm glad they did and I'm glad that watch enthusiasts in Australia managed to snag 2 out of the 75 examples (that we know of) and that I had a chance to get a really good look.

Reliable Valjoux 7750 movement with the rattrapante module

The coin-edge bull head case is shared with a few other models that TNT is producing, which is to be expected for economies of scale reasons, but the dial and function is exclusive to this watch. There is also zero TNT branding on the dial (with just a subtle watchuseek logo at 6:00 position). I'm not sure why they went for the bull head design. Yes, it's different, and you won't have pushers and crowns digging into the wrist, but with the configuration it has, the pushers are very close to the lugs, making the operation a little inconvenient. The pushers also travels a long way before engaging with the movement, which can annoy some people. It's also a little difficult to wind the crown or to set the time, again, due to its position. I suppose each person will find it different, and some might choose to live with the small inconveniences in order to have something quite unique.

The dial is split into 4 smaller dials, one each for the chronograph functions and the time. Yes, the time is limited to the small dial at 12:00 and for those with less than perfect vision, telling the time might be a little strenuous. But it's not the only watch with a small dial for the time (I'm looking at YOU, Jacquet Droz) so this shouldn't detract from the watch as a while, and it does give a very balanced dial overall.

Small dial at 12:00 for the time

For the price, the quality and the finishing is excellent. Keep in mind that this is an 800 Euro watch so it needs to be compared like-for-like. It doesn't matter if the movement and complication is worth more than 800 Euro on its own. So, next to say, Tissot, Oris, or even Longines, the quality stacks up, but comes up short if you compare it to something a bit further up the food chain. Otherwise, you get sapphire crystal front and back, as well as a very nicely done ceramic bezel. The less said about the included NATO strap the better, but the optional leather strap is soft and supple.

I didn't get the chance to time it, but I'm sure accuracy won't be too bad. It is a 7750 after all, and any good watchmaker will be able to regulate it to chronometre specs. The watch although thick, wears very well on the wrist and it is very comfortable. I wouldn't pair it with a suit, but again that's up to you. Two dials are available but having seen the two side by side the difference isn't great. The black dial is not very black and the blueberry dial isn't very... blue. But who's to complain? It's a great looking watch, a fun complication and a very, very limited edition to boot. It's a great watch for not a lot of outlay and for the 75 people (or less - I believe some bought two) who has them, it's definitely a keeper.

Speake-Marin Dinner in Sydney

The Sydney Tarts and Peter Speake-Marin go way back. In fact we hosted Peter's first trip Down Under. And his second trip. This was back when Peter would traverse globally on tourbillon* worldwide tours to showcase his collection. And sometimes to hand deliver them to new owners. Now that the brand has grown and expanded so much, Peter was able to delegate the travelling and the selling to others, and on this night, it was with pleasure that we met with Dariush Djavaheri (travelling) Area Commercial Manager Asia & Middle-East and Josh (selling) from Swiss Time Machine (PSM's authorised retailer in Australia).

There was terrible weather for Dariush's first trip to Australia, right when we are experiencing one of the wettest November in Sydney. Apparently Melbourne wasn't much better but then that was to be expected.

It was a delight to be able to see the collection again after all this time. In attendance were no less than five owners, with plenty more potential owners-to-be.

This time around PSM hosted the dinner at the Park Hyatt in Sydney, and we were in "The Study" which is a private room, perfect for the evening. Park Hyatt did not disappoint with the food nor the service. Both top notch! The highlight would definitely have to be the steak, which was tender, juicy and succulent. Mine was ordered medium rare and was cooked thus. (unlike certain places where their idea of medium rare is a strip of tough leather worthy of being mounted on a dive watch). The accompanying mash was smooth and creamy I hate to think just how much fat and calorie was needed to make it so buttery smooth... And the dessert? the quote of the night was "that fixed the holes in me socks!" That says it all, doesn't it?

