Horological Machine No4 by MB F Thunderbolt – Thunderbolt In Action

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Here it comes, the most anticipated watch on the planet – Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt by MB&F, going to cost $158,000 when available later this year.

Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt by MB&F the one and only in the world is the aviation-inspired timepiece. This svelte aerodynamic form of the HM No4 by MB&F’s envelope made of titanium and sapphire has its roots in Maximilian Büsser’s childhood passion for assembling model plane kits with the watches.

The wonderful transparent sapphire section of the case required more then 100 hours of polishing and machining to create a complex, exquisitely curved panel allowing the light to come in and the beauty of the Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt engine to stand out.

The engine itself is a masterpiece, taking over 3 years to develop, consisting of 311 parts – including the regulator and even the screws. Converting power from a horizontal dual mainspring barrel to two vertically oriented gear trains it displays on the dials. Nevertheless the main sapphire plate costs more than the entire engine of the HM2.

In reality MB&F Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt has all the usual watch components: a hand for the hours, a hand for the minutes and a power reserve indicator. But still MB&F Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt is not a traditional wristwatch.

The Thunderbolt watch consists of two dials sitting side-by-side. One displays the hours and minutes (read as a plane’s speedometer), and the other displays the engine’s power reserve (aka the plane’s fuel levels). Both dials are displayed at the end of a turbine like pod, opposite individual crowns. This means one crown is for setting the time, the other is for winding the engine. Neither would, nor could, exist without each other, dials are so transcendental that are able stand alone as a work of art.

Every component of the Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt by MB&F and form has a technical purpose; every line and curve brings the poetic harmony to the timepiece.

Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt technical characteristics:

• Case size: 54mm wide x 52mm long x 24mm high
• Case material: grade 5 titanium and sapphire
• Movement: manual winding with two mainspring barrels in parallel, three-dimensional horological engine developed 100% by MB&F
• Power reserve: 72 hours
• Number of jewels: 50
• Functions: hours, minutes and power reserve indicator
• Crystals: five sapphire crystals: 2 x dials, 1 x central case section, 2 x display panels (top and bottom)
• Strap: black hand-stitched calfskin strap with titanium/white gold custom designed deployment buckle attached to articulated lugs

So now with MB&F it became possible to combine heaven with earth. But we wish you to stay in quality flight for such interesting things like Horological Machine No4 Thunderbolt all the time!