Swiss luxury watchmaker MB&F turned to the world of auto racing for its newest high design and technically advanced watch creation. The Horological Machine Number 8 (HM8) takes its inspiration from the Can-Am racing series, which would have celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016.
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup was a sports car racing series held from 1966 to 1987. Bruce McLaren developed his first car for the Can-Am series; Lola, Chaparral, BRM, Shadow and Porsche all had manufacturing teams. Class restrictions in the Can-Am were minimal and allowed for unlimited engine sizes, turbocharging, supercharging and basically unrestricted aerodynamics.
The case design of the HM8 Can-Am is both curvaceous and angular with dual optical prisms vertically displaying bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes. The battle-axe winding rotor (a distinct feature of MB&F watches) is visible on top.
The most notable design feature is two titanium bars that run across the front of the watch that mimics a racing car’s roll bars. The back of the case reveals another automotive inspired design detail, dual “oil sumps.”
The HM8 Can-Am is powered by an in-house developed bi-directional jumping hour and trailing minute indication module on a Girard-Perregaux base movement (or engine as the company refers to it). The movement, with a 42 hour power reserve, is in full view from the top.
The bi-directional jumping hour and trailing minute displays on HM8 use overlapping discs (one for the hours, one for the minutes), completely covered in Super-LumiNova. The effect of large numerals is created by masking all of the “lumen,” with the exception of the numbers.
The visual aspect of being able to see the numbers is further enhanced by using separate sapphire crystal prisms for the hour and minute displays so light is reflected (and reversed) from the horizontal indications to the vertical rather than refracted (bent), the company says. A convex lens on the front provides magnification.
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