Three watches for people who think differently – like, say, Elon Musk
MB&F, Urwerk and HYT offer up timepieces that are as innovative, creative and technically brilliant as they are bonkers
If the average person spends well over 200,000 hours of their life sleeping, how many hours do you think we spend aimlessly browsing Wikipedia? The answer to that question isn’t on Wikipedia, by the way. I was left pondering it after one of my regular deep dives the other day, on this occasion to read about billionaire mad scientist Elon Musk.
I’ve got to admit, I find Musk fascinating, even though he comes across as an oddball, and really he’s obsessing too much about colonising other planets when perhaps he should help to save this one. So what did I find out on the Musk trail? Well, did you know that Robert Downey Jnr’s Tony Stark was partially based on Musk? And, did you know that Musk’s lusty hair is a result of implants? Solid nuggets of info there to impress your friends with.
Anyway, I could go on about Musk and his oddness but I should get to the watches, so this week we’re going to look at some wacky timepieces as a tribute to those, like ol’ Elon, who think a bit differently about the world.
If ever there were a Musk-like figure in the watch business then that man would be Max Büsser, the founder of MB&F, who similarly possesses imagination and creativity but unlike Musk is immensely likeable and a much snappier dresser. I think Büsser’s hair is real, too.
MB&F is at the bleeding edge of horology and the company has almost created a category on its own – collectible, collaborative mechanical art timepieces. MB&F watches are all about challenging how we present time and that mantra informs the alien-looking HM7 Aquapod Platinum Red. Created in collaboration with celebrated watchmaker Eric Giroud, the HM7 is an eye-catching riot of dials, colour and creative thinking. The domed glass is inspired by jellyfish and the red is a nod to the colour most prevalent as you go deep into the ocean. The dome also means that the time indication, via two marked rings, appears to float inside the glass and the eye is drawn to the flying tourbillon at the centre, adding more three-dimensional drama to proceedings.
