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Heartbeat: Horological Machine No. 6 By MB&F

by Ian Skellern

I am a big fan of MB&F’s crazy Horological Machines and think that they make world of watchmaking much richer.

While I admire those who wear the wildest Machines (the watches don’t seem to look at all as crazy on the wrist as off), I couldn’t imagine one on my own small, conservative wrist.

Well, I couldn’t imagine one on my own small conservative wrist until now.

Until Horological Machine No. 6, aka HM6. And here’s why:

1. Whereas previous Horological Machines have been very much high-tech, miniaturized machines and spaceships, the curved case and eye-like domes make HM6 feel organic and corporeal. . . a nice, friendly and (despite the metal case) soft animal. HM6 begs to be touched. I wouldn’t be at all surprised that if you stroked HM6 gently, it would purr (okay, that’s an exaggeration; if it did purr I’d fall off my seat!).

2. HM6 is incredibly comfortable. The titanium case makes it relatively light, but mainly it’s the fact that those three-dimensional domes in each corner wrap snugly around the wrist.

3. It’s easy to read the time on HM6 from nearly any angle. The generous domes allow for large, highly-legible numerals.

4. There is always visual interest when wearing HM6 because those twin turbines (driven from the winding rotor) are continually spinning.

5. HM6 has a party trick: there is a crown-operated (the left crown), retractable shield that slides over the central flying tourbillon. It has a technical purpose, too, in minimizing ultra-violet rays, which degrade the escapement’s lubricating oil. But, really, it just looks like a cool, winking eye.

In a nutshell, Horological Machine No. 6 is my favorite Horological Machine to date . . . and it is one insane machine I’d be very happy to wear.

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) on the wrist

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) on the wrist

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) by MB&F

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) by MB&F

Close-up of the MB&F HM6 hour sphere

Close-up of the MB&F HM6 hour sphere

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) sitting comfortably on the wrist

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) sitting comfortably on the wrist

The MB&F HM6 end-on

The MB&F HM6 end-on

The MB&F HM6 side-on

The MB&F HM6 side-on

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) by MB&F

Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) by MB&F

The MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) on the wrist

The MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 (HM6) on the wrist

The back of MB&F's HM6 looks quite similar to the front, though it's harder to tell the time

The back of MB&F’s HM6 looks quite similar to the front, though it’s harder to tell the time

The central flying tourbillon (with shield open) on top of MB&F's Horological Machine No. 6

The central flying tourbillon (with shield open) on top of MB&F’s Horological Machine No. 6

MB&F's HM6 with the retractable flying tourbillon shield closed

MB&F’s HM6 with the retractable flying tourbillon shield in the center closed

The MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 on the wrist; note how the time and turbine spheres curve the case around the wrist

The MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 on the wrist; note how the time and turbine spheres curve the case around the wrist

Quick Facts
Case: 49.5 x 52.3 x 20.4 mm, titanium, 10 sapphire crystals
Movement: automatic with flying tourbillon
Functions: hours and minutes on separate domes, retractable regulator shield, twin turbines (no further function than to look cool)
Price: $230,000 (without applicable taxes)

6 replies

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Full List Of Watches Competing In The 2015 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève | Quill & Pad says:
    June 2, 2016 at 4:12 pm

    […] Greubel Forsey and Give Me Five! Tourbillons From SIHH 2015; MB&F Horological Machine No. 6 in Heartbeat: Horological Machine No. 6 By MB&F; the Montblanc Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama in World Travel Made Easy: […]

    Reply
  2. It's Transparently Brilliant! HM6 SV By MB&F | Quill & Pad says:
    April 27, 2016 at 2:43 pm

    […] It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the MB&F HM6 (see Heartbeat: Horological Machine No. 6 By MB&F). […]

    Reply
  3. The Independent Genius Of MB&F’s HMX | Quill & Pad says:
    April 5, 2016 at 12:09 pm

    […] time at me – be it through the aerodynamic HM5, the “way out there” HM6 Space Pirate (read Heartbeat: Horological Machine No. 6 By MB&F), or the loveable HM3 Frog I love so […]

    Reply
  4. WATCHLOUNGE » Uhren und Lifestyle » Herrlich verrückt: HM6 “Space Pirate” von MB&F says:
    April 26, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    […] Beitrag in Medienpartnerschaft mit Quill & Pad. […]

    Reply
  5. WATCHLOUNGE » Uhren und Lifestyle » HERRLICH VERRÜCKT: HM6 “SPACE PIRATE” says:
    April 14, 2015 at 1:25 pm

    […] Beitrag in Medienpartnerschaft mit Quill & Pad. […]

    Reply
  6. Quill & Pad | Roundup of SalonQP 2014: London’s Premier Watch Exhibition says:
    November 11, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    […] For more on the MB&F HM6 (above), please check out Heartbeat: Horological Machine No. 6 By MB&F. […]

    Reply

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