Now, onto the stars of the night. Most of the time, watches tend to look better in real life. There are always exceptions to the case, but PSM's latest collection, including the Resilience and the Spirit Mk II, were just superb in person. And even better on the wrist. The main issue (thickness of the case) that a couple of us had was addressed and was an issue no longer. In fact, the new generation cases offered much better proportions thanks to a new, slimmer movement, and overall balance was greatly improved. The Spirit Mk II DLC immediately stood out from the rest. It worked better than any of us had thought it would. This is why it’s always important to see watches in the metal and more importantly, to TRY THE WATCH ON.

The matte DLC treatment matches the matte black dial, making the watch extremely stealthy, yet at the same time it stands out because of it. However, having compared the DLC version to the regular steel version of the Spirit, I would personally choose the latter, simply because it's the more versatile watch and I'm not sure how a black cased watch would fare over the long run.

The Spirit Mk II is essentially PSM's entry level watch. The "no-frills" edition. You have the distinctive Piccadilly case, and amazingly detailed and three dimensional dial (have a close look at the lume). What you miss out on is the custom movement, which in this case is a Technotime TT738. You do have the option of paying a little more and option the PSM finishing with the custom topping tool rotor with the see-through back. (This brings the movement designation to EROS2) The movement aspect is a little disappointing. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am very taken with the Spirit Mk II and do see myself owning one in the near future, but when you buy an independent watchmaker's watch you kinda want the movement to be... special... and not just a basic movement in a fancy case and dial.

If, however, you don’t want to go through the hassle of ordering the Spirit Mk II with the custom movement/see through case back etc etc, perhaps the Resilience would be the way to go. It is much dressier than the Spirit, but it comes with the EROS2 movement as standard, and the dial is enamel. Stunningly beautiful in person and simply breathtaking. The one on the night was in rose gold, which was pretty much perfect. If budget doesn’t stretch that far, there is also a stainless steel version, and it’s not that much of a hike from the price of the Spirit.

The PSM Resilience in gold

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, as I believe the Spirit is doing extremely well, and I guess given the low production numbers and price point, you'd need to sacrifice some aspect... PSM is in a growth stage, and with it comes growing pains. I'm not sure if there was the need to bring the entry level model down to a certain price point? As I would happily pay the extra and have more PSM touches to the
movement. I suppose we'll wait and see how the brand evolves.

Thanks to @initialjh for most of the images used on this post.


*whirlwind... geddit?

**Apologies- this post was meant to appear much earlier, but life got in the way... Better late than never, no?

One-on-one With A Melbourne Watch Collector Part 2

Part 2 of the one-on-one interview with a Melbourne watch collector. You can read part 1 here. In part 2 we talk about MWC's foray into independent watchmaking...

TST: So what led you to the world of independent watchmakers - those who literally "make" the watches? And how did you decide which independent watchmaker to go for?

MWC: I guess part of it is the exclusivity. Anyone can wear a Rolex or an Omega. Other than parting with the money, they take no effort to buy and they're available immediately. I have a modified Seiko diver that I had the hands, dial and bezel changed on, so it's exclusive - no one else has the same one as me. 

Modded Seikos are fine, but I think I've reached the stage in my collecting that I want to wear a watch that very few others can own. I had the great pleasure of attending a dinner with Peter Speake-Marin when he was in Australia two years ago, and while his watches fill the brief - exclusive and beautiful - they're also expensive. So I went looking for a lower cost independent, which is sort of an oxymoron. 

I stumbled across d.m.h., a very small brand made in Holland. One watchmaker (he also does everything else there, from answer emails to making coffee for visitors), who makes about two dozen watches a year. About an 18 month waiting list when I placed my order, which has grown to about three years. 

Here you can see the d.m.h. in the centre of the collection

TST: Other than being extremely low volume and the likelihood to have a unique timepiece, what else attracted you to DMH?

MWC: I think part of it was the pleasure of dealing with the watchmaker, the man who was going to build my timepiece, not some sales guy in a shop in Mody Rd in Hong Kong. 

I was in Holland recently and the opportunity to visit him. A very relaxed, happy man, who's lucky enough to do something that he just loves doing. And he's making the cases on a lathe and a milling machine that his father used, he told me a great story about being 9 or 10, and standing beside his father, watching him use the lathe and wanting to one day do something similar. 

