MB&F has presented the HM11 Art Deco, the latest interpretation of the brand’s architecture-inspired timepiece.
While the original HM11 Architect, released in 2023, drew inspiration from the organic, neo-futuristic architecture of the 1960s and ’70s, the 2025 HM11 is revisited through the lens of 1930s Art Deco.
The key idea of the original HM11 Architect was the transformation of the watch case into a miniature home, with four symmetrical rooms radiating from a central atrium, crowned by a flying tourbillon under a sapphire-crystal roof.
Each room had a function – time display, power reserve, mechanical thermometer, and time-setting module – and the entire case could rotate to align any room toward the wearer.
The new Art Deco is more a city in miniature than a house, representing typical elements of the Art Deco movement.
On the dial side, radiating “sunbeam” motifs (partially skeletonised for legibility) replace the original conical rods, while two-tone rings and period-inspired typography define the displays.
The hands feature a red stained-glass effect thanks to translucent enamel.
The bridges rise in more vertical, architectural forms reminiscent of ornamental stonework, and the roof’s grooved profiles echo the stepped silhouettes of skyscrapers like the Chrysler Building.
Even the crown gains subtle steps, recalling layered poster art. Put together, these modifications reinforce a sense of upward momentum: an Art Deco skyline.
The in-house manual movement drives the central flying tourbillon, which is built around bevel gears and beats at a frequency of 2.5Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour).
Each 45° turn of the case delivers 72 minutes of winding, with ten complete turns producing the full autonomy of four days (96 hours).
The MB&F HM11 Art Deco is crafted in two editions of 10 pieces each, totalling 20 pieces for MB&F’s 20th Anniversary. Both are housed in Grade 5 titanium cases measuring 42 mm in diameter.
The first edition features a blue dial plate with 3N yellow-gold-toned bridges, paired with a white lizard strap; the other combines a green dial plate with 5N rose-gold-toned bridges, on a beige lizard strap.
The retail price of either edition is CHF 198,000 + VAT. mbandf.com
