Springtime 2020, MB&F launches its tenth horological machine. The new machine comes in a very unexpected form, reminding both of a dog and a car. How could this be possible? “The creative adult is a child who has survived” (Rita J. King). So today we are not talking about the MB&F Horological Machine N°10 Bulldog but about childhood, happiness and dogs. Accompanied, of course, by the pictures (and video) of the titanium and red gold version of the HM10. 
The HM10 is the latest machine from a total (until now) of 10 HMs. The watch’s name is suited for the most fun piece of the year. And since today is the Christmas’ eve, I decided not to talk about watches, technologies and so one but to talk about childhood, sweet memories with my father’s dog and my own. Plus remembering about the most impressive dogs I have met in my life.
Before start, you can have a look at the hands-on video and wrist-roll with both variants below:
MB&F Horological Machine N°10 Bulldog was presented in the official press release here. Since I cannot compete with Suzanne in writing so eloquently about watches, I will stick only to some personal remarks.
Bobbie – the gentle giant
The titanium version of the HM10 reminds me of Bobbie, the house dog of my grandparents and best friend of my father. There are very few memories that I still got from very early childhood (under 3 years old) and Bobbie is one of them. My grandparents lived in the mountain area in the north of the country, in the old region of Bucovina (lovely scenery, good food, warm people and nice dogs).
Bobbie was one of the mixed breeds of the region, but not the large Bucovina Shepherd Dog. But for me, as a child who just learned to walk, he was huge – a giant. He was much bigger than me. But his love was borderless and our friendship was strong. You can imagine how much he adored me by the fact he allowed me to ride him. Like I have seen the forester riding from the close wilds.
He was a gentle friend and companion, me being left without fear or care to spend time with him. My father told me just yesterday, talking about his dear friend, that my grandmother always knew when her son is coming home. 15 to 30 minutes before, he started to agitate from joy. And my grandmother knew that he/we is/are coming. It might be the smell, the hearing, certain is that he knew every time.
Bobbie was a dog who laughs and he often smiled at me. The dog lovers/owners must be familiar with the process. Since the dogs don’t possess the facial muscle to reveal a smile as humans do, the position of mouth and teeth is very similar to the one when the dog growls. For those unfamiliar with this, might find the dog frightening.
Unfortunately, the dog died when I was still a small child. My parents and grandparents wanted to spare me from sadness and told me the dog is with the shepherds in the mountains. Some years later, I have visited alone one of our neighbours that had sheep and sheepfold to ask him if he met Bobbie. But his shepherd dogs were at home, I was carrying a big stick and… I was bitten by my ass. Shepherd dogs fight with bears, wolves and thieves – a stranger with a stick is not welcomed in their yard… And then I found out what really happened.
We never had another shepherd dog, but I will always treasure the memories of my first fury friend.
Rocco – my youth’s friend
Later ’98, during my afternoon walk with our family dog (Ollie, more about that later), I have met our neighbour’s nephew. He and some friends saved some babis dog thrown away on a cardboard box. I was sure that his grandmother will not allow a dog so I have told him to give it to me. He wanted still to try to convince his parents and grandmother so I told him that in case of a negative answer he can knock on our door and give the dog to my mother specifying I have sent him. So that evening I had a new baby dog. Less than 10 days old…
Ollie took care of him, breastfeeding and washing him as her own puppy. Nobody knew what breed Rocco is. My parents hoped to be a Teckel (since it reminded my mother about her dog Bijou), I hoped for a larger dog, secretly wishing a Doberman. Diana (my wife) had back then a Dobbie, one of my best friends had a Dobbie. Visiting me once, my friend assured my mother several times that Rocco is a Doberman (with me in the back making him desperate signs to shut up – I was afraid my parents will not agree with such a big dog). And he grew up to be a mixed breed Doberman – maybe the reason why he and his siblings were hearthless thrown away…
But he remained to be my best friend and companion for years. He was lenient and calm but he didn’t like children. I never need it to tie him with a leash and he only wore it in foreign places. Even out neighbourhood’s police units knew him. He was very obedient but he listened only to the family members. My sister even won a training contest with Rocco (he was never accepted in other contests since he was not a pure breed). I have trained him some hand signes ( stay, left, right and so on), while my mother learned him many usual words. He was able to recognise and act with home objects ( like: “bring the newspaper, the remote” etc). He had an acute sense of ownership. He never touched my things if asked. He never took something that was not given to him as his. I could leave my books and school notebooks on the floor while studying and never touch them but carefully go round them not to disturb the arrangement.
We were always together. We shared food and sweets, he used to sleep in my bed. And he deeply loved Diana, before I even knew it how much I loved her. But our financial situation did not permit us to take care of him as it should have been. And me giving him from everything I ate (food, chocolate, biscuits, sweets and so on) was a big mistake that I later regret it. He died of cancer and that broke my heart. He used to smile every time I came home. Laugh frenetically when we split the chocolate biscuits. I called him sometimes “crocodile” for his big smile. He was my kid. And he deeply loved Diana, before I even knew it how much I loved her.
