MB&F HM5 CM CarbonMacrolon – The 1970s inspired Horological Machine is back in black (specs and price)

The Lamborghini Muira MB&F Horological Machine 5 or HM5 is back on the road. If you’re not too young or if you’re fond of an era that could seem very strange to teenagers (yes, we’re talking about the 1970s) the shape of the HM5 should be familiar to you. Apart from the steampunk-inspired Legacy Machine 101 recently revealed, the HM5 is based on one of Max Busser’s favorite theme, the futuristic-looking icons of the 1970’s. And the MB&F HM5 is now available in black. But don’t be wrong, it’s not just another PVD coated edition but a brand new and innovative material.

The MB&F HM5 was until now available in two editions: the first introduced with a Zirconium case and a second one with a Red Gold and Titanium case. Now the the 1970s inspired Horological Machine is back in black. Ok, you’ll expect just a new colour or maybe the use of a titanium PVD coated case. But that would underestimate Max and his friends. The black case is made with a new and innovative material called CarbonMacrolon, a dense black polycarbonate resin reinforced with carbon nanotubes (a highly complex material that can be found also in the Richard Mille RM 022). When a PVD treatment is likely to be scratched and revealed the raw material beneath it, this new material is s black right through, so there are no surface coatings to scratch off. Then, it can be polished and finished like steel and its hardness is comparable to steel.

No clue however about the weight but it should be lighter than metals. Just remember that the MB&F HM5 is not what we can call a small watch, with its 51.5mm x 49mm x 22.5mm. However, it’s comfortable and balanced on the wrist. Concerning the colour, we think it’s just the way it should have been from the beginning. The black case fits perfectly the overall spirit and idea. Something that we’ll have to confirm on the wrist, but from now, the photos are really encouraging. Another minor update concerns the rotor that is now coated with an iridescent purple colour.

For the rest the new Black CarbonMacrolon edition is still a MB&F HM5. We found the same unusual and very cool display, achieved with rotating discs located on the top of the movement (horizontally mounted) and reflected vertically with the help of a sapphire crystal reflective prism. The hours are indicated by a jumping disc and the minutes through a classical running one. The jumping hours are bi-directional, enabling the time to be easily set both forwards and backwards. The movement is still based on a Girard-Perregaux’s gear train (the GP3300 to be precise, used for example in the HM3 or in the GP 1966).

The construction of the case is complex. The movement is held in an internal waterproof container, that fits inside the outer case. In case the watch gets wet, just open those so-cool louvres on the top (that also bring some light on the discs filled with luminous material) that are, without any restraints from the creator, a pure 1970s inspiration.

The MB&F HM5 CM CarbonMacrolon is a limited edition of 66 pieces and priced at 58.000 CHF. More infos on MB&F official website.