Maximilian Büsser & Friends have ventured into the sky and outer space, and even onto race tracks with their previous creations; this time they looked into the sea and came up with the HM7 ‘Aquapod’.
Inspired by the jellyfish, or medusa and its round or bell-shaped hood enclosing its internal structure, prolonged with suspended tentacles, the HM7 ‘Aquapod’ has a similar construction. A central flying tourbillon tops the three dimensional vertical architecture of the movement, enclosed within a 53.8 mm x 21.3 mm spherical case with indications read on radially symmetric rings that display the hours and minutes. Twelve tentacles (that also look like shark’s teeth, or why not? the open mouth of a very mean jellyfish) are revealed through the bottom sapphire crystal in the form of a three-dimensional winding rotor in titanium and platinum.
So how does it work? Hours and minutes, with numerals and markers hand-painted in Super-LumiNova for easy night-time reading, are displayed on two rotating spherical segment discs in aluminium and titanium, supported by specially developed oversized ceramic ball bearings. The large crown on the left side of the three-dimensional sandwich case winds the movement (although this is an in-house automatic movement with a 72 hours power reserve), while that on the right sets the time. All the mechanisms rotate around the centre, with the marker at 6 o’clock pointing to the hours and minutes. Capped by a high-domed sapphire crystal, the flying tourbillon in the centre regulates the rotor-generated power to transform it into the display of time.
And while this is not a dive watch, it is nevertheless water-resistant to 50 meters, and the curved bezel, which is outside the case proper, is made of ceramic with laser-engraved titanium-filled numerals and markers. With unidirectional rotating, it enables you to measure elapsed time.
Like the jellyfish, the HM7 Aquapod glows in the dark, on the hour and minute numerals, and also around the inside of the movement and along the tentacle-like winding rotor for ultimate viewing pleasure.
Complemented with an engraved aircraft-grade rubber strap, launch models are available in 2 limited editions: 33 pieces in grade 5 titanium with blue bezel, priced at EUR92,000, and 66 pieces in 18K 5N red gold with black bezel, priced at EUR110,000, both prices excluding taxes.
Together with Haute Time photographer Alex Teuscher we explored the latest timepiece from MB&F at the SIHH 2017. Let’s have a look:
And if Alex Teuscher’s stunning photos were not enough for you, you can see a short video of the HM7 Aquapod in action by clicking here.