TST: After acquiring your first independent, do you see yourself going down this road?

MWC: I'm not sure, there aren't all that many in the d.m.h. price range, and I'm not quite ready to step up to a Speake-Marin or an MB&F. 

TST: Would acquiring an independent be something you recommend others to do as well?

MWC: Regardless of whether you end up owning an independently made watch, I think it's a fascinating area even if you're "just looking". It's all about the watch and the watchmaker, small businesses, watches literally being made in sheds at the bottom of gardens and not global brands, shift work and assembly facilities in bland industrial suburbs. I guess the independents are putting some of the romance back into the watch industry. 

TST: The romance of the watch industry- something that is often 'sold' but never truly realised. It is quite the experience to talk/meet with the one who literally makes your watch and puts his/her name and maybe yours(!), on the dial.

MWC: If you boil it all down to just the reason for the watch to exist, telling time, then why aren't we all wearing a Timex Ironman? I've got one, wear it cycling and swimming, I can use the chrono when it's wet, lap times, alarm, count down timer, etc. Cost me about $100. 

The rest is the romance. The story. The spin. Is a Rolex "better" than an Omega or a Panerai? As  long as they all keep good time - the Ironman is always spot on - how can one be better or worse than the other? We love to buy into the marketing and sales pitch. You apparently don't own a Patek, you just look after it for the next generation. At this stage my sons seem to be happy telling time with their smart phones, so if I buy a Patek, I can assure you, it's for me!

I can't think which brand it is, but one runs a campaign about how long they've been around. (That would be Vacheron Constantin - TST) So? As long as the quality control is good, how does that matter? Except it does. We want to feel good about that little machine on our wrists (and all its friends in the watch box), and about ourselves for being smart enough for understanding the brand, the message, the story. 

I was lucky enough to meet Fred Dingemans, who IS d.m.h.  He showed me his factory - it's a shed at the bottom of his garden, explained how he goes about making his watches, then we sat at his kitchen table, drank coffee and just chatted about life. Does that make my d.m.h. a better watch? No, but it makes it special for me, I have an appreciation of the watch, and a connection to it's maker that I could never have with a Rolex or an Omega. 

d.m.h. - image taken from the dmh website

TST: There are people out there who buys watches to be seen in. Watches that screams "I've made it" or "I have money!" Do you think they would ever been convinced into an independent watch, given the exclusivity and rarity?

MWC: I had dinner recently with a friend who in the last couple of years, as his business has flourished, has gone from the same TAG he's been wearing for most of the 20 years to owning a number of bigger, flashier watches. He's got a huge Omega Railmaster, and Rolex Deep Sea, the sort of watches that seem to say "look at me, I'm doing well, I can afford nice watches". Without wanting to sound like I'm running him down, I doubt he's ever given movements or the complications a moment's thought. He just likes the watches. Which is fine. 

I wore my new d.m.h., which I'm very proud of, it's something that I'm really enjoying, and having met the watchmaker, even more so. Not a brand that my mate had heard of, so no interest whatsoever. 

TST: And, finally, what advice would you give to someone who is looking to get into collecting/appreciating watches? Are there mistakes they can avoid?

MWC: Mistakes to avoid? Take your time, decide what you like, learn a bit about movements, and  understand sizing. Sounds easy, but quite early on I bought, on line, a lovely LITTLE chrono that was something like 32mm diameter and I was shocked when I received it. It was tiny. 

A watch advertised as rare is a word that is usually the opposite. A rare Seiko? Can't happen. Be a skeptic! 

And if the deal looks too good to be true, it is. Lots of scams out there, so be careful, but have fun ... After all, they're only watches. 

TST: Some great insights and great stories. Thanks again for your time!

An interview with Max Busser

A short while ago I blogged about the arrival of MB&F 'Machines' in Sydney and a dinner with Max. Now we bring you part three of this horological trifecta, an interview with Max.

Q: In a 2006 interview on Timezone at the start of MB&F, you said that “at MB&F we create concepts”. It strikes me that this still rings true. How would you describe the ‘concept’ behind the latest collaboration with Stepan Sarpaneva (I was surprised to read a comment made by you that Stepan is not widely known even amongst watch people)?  

