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| Courtesy of MB&F |
This year's Only Watch auction promises to be something special. And although I am not in their demographic in terms of disposable income (educators are in it for the love, not the money), I am a fan for sur!
But beyond technical prowess, this year's effort solidified my belief in the power of fun!
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| Courtesy of MB&F |
Now usually, when the designer gets revealed, it is a crusty old guy (not unlike this writer) in a heroic pose in front of impossibly complicated devices and machinery. Allow me to introduce you to the artist behind this collaborative piece -
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| Courtesy of MB&F |
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Cassandra
Legendre is a 15-year-old student in Madrid, Spain with mixed French and Swiss
parentage. Since the age of five, she has been trained in classical ballet and
is currently enrolled in Victor Ullate Escuela, founded by the dancer that
Maurice Béjart called one of the most complete ballet dancers of the 20th
century.
Although Legendre’s ultimate aim is to become a professional ballet
dancer, her art is also a strong part of her life. Her drawings form the main
part of her work, and are done completely freehand in black felt pen.
Apart from drawing and ballet, Legendre is also passionate about a wide
range of film genres and is particularly interested in the dialogue aspects of
screenwriting.
And because I think that MB&F went way above and beyond with this effort, here is the rest of the release in their own words -
HOROLOGICAL MACHINE N°8 “ONLY WATCH”
DRIVING SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN LIVING WITH DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
The biennial Only Watch auction, widely recognised as the world’s most
high-profile charity watch event, returns in 2017. For the fourth time, MB&F
is contributing a unique edition of one of their Machines to Only Watch, to be
sold in aid of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder characterised by
progressive muscle degeneration primarily affecting young boys.
The base of this pièce unique
is Horological Machine N°8, an automotive-inspired creation that takes design
cues from the legendary high-octane Can-Am race. Engraved and metallised on the
sapphire crystal pane that surmounts the HM8 engine is a whimsical drawing
created by 15-year-old Cassandra Legendre. A student currently living in
Madrid, Legendre’s primary method of artistic expression is ballet, but she also
produces remarkable drawings in her spare time. As an exception for MB&F’s
contribution to Only Watch, Legendre and her family agreed to this one-off
participation to strengthen the message of HM8 Only Watch — a child creating
something to help children who have been denied many of the dreams and
opportunities of childhood.
Both intricate and simple, an approach that perfectly matches MB&F’s
sophisticated yet direct approach to watchmaking, the illustration captures
childhood objects of joy in a continuously drawn frame. Despite being in her mid-teens,
Legendre possesses the rare touch of communicating the perspectives of someone
much younger, perspectives that still retain much of the innocence and whimsy
that we lose as we grow up. Look closely at the drawing and you can spot a
robot, a jet plane, a toy car and a jellyfish, visual touchstones that
originate in the life and creations of MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, and
resonate with children everywhere. There are also elements of pure childlike
delight, such as the ice-cream cone, football, sunglasses and video game
controller.
These are items that evoke histories both personal and universal, which every
MB&F creation taps into with its design and message. The motif of unity and
connectedness is further brought out in the journey of Cassandra Legendre’s art
from initial sketch to its final form on HM8 Only Watch. According to Legendre,
the drawing started out as something to keep her occupied during a dull mathematics
lesson — a familiar youthful experience for many of us! — and was later
discovered through social media by Maximilian Büsser after her parents
encouraged her to upload her art to Facebook.
One of the elements in Legendre’s drawing is given particular prominence
in the HM8 Only Watch. The elephant, situated under the racing-inspired roll
bar closest to the minutes disc, is reproduced in three dimensions between the optical
prisms. Positioned on a tiny white-gold plinth, the micro-sculpture hand-crafted
by Oliver Kuhn is a striking allusion to the majestic beast that occupies large
swathes of children’s literature from Kipling to Disney. For those suffering
from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or indeed any serious health condition, the
elephant’s status as an endangered animal under siege and facing an uncertain
future holds particular significance and relevance. The elephant is made of
white gold and took 120 hours to complete, with its trunk tucked in and ears
pulled back in a peaceful pose. Particular care and attention was paid to
details such as the tusks, which measure 0.2mm in diameter at their finest
point, and the eyes, measuring 0.18mm in diameter.
Where previously there was a double-screwed plate engraved with the
MB&F logo, the HM8 Only Watch has a white-gold disc depicting a happy face,
or smiley, with the two screws now forming its eyes. It is the ultimate symbol
of the childlike perspective that Legendre brings to Horological Machine N°8
Only Watch, which is also found in all those who feel aligned with the creative
drive of MB&F.
HM8 ONLY WATCH : TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
Distinctive
feature:
This pièce unique HM8 in white gold and
titanium features a sapphire crystal engraved with a drawing created by 15-year
old Cassandra Legendre, along with a miniature white gold elephant sculpture
standing between the hours and minutes.
Engine
Three-dimensional engine conceived and developed by MB&F from a
Girard-Perregaux base calibre
Automatic battle-axe winding rotor in 22k gold with purple PVD
Power reserve: 42 hours
Balance frequency: 28,800bph / 4Hz
Number of components: 251
Number of jewels: 30
Functions/indications
Bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes displayed by two
optical prisms that both reflect and magnify
Case
Material: 18K white gold and grade 5 titanium
Dimensions: 49 mm x 51.5 mm x 19 mm
Number of components: 60 components
Water resistance: 30 m / 90' / 3 atm
Sapphire
crystals
All sapphire crystals – front, back, top, bottom – treated with
anti-reflective coating on both faces. Top plate metallised and laser engraved
with a drawing.
Strap &
buckle
Black hand-stitched alligator strap with white gold folding buckle.
