Haute horology powerhouse's H. Moser & Cie and MB&F make some noise for Only Watch with Streamliner Pandamonium..
Maximilian Büsser and Edouard Meylan have collaborated for a second time for the Only Watch charity auction organised to raise funds for the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy, co-creating an exceptional one-off piece dedicated to music. Baptised the H. Moser X MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium, it features a minute repeater complication led by a miniature DJing panda, a creature that has become the signature of the Only Watch creations by MB&F.
At the heart of the Streamliner’s case is a three-dimensional movement that has been developed specifically and exclusively for Only Watch. It will not be used in any other models. Acoustically captivating and visually enticing, the minute repeater mechanism can be seen on the fumé dial in a brandnew colourway. Stripped of logos and indices, this dial illustrates the minimalist philosophy of H. Moser & Cie. and showcases the large suspended balance wheel characteristic of MB&F. With this creation, MB&F and H. Moser & Cie. deliver a masterful mix of their DNAs, rhythmically punctuated with signature elements from each of the two brands. With its rare poetic sophistication, this watch is the height of technical excellence.
For this second collaboration, just as in 2020, the worlds of the two brands collide, working together for the enrichment of both. For a single one-off piece, MB&F and H. Moser & Cie. move to the same tempo, inviting the public to enjoy an artistic performance dedicated to showcas - ing sound. To get the audience buzzing and give Only Watch the maximum possible resonance, the two brands decided to create a minute repeater. Returning to the very essence of this complication, they positioned the com - plex chime mechanism on the dial, allowing the pas - sage of time to be heard whilst the choreography of the hammers and gongs can be simultaneously admired.
This ever-moving stage is further animated by the dial, which has been stripped of logos and indi - ces and features a brand-new colourway, Aquamarine fumé. Continuing in this minimalist spirit, so emblem - atic of H. Moser & Cie., the hours and minutes are dis - played directly on the dial via subtly elegant small leaf-shaped hands at 2 o’clock.
Miniature DJ panda Baptised the H. Moser X MB&F Streamliner Pandamonium, this creation refers to the literary cap - ital of hell, Pandemonium – a term which also describes a situation of wild and noisy disorder or confusion. The letter “a” which replaces the “e” is a nod to the minia - ture panda sculpture that adorns its dial, a creature that has become the signature of the MB&F world, as Max Büsser explains:
“Each Only Watch creation is an opportunity for MB&F to see things through the eyes of the children, more specifically those suffering from muscular dystrophy. Our original panda was created as an allegory for Only Watch 2011, and returned in 2021, before now making its third appearance in 2023. This time, it is an invitation to immerse yourself in the world of music and lose all touch with reality for just a few beats”.
For both MB&F and H. Moser & Cie., the notion of pleasure is essential. In life as in watchmaking, hav - ing fun and cultivating the inner child is key. This state of mind comes through in this little DJ panda, made from white gold and sculpted and decorated entirely by hand. Placed alongside the hammers, it seems to be mixing the soundtrack to the meeting between MB&F and H. Moser & Cie. Its turntables are fitted on the axis of the hammers and are driven by the rotation of the mechanism as it operates.
At a height of just 5 .35 mm, this miniature took countless hours of precision work to create, from the design and development phase, to modelling then manufacturing, followed by time at the hands of the engraver, then the jeweller for the final polishing – not forgetting the meticulous painting. This was a true technical and artistic feat due to the tiny scale of its elements, such as the muzzle, which mea - sures 0 .99 mm, or the turntables, featuring a paw print, with an outer diameter of 1 .75 mm and measuring just 0 .35 mm thick.
Taken from the Legacy Machine range, a large sus - pended balance wheel occupies centre stage. This beating heart represents the very essence of watch - making in the eyes of Max Büsser, and features a dou - ble hairspring produced by Precision Engineering AG, H. Moser & Cie.’s sister company. Thanks to this pair of perfectly matched hairsprings, the movement of the point of gravity on each spring when it expands is cor - rected, significantly improving accuracy and isochro - nism in continual pursuit of perfection. In addition, the paired hairsprings also reduce the effect of friction normally experienced with a single hairspring, improv - ing isochronism. Hypnotic in its movements, this bal - ance wheel posed an additional challenge as the gongs had to be bent in two places to allow them to pass over the balance wheel bridge. Occupying three dimensions, the shaped gongs feature a flat coil and an upper coil, positioned one on top of the other.
Driving this exceptional creation is the three-dimen - sional hand-wound HMC 906 calibre, which has been partially skeletonised to allow certain key components of the mechanism to be admired. As it was not possi - ble to case up this movement from underneath, as it usually would be, the assembly concept had to be redesigned. To be able to integrate the calibre from the top of the case, a removable bezel was created. In addition to the fact that it opens up the required access, it also makes the case larger, which is beneficial for the sound. Beating at 18 ,000 vibrations/hour, the calibre HMC 906 guarantees a minimum power reserve of 54 hours. It features highly contemporary finishes, with anthracite grey rhodium-plating on the bridges and the main plate, and the famous horizontal double Moser stripes.