Every year since 2009, we at MB&F have enjoyed co-creating a piece with an artist/ designer/ jeweller that we admire. We call it ‘performance art’, and the principle is simple: by giving one of our creations to someone who has a different background and style than ours, we mix our DNAs and obtain a piece neither of us would ever have created single-handed. Stepan is the first watchmaker to have had the opportunity of modifying one of our existing pieces, and the result is wonderful. He chose our HM3 Frog and rethought it into the MoonMachine. The design, the movement and even the attitude of this piece gets therefore his very personal Finnish finish! Also, these joint ventures allow us to give our guest-creators a much wider and deserved recognition - I was for example, aghast to notice in Basel that virtually none of our retailers and very few journalists knew of Stepan’s work or actually had heard of his name.  


Q : Your other latest venture is the gorgeous Legacy Machine 1, which I have to admit is probably my favourite of your ‘machines’. Why does the name ‘Legacy Machine’ represent, how does its modern classicism fit into MB&F, and is it a way of reaching out to a broader collector base?  

LM1 started like with virtually all my creations in my childhood. I had two main fantasies then (and still have!) – firstly, to be able to fly (and you notice that in all my HM pieces) and secondly, to be able to travel through time. This last fantasy was fuelled by an American tv show called the “The Time Machine”. Late in 2007 I started wondering “what would have happened if I had been born in 1867 instead of 1967? What would have happened if I had been born in the era of all the great watchmaking inventions - when literally all that we know today (chronograph, perpetual calendar, tourbillon, minute repeater, etc…) was invented. 

 I believe I would have wanted to create 3D machines which give time, but of course all my childhood references (Star Wars, Grendizer, planes,…) would not have existed, so I started wondering what would have been my inspirations and realiseded that the 19th century was an era where man was obsessed with defying gravity. The era of the first skyscrapers, of the first metallic hanging bridges, of the Eiffel Tower, of man trying to fly, etc… So very naturally the flying balance wheel became the star of the movement. 

The 19th century was also a near of the great explorers so it had to be a two time zone movement, and finally the 19th century was an era where Machines were the stars - whole Universal Exhibitions were set up for each country to compete in presenting the most ambitious or efficient Machines, so the power reserve had to be not only vertical but also reminiscent of the levers and cams seen in all the Machines of that time. 

I sketched pretty quickly what was going to become the Legacy Machine No1 and had to first battle with my whole team who just initially did not understand why I would want to create such a ‘classic’ piece of horology. Once they were convinced, Serge Kriknoff (my partner in the company and head of all technical development) and I went to find first Jean-François Mojon for the engineering and then Kari Voutilainen for the 19th century design and super high end finishing. And both said ok immediately. The dream team was assembled beginning of 2008 and the project could begin!

Most people just think that the Legacy Machine is a more ‘commercial’ piece from MB&F. I actually think it is the biggest risk we have ever taken. Until now we we haven’t been talking the same language as the rest of the industry. No one could say the Thunderbolt is better or worse than for example a Patek or a Lange. But with LM1, everyone can start making comparisons, and if the Legacy Machine had been half as interesting or not as well crafted we would have seriously damaged our reputation. 

As it is, we have on the contrary finally made people understand that MB&F stands for the most amazing engineering and highest quality and finishing, because we finally speak a language they can understand. So Legacy has seriously boosted our image and helped the rest of the range’s appeal. By the way, if you look carefully at the two pieces in our line-up which are most polarised. 

The LM1 and the HM4 Thunderbolt, you will notice that they are clearly from the same creators: two dials two crowns, one central balance wheel, time and power reserve, same finish on the case,… And suddenly you will recognise that both are style exercises based on the same concept!  

Q: Given how distinctive each of the Horological Machines are, do you and the MB&F ‘Friends’ feel pressure to come up with something more even more ‘out there’ each time?  

Creating and experimenting are the fundamental reasons for MB&F’s existence. They are my sole way of expressing myself, and thus there is of course no pressure to create. In fact it’s the opposite: the pressure is on how to find the time, energy and money to make each of our ideas come to life… We have at this moment seven Machines in the pipeline, at all different stages of their development. 


