In the niche world of independent watchmaking, few names evoke emotion and reverence like MB&F. Known for creating horological machines that defy both logic and tradition, MB&F has done it again — this time with the SP One. A debut piece for their newly minted “Special Projects” line, the SP One doesn’t just tell time — it levitates it.
Special Projects Begin
Launched in May 2025, the SP One inaugurates MB&F’s “Special Projects” collection — a space for experimentation, where legacy and madness collide in poetic engineering. While their Legacy Machines evoke nostalgia and their Horological Machines push the edge of futurism, the SP One dances somewhere in between: stripped down, surreal, and spellbinding.
Designer Eric Giroud, the longtime partner-in-vision for MB&F founder Max Büsser, referred to it as “Three Circles” in its earliest sketches — an homage to the visual purity of the movement’s layout.
Sketchbook to Showcase
“We started with balance, symmetry — and then asked, how can we make it float?”
— Eric Giroud
In a special section of this feature, we include a rare look at the original concept art and developmental sketches of the SP One. These visuals highlight the design journey: from hand-drawn forms suspended in white space to CAD renders mapping out the now-iconic amphitheater-like architecture.
The trio of “floating” elements — mainspring barrel, balance wheel, and the tilted time dial — appear as if they’re orbiting in open space. Each sketch captures a moment in that transformation.
What Floats Must Function
At just 38mm, the SP One is MB&F’s most compact watch to date, yet it’s arguably their most complex visual execution. Housed in a smooth, “pebble-shaped” case — either 18K rose gold or platinum 950 — the watch’s minimalism isn’t just aesthetic; it’s essential. Every line serves to elevate the illusion that the watch’s inner world hovers in its own gravity.
Beneath the sapphire dome beats the hand-wound SP One caliber, featuring 191 components and a 72-hour power reserve. The tilted time dial at 6 o’clock, powered by a conical gear system, adds functional clarity to the fantasy.
Luxury in Restraint
Despite its high-concept look, the SP One wears surprisingly light. Each model is paired with a calfskin leather strap — green for the rose gold, black for the platinum — giving the piece a muted elegance fit for daily wear or collectors’ reverence.
Priced at $76,000 (rose gold) and $82,000 (platinum), the SP One is aspirational yet accessible for true MB&F devotees. With limited availability, it will quickly find its way to those who appreciate its significance.
For more details on the MB&F SP One and their full collection, visit MB&F Official Website.
