The New Diamond-Set MB&F SP One Pavée

While it may be the smallest, slimmest and ultimately most wearable timepiece to hail from MB&F, the Special Project One carries its three-dimensional genetic heritage with pride. Launched last year, the SP One belongs to MB&F’s Special Projects line, a repository of dormant projects sketched over the years that might or might not see the light of day. Max Büsser’s ‘Three Circles’ sketch of 2018, composed of three floating elements, was eventually dusted off and developed with designer Eric Giroud to become the inaugural SP One model. Today, MB&F introduces a glamorous yet serene diamond-set version: the SP One Pavée.

Like so many MB&F creations, the SP One (Special Project One) started with a hypothetical question. In this case, Max Büssser wondered what an elegant, classical – and highly unexpected – watch interpreted in MB&F codes would look like and sketched his ideas on paper. Taking advantage of the unexpected downtime courtesy of the pandemic, MB&F’s team decided to review dormant projects cast aside for a rainy day. Sure enough, among the wild flights of fantasy and random designs for skateboards and razors were some genuine nuggets, including Büsser’s “Three Circles” sketch. Roughly drawn, Büsser’s three circles containing the barrel, the balance wheel and the dial levitating in mid-air were then refined and reworked with designer and longtime ‘Friend’ Eric Giroud before being consigned to the engineers.

The second chapter of the SP One retains the elegant, gravity-defying display of the inaugural editions but highlights the watch’s architecture with diamonds. However, unlike many diamond-encrusted timepieces, the SP One Pavée steers well clear of bling with a tasteful – dare we say ‘subtle’ – setting of 255 diamonds designed to highlight the fluid curves of the case and surround the floating movement with light. Using a pavé diamond setting along the curved flange and case flanks, the stones sit close together to create a smooth, unobtrusive paved effect.

The SP One’s rounded 38mm white gold pebble-like case is reminiscent of a tiny UFO. With no bezel, which is a traditional place for setting diamonds, MB&F has selected the internal flange to set the diamonds. Described as an ‘amphitheatre’, the 55 brilliant-cut diamonds set in the flange frame the floating mechanical architecture and illuminate the scenery with a gentle sparkle. The double row of 165 pavé-set diamonds on the side of the case emphasises its rotundity, while 14 more stones highlight the crown at 10 o’clock. The white gold pin buckle also features a double row of 21 diamonds.

Protected by an ultra-domed sapphire crystal, which accounts for the 12mm height, the three mechanical elements of the watch seem suspended mid-air. With many components hidden beneath the three elements, the illusion of levitation is achieved. Sharing the same circumference, the oversized 2.5Hz balance wheel oscillates at 2 o’clock, the skeletonised single mainspring barrel unwinds at 10 o’clock to reveal the status of the 72-hour power reserve, and the time is displayed on the tilted sub-dial at 6 o’clock. The new diamond-set version features a dark blue background with applied and polished indices and openworked hands.

The backstage offers a view of the mechanics powering the floating displays. With its Y-shaped bridge layout, the manual-winding movement reveals the complex gear train and conical gearing responsible for the dial-side show. Impeccably finished with hand-angled wheels, bevelled and polished angles and prominent gold chatons, the bridges have a rhodium finish, and the movement features contemporary micro-blasted surfaces.

The hand-polished lugs with brushed tips secure the light-blue calfskin strap. The MB&F SP One Pavée retails for CHF 78,000 or EUR 85,000 (excl. taxes). More information at mbandf.com.