MB&F Showcases its Technical Prowess with the New HM8 Mark 2 Variants

The latest collection draws inspiration from rather more contemporary spider-type sports cars.
MB&F Showcases its Technical Prowess with the New HM8 Mark 2 Variants
June 14, 2023
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MB&F Showcases its Technical Prowess with the New HM8 Mark 2 Variants

As all watch and car enthusiasts would know, two industries, namely horology and automobiles, are intimately connected. Watch geeks and petrolheads share a lifelong passion for complicated engineering and fine aesthetics. MB&F understands this bond and has thus released two new HM8 Mark 2 variants. One of the releases is a 33-piece limited-edition watch with titanium and green CarbonMacrolon® body panel while the non-limited edition novelty has a titanium and white CarbonMacrolon® body panel. This collection truly honours the legacy of the series that was first launched in 2012 with HM5 and draws inspiration from the Canadian-American Racing Championship for its design.

The new MB&F HM8 Mark 2 looks fast even when it's not moving, just like any good car-inspired watch should.

In 2016, MB&F released the first HM8, a 49 mm timepiece that came either in a white gold titanium case or in a pink gold titanium one. The case of the model was more angular and incorporated two roll bars on the front. The movement of this variant was based on the Girard-Perregaux 3000 series movement, offering a 42-hour power reserve. 

Instead of the Can-Am inspired chrome "roll bars" and white gold or rose gold case of the HM8, the case has been reimagined in a new material developed for MB&F called CarbonMacrolon®, a composite material composed of a polymer matrix injected with carbon nanotubes.

As far as the 2023 edition of the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 is concerned, each timepiece comes in a 47 mm titanium case either in a typical British racing-inspired green or a white colour tone; both versions are crafted from the CarbonMacrolon® material. The construction of the case follows in the footsteps of HM5, where the body panels are attached to the chassis. So, what exactly is CarbonMacrolon®? Developed by the luxury timepiece maker, this is a material made from polymer matrix injected with carbon nanotubes to add more strength and rigidity. These nanotubes offer more stiffness than traditional carbon fibre. The crown, made by Switzerland-based company Boninchi SA, has a double de-clutch system and it works by pushing the crown inside and then turning it to release.

MB&F says that creating this double-domed sapphire to match the case is 30 to 40 times more expensive than a dome sapphire and the process has a high risk of failure, especially right at the end of its construction.

The watch has sapphire crystals on top, back and front and comes with an anti-reflective coating, whose inspiration comes from the Zagato double bubble. The pair of discs projects numerals through prisms; here the hour indicator swiftly jumps on the top of each hour while the minutes progress seamlessly. On top of the sapphire lies a spinning rotor. The white version is paired with a green CVD rotor and light green minute markers while the British racing green version comes with a red gold rotor, a balance wheel and turquoise minute markers.

The display is what you've come to know – an old-style speedometer but using jumping hour and trailing minutes show with a prism on the side of the case.

Powering each watch is a Girard-Perregaux base calibre, a three-dimensional horological engine, with an automatic winding mechanism, offering  42 hours of power reserve. Turning each watch over showcases the titanium caseback with sapphire crystals. Each watch is finished on a calfskin strap — white for the British green model and green for the white model, with a titanium tang buckle.

Image Credits: MB&F

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