The holy trinity of dress watches: the 2 hands clean dial, the hand-wound barrel and the large 2.5 Hz, cased in delicate platinum or rose gold case. Traditional watchmaking and its values metamorphosed by the vision of Max Büsser and Friends into a modern exceptional piece of architectural horology. With all on sight, the SP One delivers the most delicate MB&F combination of elements: inclined dial, large balance wheel on front and a sacramental architecture born from the joint mind of Eric Giroud and MB&F.
MB&F SP One – The One We All Have Been Waiting For
The MB&F SP One represents a deliberate departure from the brand’s established design codes while maintaining its core horological philosophy. Encased in a 38mm platinum or rose gold shell, this timepiece introduces a trinity of floating components – barrel, balance wheel, and inclined dial – suspended within an architectural movement visible through dual sapphire crystals. With a height of 12mm, it emerges as the slimmest MB&F creation to date, employing conical gearing and three-dimensional construction to achieve its gravity-defying aesthetic.
Historical Context of MB&F
Established in 2005 by Maximilian Büsser, MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends) pioneered the horological concept laboratory approach, blending micro-engineering with kinetic sculpture. The brand’s trajectory began with the Horological Machine No.1 (HM1) in 2007, characterised by its three-dimensional movement architecture and avant-garde case design. Subsequent collections expanded into Legacy Machines reinterpretations of historical complications and Performance Art collaborations, earning nine Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève awards, including the prestigious Aiguille d’Or in 2022.
Before getting into the details of these two versions of SP One please note that the watches presented in this review are prototypes – small details may differ on the final product. E.G.: the platinum version bears the gold mark. So bear with me since organising this shoot was an effort from MB&F and M.A.D. Gallery people (thank you all for your help and support – you know who you are and we love you 😊) together with our extra trip to Geneva especially for these two watches. As many MB&F pieces, these are quite difficult to photograph with my mobile equipment (aka my poor photography skills) but I hope you will enjoy it anyway. So let’s have first a look at the videos:
So as it is clearly to see, these are not your usual MB&F timepieces we all are familiar with. So let’s get finally into details.
Dial Architecture and Technical Construction
The SP One’s dial arrangement subverts conventional horological layouts through its inclined time display positioned at 6 o’clock. A black DLC-coated titanium disc, angled at 30 degrees, employs conical gearing to maintain legibility despite its tilt – a technical solution requiring precise tooth profile calculations to prevent torque loss.
The applied baton hour markers amplifies the minimalist aesthetic, with time being displayed by a set of hands with half polished, half frosted finish to catch any glimpse of light. The legibility is exceptional due to a more natural angle. Don’t’ you agree?
The bevelled flange, rendered in sky-blue or anthracite depending on model variant, creates an amphitheatre-like framing effect around the movement’s central components. Very well chosen shades…
The hands-wound barrel offers a staggering 72 hours of power reserve, surprising but very welcome for this delicate piece. And one must note the gold chatons with superbly polished sinks. Just look at my creative director approving the macro shots while the narcissistic side of me admires my reflection on this micro component.
Another signature element of MB&F hause is the large balance wheel, governing from above as a generous godes allowing the time to flow. The traditional 2.5 Hz coming historically from pocket watches is creating a ballet that refrain us from taking the eyes from this slow dance, taking a break from the fast pace “now” world.
But on the SP One, the balance wheel is not above all, like on the Legacy Machines and some of the Horological Machines, but splitting the plan with the barrel and the dial, as a note on equality of importance of these elements.
Movement Design and Finishing
At the movement’s core lies the manually wound SP One calibre, comprising 191 components including a 31-jewel architecture. The suspended mainspring barrel and balance wheel appear to float through strategic bridge placement, with the balance operating at 18,000vph (2.5Hz).
Finishing techniques combine satin-brushed bridges with polished anglage, executed using traditional hand-tools rather than CNC milling. Micro-blasted surfaces contrast with mirror-polished chatons, while the movement’s three-dimensional structure permits unobstructed views of the gear train through both front and caseback crystals.
The finishes are a feast, like always – I would rather say. So, no surprises from the superlative hand finishing that include internal bevel angles highlighting handcraft, the polished bevels and the hand-made engravings. The anthracite bridges present a ruthenium finish that looks good both on platinum as on gold.
Case Engineering and Wearability
The SP One’s case achieves its streamlined profile through a monobloc construction comprising 19 components. Platinum and rose gold variants bear their respective metal weight, respectively platinum winning the contest, With a lug-to-lug dimensions of 41.9mm enhancing wrist presence without compromising comfort. We bought enjoy it on the wrist finding it a perfect size.
Detachable lugs, separated from the main case by a 0.8mm gap, employ a patented articulation system to conform to wrist curvature. A bezel-free design merges front and back sapphire crystals seamlessly into the case middle, polished to a mirror finish that eliminates sharp edges. Water resistance remains at 30 metres, consistent with MB&F’s focus on artistic expression over technical extremes.
The top crystal is a fantastic piece by itself – high domed with raised base – holding and protecting the floating elements on display. The view is spectacular from the sides, allowing the curious eyes to see the multilayered architecture in detail.
Final Notes and Thoughts
This release underscores MB&F’s capacity for reinvention while preserving fundamental design principles. The SP One’s synthesis of classical proportions and experimental mechanics demonstrates the brand’s continued evolution within haute horlogerie, bridging the gap between Horological Machines’ avant-garde concepts and Legacy Machines’ historical inspirations. Its development reflects two decades of accumulated technical expertise in three-dimensional movement architecture and hand-finishing traditions.
Combining horological elements like MB&F does is a unique signature that remains true also for the SP One. Diana and I enjoyed the sublime wrist comfort and the legibility while enjoying the rest of the important elements. The aired construction and interesting architecture look exceptional in the 38mm round case. The only personal drawback is the well to visible skin, my own skin that ruins the perfection of hand craftsmanship. Otherwise – what a fantastic piece of engineering and design. Bravo Eric, bravo MB and F. Looking forward seeing what other special projects are in the making.
MB&F SP One PlatinumMB&F SP One Rose GoldMB&F SP One
MB&F SP One Technical Specifications
SP One launches in two editions:
Platinum 950 with a sky-blue flange, retailing for CHF 63,000 + VAT (USD 82,000 / EUR 69,000 + tax).
18K rose gold with an anthracite flange, retailing for CHF 58,000 + VAT (USD 76,000 / EUR 64,000 + tax);
Functions
Hours and minutes on inclined dial at 6 o’clock
Engine
SP One movement developed in-house by MB&F, featuring signature balance wheel and inclined time dial.