Q: With the watch industry seemingly increasingly driven by trends and fashion, do you think that it’s hard for independent watchmakers to remain committed to their individual visions? 

I don’t believe there is any problem for independents to stay true to their creative vision and beliefs – quite the contrary. But it is increasingly difficult for them to find retail partners willing to take the risks to present a product which needs education and passion – and is not presold thanks to big marketing budgets.  


Q: How many people work at MB&F? How many are watchmakers?  

Thirteen, of whom four are watchmakers and two take care of our Geneva M.A.D. Gallery. In terms of the amazing number of creations we manage to create, develop and craft, this is a very small team. Being small is not only one of the main reasons we can achieve this, but also a way of being. I do not wish my company to grow any larger.  


Q: In the world of independent watchmakers, there are probably a core group of enthusiasts/ collectors who are customers across the brands. I read that over 50% of your customers own two of your pieces. Loyal (repeat) customers seem to be very important…  

I suppose that we create extremely polarising products, sometimes I feel like saying anti-commercial. So, if you actually understand and like what we do, you will probably find a strong connection with us, which gives this amazing statistic. Interestingly, about 10 to 20 percent of our clients are women, with some owning up to 5 or 6 of our pieces, which defeats this common perception than only men buy our pieces. 


Q: For smaller ‘independents’, you often have to do your own PR. How much travelling do you do, and how important do you think word of mouth, especially online, is to success?  

Virtually no independent has any communication budget, and even if they did, you would not see the results as it would be impossible to cover more than one country with the small amount allocated. It could be debated that without Internet most of us would not exist, but I strongly believe so. Some of us are content to craft ten or twenty pieces a year and rely on word of mouth and Internet to relay their talent and find new customers. Others, like MB&F need to craft approximately 150 to 200 pieces a year so as to find the humongous financial investments needed to develop one new movement a year. And as MB&F pieces are so different from others, I do not have the choice: I need to travel extensively around the world to explain why and how we do what we do. In a good year, I spend about half of it travelling.  

Q: How difficult do you think it is for independents to get new customers and wider ‘brand awareness’? Especially for ‘machines’ such as yours which are probably difficult for the average person to wear or understand?  

I see for example that virtually no one in this industry knows of Stepan Sarpaneva and of his talent, and that he barely sells and crafts 15 to 20 pieces a year. That tells you how difficult it is for independents to find a voice and to build on their awareness. Some of them are too shy to showcase their pieces, others just don’t have the resources, time or money to travel. Being an independent watch creator and entrepreneur (and here I speak mostly of those who have funded their own company) is very difficult. That is why I tell everyone who wants to set up their own company that it better be a lifelong dream, because in regard of the super tough times ahead of them the only thing which will keep them from going insane or depressed is that their creative passion is fulfilled.  


Q: This will be your second retailer in Australia, and the first on this coast. Prior to this trip, did you get many enquiries from Australia?  

I must admit that no. I was very amazed when last year Swiss Time Machine came to see us at Baselworld and again when The Hour Glass Sydney followed up this year. But now that I have spent 5 days in Australia for the first time of my life, it is not that much surprising. The small community of watch lovers is incredibly vibrant, educated and wonderfully supportive. 


Q : I read that you are making about a dozen pieces a month, of which a bit over half go to South East Asia/ Singapore/ Thailand and Hong Kong, with 25% the U.S. and the rest Europe. We regularly hear about the importance of the Chinese market in terms of the Swiss watch industry. Do you have any plans for China? 

China is an incredibly important market but virtually impossible to enter for Independents, because there are virtually no high-end multi-brand retailers. The big brands open up their own stores, which give the luxury and power image necessary to sell the volumes they are looking for. I heard the other day that a brand like IWC has over 50 stand-alone boutiques in China! The investment required to open a brand boutique are way over what any independent can manage. We are extremely lucky that one of our very faithful customers (and owner of virtually each of our pieces) has offered us to help us set up the first MB&F boutique in China, which should open in Beijing in October/ November this year. I really hope that this new adventure and risk will be successful and maybe even give us a blueprint to duplicate elsewhere.  


