Continuing with their interesting collaborations for what they refer to as the 'Performance Art Collection', MB&F released a new HMX —Horological Machine 10— in collaboration with the founder of ‘Black Badger’, James Thompson this Baselworld 2016. Like MB&F, Thompson is a creative mind very well known for his luminescent creations. Thompson mills three-dimensional objects out of blocks of luminous material. During the thought process, Thompson has reinterpreted two MB&F Machines: the HMX we are presenting you here —first launched in 2015 for MB&F’s 10th Anniversary—, and the Starfleet Machine —MB&F’s first table clock— which we will bring you later this week. For the new MB&F HMX Black Badger, Thompson redesigned the “rocker cover” of HMX’s Engine, visible under the supercar-like sapphire crystal cover, milled from his signature solid blocks of three different brightly colored, high-efficiency lume. Available in Radar Green, Phantom Blue and Purple Reign, the long-lasting glow emitted by the high efficiency lume irradiates the HMX Engine compartment in an ethereal bath of light.

The new MB&F HMX Black Badger displays bi-directional jumping hours and trailing minutes. Light streaming through the transparent Engine cover both illuminates the top of HMX’s Engine by day, and by night the brightly glowing lume provides its own colorful backlight to the time display.

The new Baselworld 2016 MB&F HMX Black Badger is available in a limited edition of 18 pieces for each color and cased in a grade 5 titanium and stainless steel satin brush finished case with lume in Radar Green, Phantom Blue, or Purple Reign. The watches are fitted with partially perforated calfskin straps with a color layer under the perforations that matches the color of the watch. The straps are equipped with satin brushed titanium pin buckles.

While most watch enthusiasts are likely to be familiar with lume in the form of Super-LumiNova-enhanced hands and markers, that substance is quite different to the luminous material exclusive to Black Badger and utilized by him. While Super-LumiNova is a liquid that is applied to surfaces and dries, Black Badger’s lume comes in solid blocks that are milled by hand or machine into the desired shape. Not only is Black Badger’s lume extremely efficient at storing and releasing light, being solid means that there is usually more of it, so that it shines brighter for longer.

Powering the new MB&F HMX Black Badger is the three-dimensional automatic horological engine composed of a bi-directional jumping hour and trailing minutes module developed in-house by MB&F andpowered by a Sellita gear train. The movement composed of 223 parts features a 22K gold oscillating weight and 29 jewels. The balance wheel beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph providing a power reserve of 42 hours when the watch is fully wound. The jumping hours and trailing minutes are displayed by dual reflective sapphire crystal prisms with integrated magnifying lens.

On the wrist, the watch wears true to its size and quite comfortably. This new collaboration between MB&F and James Thompson the 'Black Badger' is for sure one that will become an interesting conversation piece when spotted on someone's wrist. If you ask us which is our favorite color, we'd have to say that the Radar Green is our number one choice, followed by the Phantom Blue and then the Purple Reign which we feel is perfectly suited for a lady to wear.

Sticker Price $50,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.