Independents

Two mainspring barrels connected in parallel provide 72 hours of energy, and they transfer their power to the dual jet-turbine-like indication pods (one displaying the hours and minutes, the other the power reserve) via vertical gear trains.

Visible through a shaped sapphire display panel on the top of the case, a distinctive streamlined cock supports the balance, its centre cut away to reveal as much of the oscillating wheel as possible and validating the "kinetic" in MB&F's "kinetic art".

A work of art rewards when viewed from different angles and the Thunderbolt is no exception. Turning the machine over reveals a veritable panorama of meticulously finished micro-engineering through the sapphire sections. In a playful trompe d'oeil, what at first glance appears to be a micro-rotor in the form of MB&F's iconic battle-axe is actually a bridge.

Indications: For a timepiece not developed specifically to tell the time, HM4 performs that role superbly. In fact, with its highly legible dials perpendicular to the wearer's wrist, Horological Machine N^o4 might be described as the perfect pilot's or driver's watch.

On the left pod, the amount of fuel in the tanks - or power reserve - is clearly indicated by a skeletonised hand echoing MB&F's battle-axe motif. On the right, hours and minutes are displayed by bold, arrow-tipped Super-LumiNova filled hands. Each of the two aviation instrument-styled dials is directly controlled by its own crown, one to wind and re-fuel the tanks, the other to set the time, which provides direct and instantaneous feedback of the action performed.  

Case: Inspired by aviation, more specifically the model aircraft kits of Maximilian Büsser's childhood, the case of HM4 imparts speed, power, technology and refinement in equal measure. Visually, the case is composed of three parts: two streamlined jet-turbine-styled pods supported by a horizontal section housing the engine, which is clearly visible through transparent sapphire display panels and the central section of the case itself.   

Case (continued): Technically there are also three main sections, but these comprise a fore section in titanium, which includes the dials and articulated front lugs; a central section in sapphire offering unprecedented 360° access to the superbly finished engine; and an aft section tapering down to the dual crowns and framing the animated balance, which is supported by an aerodynamic cock. Methods borrowed from aeronautic engineering are visible in the externally mounted screws, which provide both rigidity and watch resistance to hold the case’s three sections solidly and elegantly together. 

Beginning with a solid piece of sapphire, more than 100 hours of intricate machining and meticulous polishing are required to turn an opaque block of crystal into the clear, light-filled atrium of the central case section, which reveals part of the Thunderbolt's engine and engineering details. The metal case sections are milled from solid blocks of high-tech Grade 5 titanium, which undergoes hundreds of hours of machining before polishing, masking and finally satin-finishing of the surfaces. The results speak for themselves.

The contrasts of matte with highly polished surfaces, titanium with sapphire, straight lines with seductive curves and rigid forms with articulated arms endows Horological Machine N^o4 with a life and vibrancy that sets it apart from anything that has ever gone before.

HM4 Thunderbolt is the quintessential machine as three-dimensional kinetic art.

Rupture in Art, Rupture in Watchmaking

Impressionist paintings scared classicists and were greatly misunderstood. MB&F's Horological Machines scare classicists and are greatly misunderstood. Horological Machine N^o4 is unlikely to change that, but the rupture with traditional watchmaking is so complete that it allows HM4 to be appreciated for what it is, i.e. raw, unfettered three-dimensional kinetic art.

Until the 19th century, art was fairly straightforward: painters did their best to replicate what they saw and their skill was judged on how closely they copied reality, with little latitude allowed for a brush-stroke or two of emotion. With the introduction of photography, even the greatest traditional artists could not compete in terms of realism. But that liberated more adventurous artists like Monet, Cézanne and Renoir to break from realism and to paint, not just with a brush-stroke or two of emotion but with raw, unfettered emotion.

In impressionist art, the fundamentals of the medium remain, i.e. paint on canvas, but the result was a rupture with the past. With MB&F's Horological Machines, again the fundamentals of the (horological) medium remain, i.e. intricate mechanical movements, and again the result is a rupture with the past.    

Horological Machine N^o 4 Thunderbolt – Technical Specifications

Engine:

Three-dimensional horological engine developed 100% by MB&F
Manual winding with two mainspring barrels in parallel
Power reserve: 72 hours

Balance frequency: 21,600bph/3Hz
Number of components: 311

Number of jewels: 50

Functions:

Hours, minutes and power reserve indicator

Hours and minutes on right dial, power reserve indicator on left dial

Separate crowns for time setting and winding

Case:

Grade 5 titanium and sapphire

Dimensions: 54mm wide x 52mm long x 24mm high

Number of components: 65
Articulation of lugs: 3°

Sapphire crystals:

Five sapphire crystals: 2 x dials, 1 x central case section, 2 x display panels (top and bottom)

Strap & Buckle:

Black hand-stitched calfskin strap with titanium/white gold custom designed deployment buckle attached to articulated lugs  

'Friends' responsible for Horological Machine N^o 4 “Thunderbolt”

Concept: Maximilian Büsser/MB&F

Product Design: Eric Giroud – Eric Giroud Design Studio

Technical and Production Management: Serge Kriknoff/MB&F

Production logistics: David Lamy/MB&F

Movement Development: Laurent Besse, Béranger Reynard and Patrick Lété of Les Artisans

                                           Horlogers

Movement manufacturing:   Daniel Uhlmann/Azuréa Technologies, Nicolas Broquet/Broquet

                                             Décolletage, Yann Ryser/Tital

Hand-finishing of movement components: Jacques-Adrien Rochat and Denis Garcia of

                                                                     C-L Rochat

Movement assemblage: Didier Dumas and Georges Veisy/MB&F

Case and buckle construction and production: Jean-Pierre Kohler and Lionel Gavignet of Profusion       

                                                                            Martin Stettler of Stettler

                                                                            Dominique Mainier and Bertrand Jeunet of G.F.Châtelain

Dials: François Bernhard and Denis Parel of Nateber

Hands: Pierre Chillier, Isabelle Chillier and Félix Celetta of Fiedler

Strap: Olivier Purnot/Camille Fournet

Presentation box : Olivier Berthon/Berthon & Co

Communication:

Graphic Design - Alban Thomas and Gérald Moulière of GVA Studio

Product Photography - Maarten van der Ende

Display Architecture - Frédéric Legendre/Lekoni

Portrait Photography - Régis Golay/Federal

Webmasters - Stéphane Balet and Guillaume Schmitz of Sumo Interactive

Texts - Ian Skellern

Project Manager - Estelle Tonelli/MB&F