Out of This World: The MB&F Horological Machine Number 7 Aquapod

What comes to mind when you hear “Aquapod”. An escape shuttle from a spaceship? If that was your guess, you wouldn’t be too far off on the design! MB&F is undoubtedly known for its otherworldly designs, and the Horological Machine no.7 (HM7) Aquapod has to be one of the coolest. Today, we’re taking a closer look at this incredible piece. There’s plenty to enjoy on this model so let’s get started!

History

At SIHH In 2017, MB&F released the HM7 Aquapod as— you guessed it— their 7th Horological Machine! Since 2005, MB&F has presented some of the coolest, most unique watches exploiting very unusual complications with unconventional time layouts. Their watches are the types of pieces that make you stop and think, pondering how they work, and often, how you tell the time. As we’ll see later on, the HM7 is actually one of the most legible of MB&F’s creations. 

In 2007, MB&F introduced its first Horological Machine, and the collection could not be more aptly named. These “machines” are quite special, and whether they are you taste or not, you are likely to respect the watches for what they are— really damn cool timepieces. The HM7 is no exception. 

When Max Busser founded the company, he wanted to break convention. Max dreamed of a new look for watches where the confines of tradition were not seen as limits, but rather guidelines that could be tastefully ignored when desired. The result is one of the coolest watch brands in modern history— and they are only getting started.

Design Details

Where do we begin? 

This is a watch where design is truly everything. Analyzing only first impressions, we are dealing with a large watch. 53mm total to be exact. From practically any angle, the watch looks like a UFO, or Saturn sliced in half. In actuality, the piece was designed to look like a jellyfish, and this inspiration carries through all the way to the movement, which we’ll cover later. 

Taking a closer look, there is a whole host of details to marvel at. Firstly, the perimeter of the watch is defined by a sapphire diver bezel. And while this may not look like your typical dive watch, the functionality is still there. Two crowns flank the central watch body, one for winding, and one for setting the watch. 

Finally, at the center, is the actual time display, visible through the massively domed sapphire crystal. The time is told via two rotating discs (one for hours and one for minute), which in tandem with a fixed indicator line, make telling the time extremely quick and easy. The crown jewel of the watch is its flying tourbillon, set atop the mountainous central watch dial. As with most MB&F creations, even as the brand has thrown away the normal rules of watch design, the traditional element (in this case the tourbillon) is still honored and respected with its primal positioning. I think this is part of what makes the brand’s watches so tasteful, even to those that would never gravitate towards something of this kind. This piece is fashioned from titanium, giving it a feather-weight on the wrist.

Another feature you won’t notice during the daytime, but that you’re sure to enjoy is the unique lume on this piece. Sure, each of the numbers is set with lume. But the details continue to the central ring, which is fully lumed such that in the dark, the tourbillon is in effect illuminated. There’s so much going on in this watch, and it’s all very cool. 

Inner Workings

The Aquapod is powered by an automatic-winding movement. This movement is also a canvas though which MB&F furthers the jellyfish motif. Around the rotor, there are tentacle-like protrusions that emanate from the perimeter of the caseback towards the center, alternating in finish between brushed and polished. You don’t get a full view of the movement, but the most aesthetically pleasing part, the tourbillon, is on full display regardless. In this case, the movement plays a larger role in the watch’s broader identity with the jellyfish theme than its aesthetic presence on the caseback. In tandem with the luminous strip on the watch, the movement also has a unique effect in low lighting environments. 

Beyond the aesthetics, this piece packs 72 hours of power reserve, and comprises over 300 individual parts. Interestingly, unlike most watches, whose movement layout is horizontal on its primary axis, this piece features a vertical movement orientation. 

Versus the Competition

The first alternative that comes to mind for the HM7 Aquapod is the Urwerk UR-100. Another independent pushing extra-terrestrial designs, Urwerk has its own reputation for interesting time displays, especially wandering hours. The UR-100 features a lumed wandering hour complication packaged in a massive titanium and stainless steel utilitarian case. 

The next piece comes from within MB&F’s own catalog with the HM10 ‘Bulldog’. This piece is equally wacky, with a case made to replicate the look of a bulldog on the wrist. It’s a substantive watch, and the time is told looking at the two globe-like wheels within. I easily could have chosen any MB&F, but this one has a slightly different time display, and I think that makes it interesting. 

Finally, I’d recommend the Jacob & Co Astronomia. Jacob was one of the first to embrace the oversized watch aesthetic, and the Astronomia is probably his most famous design. The watch is full of technical wonders, with its rotating globe, escapement, and time display. You aren’t trying to hide when you’re wearing this watch, but then again, why would you want to?

Personality

The HM7 Aquapod is the watch for the collector that is tired of boring watches and is looking to make a statement. This isn’t the collector who just has loud taste— there’s a good deal of love for horology driving this purchase as well. Perhaps you just appreciate the mechanical marvel of the movement, and the way that Max has completely restructured conventional movement layouts to accommodate the design. Regardless, you want to support a modernist, nonconformist approach to watchmaking and like what you’re seeing from MB&F. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you consider the Aquapod a jellyfish or a UFO, you know you’re handling something special. Limited to only 33 pieces worldwide, this is the latest in MB&F’s exclusive, exceptional “machines”. With this piece, you are sure to get lots of admiration from those in the know, or even those who just possess a curious spirit. Regardless, MB&F’s HM7 Aquapod serves as a reminder to take things a little less seriously sometimes, and remember that watchmaking is all about having fun and enjoying the process. For that, it’s tough to beat! 

See more of the MB&F Horological Machine Number 7 “Aquapod”

Visit europeanwatch.com