In 2021, MB&F presented the M.A.D.1 BLUE Friends Edition, and then after almost a whole year, they launched the M.A.D.1 RED for those who couldn’t get one of the Friends Edition pieces. While the M.A.D.1 is not an MB&F Machine, but a more accessible timepiece that was created under a different brand, the idea was still generated by Max Büsser himself.

The first M.A.D.1 Friends Edition broke the internet and it was reserved for ‘Friends’ —suppliers who help MB&F create their MB&F Machines— and to the members of ‘The Tribe’ —the owners of MB&F machines. After the M.A.D.1 RED, the M.A.D.1 GREEN followed and earlier this year, MB&F presented a collaboration with artist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac named M.A.D.1 ‘Time to Love’ Edition X Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

Here at WCL we’ve always been huge fans of the M.A.D.Editions that bring the MB&F magic closer to those that have to remain within a tighter budget when it comes to watches.

Things to Know About the Watch

Continuing to craft more accessible timepieces Max Büsser and the MB&F team debuted the fifth edition during Geneva Watch Days. The new M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1S. is a slimmer watch now with a single time indication cylinder and also now powered by a Swiss-made movement.

One of the two new M.A.D.1S watches —the Purple one— was presented as yet another thank you to the friends who have supported the world of MB&F. The M.A.D.1S Purple will be available to ‘Friends’ —suppliers— and ‘Tribe’ members —MB&F collectors— in a limited series , while the Ice Blue M.A.D.1S was open to raffle allocation.

This new model with the addition of the letter S, which isn’t just for the sake of generating another reference is a nod to its slimmer, single-cylinder, and Swiss-made movement offering.

This model is equipped for the first time with a Swiss-made movement, a Joux-Perret G101 movement, beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph with a power reserve of 68 hours. Housed in a stainless steel 316L case, at 42 mm x 15 mm, it showcases an alternative movement proposition in the line-up. Rather than repeat the story of its predecessors, the M.A.D.1S offers something different, turning the page into a new chapter.

Since no in-house movement would match the desired price, the search led the team far and wide to find a movement that would embody the spirit of the M.A.D.1: its crux, the rapid spinning of the rotor, provoked by the flick of the wrist. Thus, Büsser and the team opted to bring the spinning illusions to reality by modifying a dependable Japanese Miyota 821A movement, granting the unidirectional winding needed to achieve the feat.

While bidirectional movements were in their plenty —offering slower rotations—, no such mechanism for a Swiss-made movement with unidirectional winding existed at the time of the M.A.D.1 inception, within the desired price bracket.

Now with an all-new interior with a single-cylinder display, the watch offers a more streamlined presence, in part thanks to the new Swiss made movement. The reduced height of 15 mm —20% slimmer than previous M.A.D.1 editions— is also obtained thanks to the single-cylinder display. Keep in mind that all previous editions featured two cylinders, one for the hours and one for the minutes.

To complete the evolution, the slimmer movement and case size are matched with reworked lugs for a sleeker fit, along with a modified rotor that offers further transparency to the movement.

On the Wrist & Price

On the wrist, the watch wears much better and way slimmer than previous iterations of the M.A.D.1 Editions. Once you wear this watch prepared to be mesmerized by its spinning oscillating weight charged with SuperLumiNova and by its very unique way of telling time that now, just got much better an easier to read.

Open for several days, the raffle allowed ample time for entrants to register, while removing as best as possible multiple registrants and bots, to ensure a fair result. The random draw was done under the supervision of a bailiff. While the new M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.1S is not limited, the first batch, available via the raffle, includes about 1,500 pieces for the Ice Blue. The Purple —exclusive to Tribe & Friends— will depend on their orders.

Sticker Price CHF 2,900 Swiss Francs—approximately USD 3,400. For more info on MB&F and the M.A.D. Gallery click here.