Hands on with the MB&F HM4 Razzle Dazzle

A week ago we went to Paris to visit  Salon de Belles Montres, a great opportunity for every watch lover/collector to see many of the most beautiful watch brands together in one place. And it was also an excellent opportunity to get some hands-on experience with the new MB&F timepieces. 

MB&F’s newest creations are simply gorgeous and we spent some time with MB&F to get a close look at the Legacy Machine 1 and HM4 Razzle Dazzle and Double Trouble. The idea to adorn HM4 with ‘nose art’, rivets and a leather strap made of WWII military pouches, suits perfect and looks superb on this horological piece of art.

While I didn’t get a good photo of the hand-painted nose art, luckily I focussed good on the dial with creme colored markers. The hour numerals and triangle at 12 are the same design elements as can be found on vintage pilot watches. The creme color adds even more of that vintage aviation touch.

The strap, made of WWII leather military pouches, also add to the vintage feeling. The leather is beautifully aged and feels very soft on the wrist. When wearing the HM4 it is very easy to read time, however one must realize that, unlike with ‘normal’ watches, you don’t have to bend your arm or turn the wrist to see the time. If you do that you’ll see the spectacular movement and incredibly jet-engine with rivets.

Around the movement and placed between the dials in the front and the rear ‘jet-engines’ is a ring made of sapphire crystal. To bring that idea from drawing board to reality, was maybe the most difficult and by far the most challeging part of the HM4. It grants a view on the movement and case construction.

While many people wonder if such a timepiece is still wearable and if it’s comfortable I always have to say yes, when asked. Of course this was something I wondered about when I visited MB&F last year to see the HM4. When you sit at a desk or in the car with your hands on the wheel, it’s very easy to read the time on a HM4 without bending your arm. It’s so easy that you need to get used to it 😉 

More information about MB&F and their timepieces can be found at the MB&F website and official Facebook page.