The watch company MB&F has returned with the latest iteration of its HM8 Mark 2 watches, inspired by automotive themes.
Originally released last year in green and white colors, the new model has acquired a completely different look. The HM8 Mark 2 is a continuation of last year's model, which was a redesign of the original HM8 released in 2016. Those watches had a look I would describe as haute steampunk, and when I first saw the HM8 Mark 2, I could hardly say they were related. Therefore, I was delighted to get acquainted with the novelty - the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 Blue.
Last year, we were fortunate to get acquainted with the original HM8 Mark 2 model, and in it, we took a detailed look at the watch and its inspiration. Therefore, in this review, we will look at what is new in this model, while the inspiration, background, and nuances of the model range will only be briefly touched upon. You should know that the HM8 Mark 2 is inspired by vintage cars and their dashboards, with the main source being the 1963 C2 Corvette model with split windows. The watch case echoes the sweeping visor of this and other vintage sports cars, and the double hump for the time apertures resembles the aerodynamic contours transitioning from the top of the headrests to the rear of the body.
In this HM8 Mark 2 model, MB&F replaced the green or white components with glossy blue ones. As in previous versions, the blue panels are made from the patented CarbonMacrolon® material - a polymer matrix injected with carbon nanotubes for strength and rigidity. There is a significant difference between the first two versions and the new design. Instead of a matte and dull look of white/green, the blue has a glossy, translucent appearance, and the sparkling shine is achieved by adding metallic pigments - like in car paint.
It's a bit like wearing a watch made of aventurine, and while I still prefer the green color of the debut model, the blue color has an elegance of material that is absent or at least not as prevalent in previous versions. In terms of long-term perspective, as a clumsy person who doesn't care about the slightest stains, I'm concerned about how this CarbonMacrolon finish might handle fingerprints and other contaminants.
On the wrist, the watch sits very comfortably. In addition to the glossy blue panel, the rest of the case is made of grade 5 titanium. A polished strip runs through the matte middle part of the case, encircling the entire watch and framing the display apertures. Thanks to this titanium, the prominent watch feels light. Although the diameter is 41.5 mm, the more noticeable dimensions are the length of 47 mm and the height of 19 mm. You might question such thickness, but it's not indicative, as the back of the case is much thinner than the front, and this is quite justified in terms of design.
Furthermore, the lugs, smoothly emerging from the case back, hug the wrist, and the flared leather strap has the same effect as on Bell & Ross watches, softening the volume of the watch and visually continuing its silhouette around the wrist. The crown, styled like an exhaust pipe, is another innovation, equipped with a locking mechanism that requires a 3/4 turn to release. However, don't be deceived: the water resistance of the watch is only 30 m.
If you consider the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 Blue as a driving watch, then the case dimensions, design, and even water resistance make particular sense. Driving watches come in two types: with a rotating dial and with a casquette-style case. The rotating dial can be seen on the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921 model. This is a traditional case and display, just rotated 1/8 clockwise to make it easier to read while driving. It might be a simpler and more effective method, but it's much less interesting in terms of design. The casquette approach can be seen in many watches, from Girard-Perregaux to Parmigiani and Amida Digitrend, which partly inspired the original HM8 (I would even include Richard Mille RM40-01 here, as in them the case is tilted towards the owner).
Of course, the MB&F HM5 and HM9 also present time in this way. These models have a sweeping case that sits on the wrist, and the time is displayed through one or more apertures. In the case of the HM8 and most analog versions of the casquette, the movement is mounted traditionally, and the numeric wheels, located on one plane, are reflected through prisms in the display windows. It's a new concept, but due to the distortions associated with reflection and the simultaneous appearance of multiple numbers in the aperture, legibility was average. If I were paying attention to time, this might be a problem, but with these watches on my wrist, I was looking at everything except the minutes and hours.
The engine block-like plate visible through the sapphire glass of the titanium case back serves as the foundation for the watch mechanism, which is presented at the top of the watch. The movement is a modified Girard-Perregaux caliber, refined by MB&F to provide jumping hours and trailing minutes. Additional changes were made to the rotor with the MB&F battle axe. The movement has a 42-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph.
As with many other creations of MB&F, time is not the main task. It is primarily about design, then about how the time display is achieved, and only then about the display itself. Speaking of the tertiary issue, the average legibility here is quite justified. Other watches have similar shapes, but they are not quite like these, and that is really what sets all MB&F watches apart. They truly resemble nothing else.
The price of the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 BLUE is $78,000 USD, and the number of pieces is limited to 33. For more information, visit the MB&F website.