Q: Why do you think it is that you’ve been able to do so well in Asia? 

(At this point Max turned the tables on me, asking me why I thought this might be the case. I had to confess that I didn’t know)  

I have the impression that it’s a lot to do with an appreciation of entrepreneurial spirit, risk taking, cultures which support and admire people who follow their way. Also, Europe tends to look always backwards, to the times when this continent ruled the world, hence a very conservative attitude today to risk taking and creativity, while Asia looks forward and realises that it has developed so fast because it has embraced innovation and new ideas. Finally, Asia has never ceased celebrating artisanship, whilst Europe and America shied away from that to embrace industrialisation as their only mantra over the last century.


Q: There was an online competition to win your personal 1974 Omega Speedmaster Mark 4.5, and you are the new owner of a Spirit Pioneer from your friend Peter Speake-Marin. Dare I ask – when not wearing your own watches, what types of watches do you wear? 

I have tried to own one of each classic: a ’67 Speedmaster, a ’68 GMT Master, a steel Reverso, a steel automatic Royal Oak, which are my every day pieces. And then I am lucky to own a few pieces from watchmakers whose talent and personality I admire such as Peter Speake-Marin’s Spirit Pioneer or Felix Baumgartner’s Urwerk UR-103. And I hope soon Kari’s direct escapement. If I had the means I would only buy pieces from independent creators I admire, because you actually touch a part of their soul in their creation. Brands have more or less lost their soul for me…  


Q: You have said in the past that MB&F is just the beginning, part of a journey of self-discovery. MB&F is no longer just about ‘time machines’; your M.A.D. (Mechanical Art Devices) Gallery is about sharing some of your favourite examples of mechanical creativity. Do you see yourself becoming a patron of unknown or up and coming designers?

 At MB&F we usually feel like aliens in a world of watchmaking normality, and realised that out there were many aliens like us but in their own worlds defying practicality and common sense. Artists, creators, designers who painstakingly created and crafted their own incredible ‘machines’ which were often overlooked or misunderstood by their environment. At the M.A.D. Gallery we are bringing together all these ‘orphans’ to create one jolly family! For example, by explaining the story of how German ‘Machine Light’ creator Frank Buchwald started crafting by hand from scratch less than ten pieces a year of his incredible Machines, we are in fact in one way talking about us. And by introducing to our MB&F fans these amazing creators/creations we are helping them build an awareness they usually did not have. It is therefore not only very rewarding to help virtually unknown creators gain some recognition it also helps us explain better why and what we do.  


Q: Given the time required from gestation to production for each watch, I’m guessing that HM5 is nailed down already? And when does HM6 start?

 The HM5 will be unveiled in October this year (and should see first deliveries by end of the year) , the LM2 which is already in prototype, will be unveiled next October and the movement of HM6 is already completely engineered even though only to be released in two and a half years... Any new MB&F creation takes between 3 and 4 years to take from design to delivery.


 Q: Do you think MB&F will ever run out of ‘F(riends)’ to collaborate with?  

No, first of all as there is no barrier to working with the same people over and over again and second because with our awareness and reputation of trustworthiness growing, more and more artisans and engineers approach us to collaborate. 

I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Max for his generosity in giving up his time (and being patient with my 'technical hitches') and to The Hour Glass Sydney for making this interview possible.

[On a final personal note, I'd like to thank all of you for your support of the Sydney Tarts blog over the past few years. The blog will be entering a new phase after this post. I (aptronym) have launched my own watch blog called Horologium, and am stepping back from being this blog's editor/ chief contributor. There are some new posts in the works from onomatopia, so keep your eyes on this space.]

Moonmachines at Cara & Co

 

You may have already read my post about my afternoon of MB&F Machine Madness. Well this is the second part of my MB&F Marathon Friday, otherwise known as 'Max Büsser eats half of Australia’s coat of arms'.

But more about that later.

I, along with half a dozen others, had been fortunate to have been invited by Purist friend Sidneyc to join Max for a private dinner held at Cara&Co, a restaurant situated at the back of a boutique which sells everything from clothing and accessories to books and cameras.

