Man’s Horological Best Friend: The MB&F Horological Machine No. 10 “Bulldog”

For collectors looking for something truly out of the ordinary, Max Büsser and his venerable brand, MB&F, has you covered. MB&F has been producing amazing designs that reimagine what a watch can be since the brand’s founding in 2005. While many of Büsser’s designs drift into the realm of artistic expression, the Horological Machine collection is where he really tests the limits on watch design. Each and every one of the ten plus Horological Machine models have become highly sought after collectors pieces, including the HM10 seen here which draws its inspiration from man’s best friend.

History

In 2007, just a few years after MB&F’s founding, the brand launched the avant-garde, design-focused Horological Machine line. The collection is very mechanical in nature with designs that often draw inspiration from organic forms and the natural world. Büsser has also gone a little wild here as well though, sometimes venturing into the realm of science fiction and beyond. The most recent designs (like the new-for-2023 HM11 Architect) are a blend of these two genres and the HM10 is no exception coming in somewhere between an English Bulldog and the Boston Dynamics robot “Spot”.

Design Details

The canine inspiration for the HM10 is undeniable. Looking at the watch head-on, you see the big blue eyes, with the bridge holding the balance wheel forming the muzzle lines that come down from the nose.

Büsser’s most literal and intentional interpretation of the bulldog, however, is more readily apparent to the wearer of the HM10. The watch is a full-bodied bulldog strapped to the owner’s wrist with articulating lugs for legs and studded crowns mimicking the classic leather dog collar. The sapphire “head” of the bulldog sits on the inside of the wrist and once you see it, it is hard not to marvel at the creativity of MB&F and Büsser himself.

The proverbial “cherry on top” of the bulldog design is one that can only be seen by the person wearing the watch. This would be the power reserve which is unlike any reserve indicator you’ve ever seen before. On the side of the watch, under the “eyes” of the bulldog (the two half-spheres that also display the time), is a set of toothy jaws which open and close acting as the watch’s power reserve. The movement is fully wound when the jaws are open and as the energy is spent, the jaws slowly close. It’s clever, it’s unique, and it’s exactly the sort of hidden Easter egg in the design that we’ve come to expect from Büsser.

Inner Workings

While the case design of the MB&F Horological Machine No. 10 “Bulldog” will undoubtedly get most of the attention, the internals of the watch are what really get this dog to do its tricks. The dual crowns sit at the top of the hind legs of the bulldog, with one for winding the movement and another for setting the time.

And the rest? Well, to power the odd-shaped HM10, MB&F clearly had to develop an in-house movement. One is necessary for all of MB&F’s timepieces, especially one with the brand’s signature floating balance wheel, as well as two separate spherical displays for the hours and minutes and, of course, the unique power reserve display discussed earlier. That’s even before you consider the geometry that all of the mechanicals are house in. The movement (or Machine as MB&F calls it) gives you a 45-hour power reserve while running at 2.5 Hz. Not the highest of frequencies, but one that settles into that sweet spot between accuracy and a longer power reserve.

Versus The Competition

If you are looking for something similar to the HM10, you might have a difficult time finding anything. The only real option would probably be another piece in MB&F’s own Horological Machine collection.

One of the pieces we really like, is one of the earlier Horological Machines, the MB&F HM2. The HM2 is where MB&F first began splitting hours and minutes into separate displays (something we see throughout subsequent designs). While modern eyes might liken the design aesthetic to a cassette tape, the brand points to 1950s space station concepts as the inspiration.

On the other hand, if you were committed to finding something other than MB&F, we might suggest a piece from URWERK, such as the URWERK UR-100V T-Rex. Things are a bit more organic, with the heavily textured case taking on the look of dinosaur skin. The most obvious parallel between this and the MB&F would be the rather unique – and split – manner of displaying the time. Your hours are indicated on the tri-hand, while also pointing out the minutes on the retrograde scale.

Personality

So, who exactly is a watch like the MB&F Horological Machine No. 10 “Bulldog” for? Clearly the owner needs to be a dog person (as opposed to a cat person), but all joking aside, the HM10 is for someone that wants a watch that blends both artistic style with serious independent engineering.

Final Thoughts

Given the price of the HM10 “Bulldog”, one might be tempted to keep it in a safe and only bring it out for special occasions. In our opinion, though, that would be a disservice to the watch. Yes, you’ll want to watch out for door frames with the large, domed sapphire crystal, but that’s a detail. Watches are, at their core, mechanical tools that are meant to be worn. Past that, the design here puts the watch firmly into the realm of boundary-pushing architecture or art – both of which are meant to be on display. This is a dog that needs to roam!

See More of the MB&F Horological Machine No. 10 “Bulldog” Titanium