MB&F Introduces a Diamond-set Version of the SP One Pavée

In 2025, MB&F introduced its most sophisticated 38mm watch to date, SP One. The avant-garde brand, known for its unconventional design, presented SP One as its take on an elegant dress watch. This year, MB&F reveals a diamond-set version of the SP One Pavée. 

The MB&F SP One, initially dubbed "Three Circles", showcases a trinity of floating elements – the barrel, balance wheel, and dial – defying gravity on your wrist. These components appear to hover mysteriously at the centre of an amphitheatre, all visible through invisible sapphire domes, with the balance wheel performing a mid-air dance and the tilted dial highlighting MB&F’s clever conical gearing. SP One is a mechanical marvel that turns your wrist into a stage for a captivating, gravity-defying performance. Encased in a 38mm pebble-like shell, SP One melds a smooth, tactile feel with a bezel-free design and delicately detached lugs. As MB&F’s slimmest and smallest watch, it nonetheless remains true to the brand’s signature three-dimensional architecture and boundary-pushing spirit. Somewhere between MB&F’s radical Horological Machines and more classic Legacy Machines, SP One inaugurates a new, undefinable “Special Projects” collection. 

In 2026, SP One Pavée explores another expression of this same philosophy, now crafted in 18 ct white gold. Rather than altering the watch's architecture, the delicate diamond setting follows the curves of the amphitheatre, case, crown, and buckle, enhancing their smooth, sculptural presence with light, framing the floating movement. The tilted hour dial trades the black finish of the previous versions for dark blue. Far from overwhelming the design, the 255 diamonds simply reveal another facet of SP One: one that is more precious, yet just as restrained, preserving the quiet elegance and sense of balance that define the collection. To understand how such an unconventional project came to life, we need to go back to where it all began. 

The Origin Story

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During the Covid-19 pandemic, the team at MB&F decided it was important to dive into a basket of fun, dormant projects that had been on the back burner for years. The M.A.D.1 was one example of these whimsical ventures: initially planned to be a playful experiment to thank friends and family, it turned out to be a runaway success. The following years were tinged with more success, marked by new releases, a collection of prestigious GPHG awards. For Maximilian Büsser, founder and creative director of MB&F, success can be toxic, breeding complacency and stifling innovation. Instead of succumbing to these pitfalls, the team ramped up their creativity and plunged their hands deeper in the basket of dormant projects. This led to a surprising revelation that the unexpected can indeed work wonders. This embodies the spirit of MB&F, going against the grain and revelling in the unconventional.

This basket, brimming with special projects, resulted in SP One. The project pushed the brand to create a watch that no one expected – a classic dress watch. The first sketch depicted three circles resembling a smiley face. The concept stemmed from this idea of a trinity: the barrel, the balance wheel, and the dial suspended in the case itself levitating on the wrist. Even in the early sketches, the idea was to craft a watch that whispered sophistication instead of shouting for attention. It needed to be subtly elegant, with a classic flair that set it apart from the usual MB&F boldness, while keeping the brand’s roots alive. In other words, a hard-to-reach equilibrium. 

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This initial sketch was then refined and reworked with the help of famous watch designer and longtime MB&F Friend Eric Giroud. Once the concept seemed right, it was time for the engineers to take over, sketching and mapping the entire project with precision. 

A Gravity-Defying Movement

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Initially code‑named “Three Circles”, the SP One movement is crafted around the three key elements of any mechanical watch: the barrel, the balance wheel, and the dial. Each component isn’t just there for show; they’re meant to feel like they’re floating in mid‑air. Thanks to sapphire glass on both the front and back, these elements appear to defy gravity. Yet it’s the thoughtful architecture of the movement that truly enhances this captivating levitation effect, creating a striking visual experience. Embracing the “less is more” mantra, the bridges are practically invisible, with most components cleverly hidden beneath the three key elements, letting their beauty take centre stage. The fewer bridges, screws, and wheels, the better — spotting a screw from the front is like searching for a needle in a haystack, amplifying that stunning levitating effect.

Visually, the three elements share identical circumferences, adding complexity to the movement’s design. The single‑barrel architecture is elegantly suspended, presenting a genuine challenge for the designers while heightening the levitation effect. The balance wheel oscillates at 2 o’clock, captivating the eye like a flying saucer. In Max Büsser’s imaginative world, everything seems to float, and the dial follows suit. Tilted just right to highlight MB&F’s expertise in conical gearing, this rare feature adds a wonderfully subtle three‑dimensional flair that’s as intriguing as it is discreet. Despite its technical complexity, the architecture reveals a simple and unique structure that makes understanding how a mechanical watch functions surprisingly straightforward.

Surrounding the movement is a beautifully bevelled flange that channels the grandeur of Greco‑Roman theatres, spotlighting the intricacies of the mechanism like a gladiator in the arena — what Max playfully dubs the “amphitheatre”. Flipping the SP One over reveals the other side of this arena, showcasing meticulous hand finishing and artisanal craftsmanship, hallmarks of MB&F’s philosophy. Beyond the desire to surprise and take risks, it is the attention to detail that reveals the family ties: wheels hand‑angled, prominent chatons, and finishes balanced between satin, polished, and micro‑blasted surfaces. SP One embodies finesse and elegance while preserving classic codes, unmistakably carrying the MB&F touch.

A Unique Pebble Case

Beyond the unconventional construction of the movement and traditional hand-finishing, the pebble case design further sets SP One apart. Despite being thin, this watch paradoxically boasts a three-dimensional presence. Imagine holding a perfectly smooth pebble, polished by years in a riverbed: that's the feel of SP One. Its 38mm case, sleek like a spaceship and bezel-free, features sapphire glass that seamlessly blends front and back with the case. This design gives the watch a captivating floating effect also emphasized by its cleverly crafted lugs. A closer look reveals that they’re not directly attached to the upper case; instead, they rise elegantly from the lower case, creating a subtle yet distinct gap between each hand-polished lug and the upper section. 

Overall, SP One is as smooth to the touch as it looks, inviting you to run your fingers over its curves. It’s like a tiny UFO landed on your wrist, blending an unconventional design with an organic, tactile sensation. While SP One is MB&F's thinnest watch, it's not about competing for the title of the slimmest watch in the world. Instead, it embodies a harmonious balance in design and proportions, prioritizing elegance and artistry over mere thinness to achieve true equilibrium. The term "equilibrium" perfectly captures the essence of this Special Project. It breaks conventions while staying true to the brand's core identity and traditional craftsmanship, all the while exploring new avenues. In essence, a classical MB&F that has nothing classical about it.

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