We were in the middle of Sydney in a Russian owned restaurant eating from a menu devised by a Belgium based chef to meet a Swiss who had just collaborated with a Finn on a watch.

Having not seen the latest MB&F collaboration with the wonderful Stepan Sarpaneva when I met Max a few hours ealier, I was looking forward to seeing whether my initial uncertain response to the Moonmachine in photographs would be maintained. My problem is that I am a Sarpaneva purist of a number of years standing, and I adore his moon in its natural habitat.Would I like it in a HM3 Frog?

But I digress. First up, the food.

An amuse bouche to start : goats cheese (very mild) and mandarin lollipop

Plus some warm fresh bread rolls (which were constantly replenished) with some salted butter. Quite addictive bread and butter.

Max’s entrée of choice was ‘chicken oyster’.

Chicken Oyster - Chimay beer, potato, hazelnut, foie gras, coffee

What is ‘chicken oyster’?

They are the hidden-away sections of meat tucked under the chicken’s backbone. In this case, served in an oxtail jus with Chimay beer, topped with potato foam and, oddly, macadamia nuts with gold leaf.

My entrée was beef tartare, which was served with a 20 degree quail egg and a rather unexpected addition of some Avruga caviar. An unconventional tartare, but I really liked the saltiness of the caviar with the beef, and if beef tartare purists are aghast I’m sorry, but I really enjoyed this iteration.

Veal cheeks - Mustard, aioli, egg yolk, lettuce

For mains, Max had his first taste of national emblem, which I also ordered.

The kangaroo came two ways, including a cube of tartare with a parmesan marshmallow atop, black lentils, and artichoke cooked three ways - puree, baked and crisp. The meat looks rare but it wasn’t; and it was tender, yielding easily to my knife. I’d feared having a red meat overload, but this didn’t turn out to be the case.

Other mains were :

Rock Flathead with quinoa, cauliflower, silvered peanuts, peanut foam and gerkin juice

Australian wagyu rump with eggplant, miso, anchovy, baby carrot

Yellowfin tuna with tomato, cinnamon, white beans, watermelon

Accompanying side dishes were some random watches, including these :

Finally, time for some Moonmachines. The reconfigured HM3 Frog now comes with Sarpaneva’s poignant moonphase seen through a Korona shaped opening, with the winding rotor actually a blued 22k gold disc with a laser-pierced northern constellation.

They are available in three limited editions of 18 pieces each: titanium case with white gold moon faces in a light blue sky, black titanium case with white gold moon faces in a dark blue sky and red gold case with red gold moon faces in an anthracite sky.

What did we think? That they were quite different in the metal. Far more appealing. Even someone who has held the thought that Stepan Sarpaneva’s moon is “too depressing” found himself drawn to the titanium version. 

Below is the titanium on my wrist. For a size comparison, see my previous post with my wristshots with other MB&F Machines.

During the evening we learnt not just about the Moonmachines, his friendship with Stepan, thoughts about the watch industry and his career trajectory, but also about his childhood, his family, his passion for car racing (we should take him out to a racetrack on his next visit), and even his foray into learning to play a guitar.

I know that I sound like an old record (and I realise that I am dating myself by even saying that) when I say that meeting independent watchmakers is an honour, but it is. They are the best people to communicate about their own watches, and it really is only by hearing them in such a small intimate setting that you properly understand what they are about, and why people are so drawn not just to the watch, but also to the watchmaker.

 Max finally gets to try Vegemite (photo credit : RJW)

Many thanks to sidneyc for his kind invitation to this wonderful evening.

In closing, two final photos for the road.

During the week prior to the Sydney dinner, the following happened to Gaz :

"So I get a call from a fellow Hong Kong watch collector. "Are you in Hong Kong and are you wearing your Sarpaneva? You have to come to dinner tonight with your Sarpaneva". So off I go to dinner with my Sarpaneva...

 ... only to find that I was hanging out with Max. Stepan was there in spirit and well represented by his merry men on the moon. Gaz"

[AP]