2018-11-05

MB&F Presents Horological Machine No.9

MB&F take you back to the 1940s and 50s, a time well before wind tunnels and CAD software imposed their hard logic and restrained creativity. This was a time of wild inventors, brave engineers and bold designers – who followed only their instincts and aesthetic sense.


The result was some of the most beautiful automobiles and airplanes ever crafted: with their flowing lines and generous curves, these were machines that looked fast even when standing still. That golden era is the origin of Horological Machine No.9, aka HM9 ‘Flow’.


Reminiscent of a jet engine, the HM9 case is a geometrically complex combination of milled sapphire crystal and grade 5 titanium. When they first brought the design to their manufacturing Friends, their response was clear: not possible. They did not conceive HM9 with current manufacturing methods in mind; its extreme curves and acute angles required new manufacturing standards and techniques.


Inside, an equally complex manual winding movement developed fully in house; the result of three years of development, with the accumulated experience that came with our previous 14 calibres. A nod to Horological history and our Legacy Machine line, HM9’s two lateral pods each house a flying balance wheel and fully independent regulating system, visible under domes of sapphire crystal.


A third pane of sapphire crystal reveals the central gearbox of the HM9 engine: a planetary differential that averages the output of both balance wheels to provide one stable reading of the time. Sitting perpendicular to the rest of the HM9 engine, the dial indicating hours and minutes is driven by conical gears that ensure precise engagement.


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