Hot Take: The New MB&F SP One Is Classic MB&F Yet Anything But
What happens when one of horology’s most radical voices tries its hand at something classically elegant? You get the MB&F SP One. At just 38mm across and 12mm thick, it’s the smallest and slimmest watch the brand has ever made. But don’t let that fool you. This might be a more compact, dress-watch-adjacent MB&F, but it’s still a stage for theatrical mechanics and levitating design in true MB&F style.
Originally nicknamed “Three Circles,” the SP One centers around a trio of floating components — the mainspring barrel, the balance wheel, and the brand’s signature tilted dial. All sit within a domed sapphire pebble-like case, creating a sense of weightlessness and symmetry that turns the wrist into a miniature arena. Thanks to some clever engineering and nearly invisible architecture, each element shares the same diameter and appears to hover in mid-air. The result is a deeply three-dimensional watch that feels both serene and technically complex.
The concept dates back to a crude sketch MB&F founder Max Büsser drew in 2018, showing a trio of circles resembling a robotic smiley face. This idea, like many at MB&F, was tossed into the brand’s “special projects” basket, where it stayed dormant until the COVID pandemic triggered a creative rethink. With the world slowing down, MB&F plunged into its archive of half-finished concepts and passion projects. That same creative pause gave rise to the wildly successful M.A.D.1. Now it brings us the SP One. Thankfully, the “F” of MB&F could translate this sketch into something tangible. I saw the sketch before the final photos of the watch, and honestly, I had no idea what to expect.
Launching a new category of MB&F watches with the SP One
This SP One marks the launch of a new product category for the brand — Special Projects. These are not Horological Machines or Legacy Machines but, rather, something in between. They are whimsical, expressive, and a bit harder to define. Think of them as concept cars for the wrist, albeit fully road legal. As with concept cars, we can probably expect concept prices too…
Despite its smaller size, the SP One is packed with MB&F’s signature DNA. The balance wheel is dramatically visible at 2 o’clock, oscillating like a miniature UFO. The conical gearing system allows the wearer to read the time off the signature tilted black sub-dial at 6. The domed sapphire crystals above and below offer a clear view of the entire amphitheater, while the bridges and screws sit cleverly tucked out of sight to preserve the illusion of levitation. The fewer visible components, the more powerful the effect.
The SP One design feels as good as it looks
The case itself is pure tactile satisfaction. Smooth and curved like a river pebble, it is a bezel-free monobloc form with elegantly detached lugs that rise from the base rather than jut from the sides. This soft-edged architecture gives the SP One a natural, almost organic vibe. While far removed from the steampunk drama of the Horological Machines, it is no less charismatic.
MB&F worked with long-time friend and collaborator Eric Giroud to refine the design through countless iterations and bring it to life. The in-house-developed movement features 191 components, a 72-hour power reserve, and immaculate manual finishing throughout. Every chaton, every angle, every surface has received the artisanal treatment. Two launch editions of the SP One are available — one in platinum with a sky-blue flange and another in rose gold with an anthracite surround. Both come equipped with calfskin straps and pin buckles in case-matching precious metals.
I’ll be honest: as beautiful as the open architecture is, it does mean you’ll see a lot of your wrist through those large domed sapphire crystals. Some collectors won’t mind, but I know it could be a turn-off for others. If you fall on the hairier end of the wrist spectrum, you might not love the idea of your rather expensive watch sharing visual real estate with a tangle of arm hair. In truth, it’s probably a minor concern for those lucky enough to buy one. Still, I can’t help thinking it might bug me a little. Or maybe this is just me trying to make myself feel better because I can’t afford one.
MB&F delivers elegance through surprise
In typical MB&F fashion, the SP One challenges the very idea of what a classic watch can be. It is elegant without being boring, minimal without being sterile, and technically intricate without overwhelming the wearer. After two decades of blowing minds, MB&F has delivered something that whispers instead of shouts. Somehow, that makes it even more compelling.
MB&F has once again delivered a genuinely unique and visually magnetic design. As with most full MB&F launches, these are unlikely to linger on the shelf for long. No production numbers were given, but I’d expect these watches to be pretty limited. The prices are surprisingly “affordable” for MB&F; however, they’re still not exactly impulse-buy material. Still, I’m happy to admire things I can’t afford. 18K rose gold with an anthracite flange retails for CHF 58,000 + VAT (USD 76,000 / EUR 64,000 + tax); Platinum 950 with a sky-blue flange retails for CHF 63,000 + VAT (USD 82,000 / EUR 69,000 + tax).
What do you think of the MB&F SP One? Let us know in the comments.