Ollie, the hero mother
Olivia, shortly Ollie, was a Tibetan Spaniel. She was our family dog since 1996. Meant to be a gift for my birthday, Ollie made a bond so strong with my mother that could not be broken. She loved me and she was obedient, but the supreme love was reserved for my mother. Ollie was a dog that loved motherhood. She adopted Rocco as her own pup. She also adopted cats and even a duckie. We had serious issues with that. The little duck obviously didn’t feed with milk and we had to go several days to the vet to drain Ollie’s milk. She loved to have puppies and to be a mother. She was a hero of the animal world. She was less than a quarter size of Rocco and still managed to scold him. And he feared her like any kid fears its angry mother.
Boris – unfriendly, unforgiving…
Boris was Diana’s Doberman. He was a brown beast that didn’t allow anyone around her or her family. He was a true guard dog. When he was a pup, we got along pretty decent. But after he grew up and I got Rocco, I became an enemy. I still loved him, the gorgeous brown Doberman with the hearth and teeth of steel.
Other dogs that crossed my path
Raj – a giant Alsace German shepherd. He was the dog of my best friend. He grew surrounded by kids and it was the kindest dog of all. He was a massive dog with heavy fur. His parents were used by Austrian mountain patrol for search and rescue. Raj itself had its own adventures with wolfs fights in the Carpathian mountains. I never met a dog that gentle with kids as he was. He accepted me and Rocco as part of its master’s life and treated us with respect.
The beast – the stranger to become a friend
During my university years, we moved away from the city. We were quite close to my university, in a village just 15 minutes away by car. One of our new neighbours had a kennel. As a guard, he used a savage beast that was feard by anyone, human, dogs, whatever. He always growls and barks at anyone passing nearby and become violent when you dared to come closer. He had quite a heavy fur and cut ears. The owner saved him as a puppy from some cruel people and the dog simply hated humans. For several months, I have talked with him every time when passing by. I told him that I am not that kind of man and I like him. And we became friends. Every time I was passing by I visited him. He used to stand up with its feet on the gate so I can pet him between the hols of the fence. And he smiled at me every time. It was funny to see neighbours passing by when I pet him. They dared to come closer. But he started to growl and be the beast everyone knew. And he turned back the head at me and smiled like he was amused by the fear of the passers. We understood each other, we both hated the same kind of people – the ones that don’t respect life.
MB&F Horological Machine N°10 Bulldog
I find it the cutest watch of the year. The fun piece is dedicated to all that love not only dogs but animals in general. It is the perfect piece to someone that enjoys this kind of company, that has enough sense of humour to understand it. It could be your best friend too. The HM10 is surprisingly comfortable on the wrist due to the “legs”, the articulated lugs.
As any other MB&F piece, the HM10 Bulldog is gorgeous executed. Lavish finishes, exceptional materials and beautiful components. The perfect Christmas gift for someone enjoying Haute Horlogerie and Haute Ménagerie.
MB&F Horological Machine N°10 ‘Bulldog’ Technical Specifications and Price
Horological Machine N°10 ‘Bulldog’ is available in two versions:
- Ti version: grade 5 titanium case with blue hour and minute domes – CHF 98,000 / USD 105,000 / EUR 92,000 + VAT
- RT version: 18k red gold and titanium case with black hour and minute domes – CHF 112,000 / USD 120,000 / EUR 105,000 + VAT
- The watches are available online (waiting list for the moment) and at selected partners.
Functions & Indications
- Hours on left dome (aluminium dome rotating in 12 hours)
- Minutes on right dome (aluminium dome rotating in 60 minutes)
- Power reserve indicated in 3D by the opening and closing of the jaws (end of power reserve = closed jaws).
Engine
- Manual-winding in-house movement
- Frequency: 2.5Hz (18,000bph)
- Bespoke flying 14mm balance wheel with four traditional regulating screws floating above the domed dials
- Super-LumiNova on the hour and minute domes and markers
- Single barrel with 45 hours of power reserve
- 301 components, 34 jewels
- Left crown at 11 o’clock for winding; right crown at 1 o’clock for setting the time
Case
- Version Ti: grade 5 titanium
- Version RT: 18k 5N+ red gold and grade 5 titanium
- Dimensions: 54mm x 45mm x 24mm
- Water resistant to 5ATM / 50m / 160ft
Sapphire crystals
- 2 sapphire crystals treated with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Strap and buckle
- RT version: hand-stitched brown calf-leather strap with custom-designed red gold folding buckle.
- Ti version: hand-stitched blue calf-leather strap with Velcro system and titanium buckle.
MB&F Horological Machine N°10 Bulldog Full Gallery
