foversta
[PuristSPro Moderator]
20814
Baselworld 2012: MB&F (including the MOONMACHINE)
MOONMACHINE embargo is over now so I can propose you my 2012
Baselworld MB&F report. Obviously, the MOONMACHINE concentrated
the main part of the interest but we don't have to forget that another
watch was unveiled during the Fair: the HM4 Thunderbolt
RT.
A) HM4
Thunderbolt RT
Max Büsser proposed
surprising (and logical!) evolutions of the HM4 at the end of 2011 with
the Razzle Dazzle and the Double Trouble. Max is back with a more
classic evolution (if I can use such word with the HM4) thanks to the
use of the Pink Gold (along with Titanium) for the case or
better said... for the body of the Machine!
I was a
bit afraid of the use of this material due to the design and the size of
the Machine. But quickly I realized that it worked pretty
well:
- firstly, because due to the high complexity
of the case, there is no feeling to have a big "mass of gold" in front
of us.
- secondly because Pink Gold created a sort of
"steampunk" atmosphere around the HM4 thanks to its colour.
This material made me think that the use of bronze for this Machine
would have been fantastic!
The HM4 Thunderbolt RT is
like the other HM4 a very comfortable watch thanks to the efficiency of
its folding clasp and the articulated lugs even if you can't expect to
wear it under your shirt sleeve. The pleasure of the view on the
stunning handwind movement is still here: this movement was designed to
look like an engine and I love the coherence beneath all these details.
How can we describe this Machine? The elegant HM4?
The warm HM4? The precious HM4?I don't know but it gives another proof
that again a Machine has the ability to happily undergo
changes and evolutions. My fav versions remain the Razzle Dazzle and the
Double Trouble because with them I have the feeling that Max went to
the end of his idea inspired by the assembling model plane kits he
played with as a child.
The HM4 Thunderbolt RT is a LE of 18
pieces and one of the last opportunities to enjoy this little plane on
the wrist.
The movement is a handwind one so this Astero-Axes rotor...
is not a rotor:
The main originality of this Machine is
maybe its classic time display!
B)
MOONMACHINE
With the HM4 Thunderbolt RT,
we are flying in the sky. With the MOONMACHINE, we start a fantastic
journey in Space!
The MOONMACHINE belongs to the
category of the "Performance Art" pieces of MB&F collection:
watches like the JWLRYMACHINE of the HM2.2 "Black Box" were previous and
successful examples of the main goal of the "Performance Art" line: to
discover new emotions, new stories, new dimensions, to go further than
the original message brought by the Machine thanks to a collaboration
with a watchmaker, a creator, a designer or with another
brand.
But the MOONMACHINE has something that any
other "Performance Art" watch doesn't have: an additional
complication!
And what a complication: we are talking
about Moonphases display thanks to the involvement of one (if not THE)
master of this complication. Is it due to his origins, his roots? Due to
his background? Due to the atmosphere of the Northern countries? Stepan
Sarpaneva managed to capture the mysterious and enigmatic sides of our
satellite. It is the reason why we are talking with his way to put in
place and to create the complication not about Moonphases but
about Moonfaces!
I will tell you why I love this
watch.
I love it because the works between Max and
his friend on one side and Stepan on the other combined perfectly: we
don't have the feeling that any of them needed to take into account a
lot of constraints. There is a sort of freedom spirit in the MOONMACHINE
even if, obviously, the starting line was
mandatory.
And what is this starting line? The base
of the MOONMACHINE is as you can see it, a HM3 Frog. You recognize it
easily thanks to the sensual curves of its domes used to display time.
But it is not the usual Frog. This time, it is a "Sidewinder" Frog and
not a "Starcruiser" one: a rotation was made in order that all the left
part of the watch is dedicated to the
complication.
Max Büsser made a very symbolic step.
He removed from the Frog the link between the Machines, the signature of
the brand: the Astero Axes (or Battle Axes) rotor! It doesn't mean that
the rotor was also removed: the watch is still an automatic one. And by
the way, you can discover the discreet Astero Axes on top of the rotor
axe between the two moons.
If you know the Northern Stars from Stepan
Sarpaneva, you won't be lost by the way he designed the Moonfaces
display for the MOONMACHINE. However, there is a huge difference: with
the Northern Stars, as the stars were created by hollowing the plate,
they are static. With the MOONPHASE, they were created on the rotor (and
also on the part previously dedicated to date display) and they move! I
like a lot the contrast between the very slow Moons and the fast moving
stars.
If you remember well, the biggest
difference between the HM3 and the Frog is the time display. Basically,
with the Frog, there is no rotating hand, it uses 2 fixed marks and
rotating aluminium domes. And the hour aluminium dome fully rotates in
12 hours while the hour hand does a full revolution every 24 hours with
the HM3. The Frog required a new gear train and obviously, it is still
the case with the MOONMACHINE.
Base of the movement
remains the same: the GP caliber power the 3D module developed by
Agenhor to display the time. Stepan Sarpaneva worked on this
base to add his complication.
If you carefully look at the
MOONMACHINE, you will notice that some Stepan's details are hidden in
several places: the fluted crown, the sky pattern based on the Northern
constellation and the shape of the Moon window inspired by the Korona
case. And of course... the enigmatic faces of the
Moon!
On the wrist, the comfort of the
MOONMACHINE is similar to the Frog. But it doesn't give the same
sensation.With the Frog, the two sensual domes were the main points of
interest. With the MOONMACHINE, it is the additional
complication.
3 MOONMACHINE are available, each of
them in LE of 18 pieces:
1) Titanium case with white
gold moon faces in a light blue sky
2) Black titanium case with
white gold moon faces in a dark blue sky
3) Red gold case with
red gold moon faces in an anthracite
sky.
The
first one is the brightest, the most optimistic and my fav! The second
one due to its dark side (of the Moon?) is the closest to Stepan's
spirit. The third one is the warmest. Honestly, each one has its own
charm and believe me, you won't be disappointed by any of
them!
I was really seduced by the
MOONMACHINE. Maybe because I love Stepan Sarpaneva's work. Maybe because
I think that the Frog is great base for such evolution. Maybe because
Max Büsser and Stepan Sarpaneva's managed to find the crossroads between
their worlds. And maybe because when mysterious and fun meet, the
result can only be fascinating.
I would like to thank
a lot the MB&F team for the warm welcome during the
Fair.
Fr.Xavier