More than a timepiece, the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 is a roaring tribute to a lifelong dream. First unveiled in 2023, and now reimagined for 2025 in a radiant purple edition, this mechanical marvel from MB&F continues to blur the lines between horology and high-performance automotive design. Limited to just 33 pieces, the new release adds another bold chapter to the brand’s iconic line of automotive-inspired machines.
The Original Drive Behind the Design
MB&F’s fascination with cars dates back over a decade, beginning with the HM5 in 2012, followed by the HMX in 2015 and the original HM8 in 2016.
All three designs showcased speedometer-style displays, evoking the bold and futuristic dashboards of 1970s concept cars. The HM8 Mark 2 takes that DNA and refines it with deeper engineering, sharper design, and vivid colourways reminiscent of custom car paint finishes.
This passion was rooted long before the first watch. Maximilian Büsser, the founder of MB&F, had always dreamed of becoming a car designer. From the age of four, he filled sketchbooks with aerodynamic forms. Though life steered him into engineering and later, watchmaking, the HM8 series has become the canvas through which he’s lived that childhood dream.
Playing with Prisms and Speed
Inspired by the 1976 Amida Digitrend, the HM8 Mark 2 uses a sapphire prism system to project flat-lying hours and minutes into a vertical display. The numbers appear in a viewing window on the front, similar to a retro speedometer, and are easily visible while driving.
The system uses sapphire discs treated with black metallization, leaving numerals transparent and lit from below with Super-LumiNova® for a crisp, flat glow. Each numeral is created in reverse to reflect correctly through the prism.
Coachwork Meets Complication
The HM8 Mark 2 is not only visually striking but structurally sophisticated. Built like a car, the watch consists of a titanium chassis wrapped with CarbonMacrolon® body panels.
These high-tech composite panels are infused with metallic pigments, giving the purple edition a rich, shimmering finish akin to luxury automotive paint. The construction is both functional and aesthetic, with the material offering strength, rigidity, and a weight eight times lighter than steel.
This year’s purple version follows earlier editions in white, British racing green, and sapphire blue. The signature “double bubble” sapphire crystal is among the most complex in the industry, requiring immense precision and care to produce, often with a heartbreakingly high failure rate during production.
Under the Hood
At the heart of the HM8 Mark 2 is a movement based on a Girard-Perregaux calibre, enhanced by MB&F’s signature battle axe rotor in 22-carat gold. One of the blades is just 0.2 mm thick, made using a stamping process that integrates intricate engravings in a single strike. The rotor is visible through the sapphire crystal, continuing the automotive theme of showcasing the “engine.”
Hidden beneath the sculpted case is also a world-first innovation: a new type of crown with a “double de-clutch” system. It operates by pressing in and turning three-quarters of a turn to unlock, providing additional security and conserving space, practical and elegant for a sports timepiece.
The Dream Lives On
The HM8 Mark 2 is more than an evolution of past MB&F Machines. It is the embodiment of Maximilian Büsser’s dream to blend his childhood love for cars with the artistry of watchmaking. Every edition has been a deeper dive into that vision.
The 2025 purple variant takes it to new heights with enhanced materials, improved legibility, bold colours, and a dynamic design language that bridges nostalgia and innovation.
The MB&F HM8 Mark 2 retails for SGD 111,000 with tax.
