MB&F has introduced the M.A.D.1 Time to Love, a new M.A.D.Editions release created with French artist and designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.
It is the most overtly artistic take on the M.A.D.1 so far, using Castelbajac’s familiar red, blue and yellow palette to turn the watch’s exposed winding rotor into the central visual event.
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac gives the M.A.D.1 its color code
The triple-blade rotor is lacquered in blue, yellow and red, with each color carrying one of Castelbajac’s recurring meanings.
Red stands for passion, blue for hope and yellow for human warmth, while the rotor itself is shaped like a set of angel wings.
One of the blades is heavier, a practical detail that helps the rotor spin more dramatically as the wrist moves.
A green time display with the artist’s handwriting
The M.A.D.1 Time to Love uses a vibrant green hour disc, with the numerals rendered in Castelbajac’s own handwritten style.
A French phrase from the artist appears on the watch, reinforcing the release’s theme of valuing time rather than simply measuring it.
The crown continues the personal iconography with an engraving of an angel speaking to the moon, a motif often associated with Castelbajac’s work.
Two straps are included, one black and one white, both carrying the words Time to Love.
The familiar flipped Miyota architecture returns
The case dimensions remain in line with earlier M.A.D.1 editions, measuring 42mm across, 18.8mm thick and 50.4mm from lug to lug.
At the center is the flipped Miyota 821A automatic movement, using the Miyota 8215 as its base and mounted upside down to put the rotor on show.
The movement is a 26mm-wide, 5.67mm-thick automatic calibre with 21 jewels and a 3Hz beat rate.
Its unidirectional winding is a useful match for the animated rotor concept, reducing friction while preserving the spectacle that defines the M.A.D.1 format.
For this edition, the stated power reserve is 60 hours.
Raffle access and CHF 3,200 pricing
As with previous M.A.D.Editions watches, part of the allocation is reserved for MB&F Tribe members and Friends, with access handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Half of production is open to the public through a free registration raffle running from April 3 to April 17, 2024.
The retail price is CHF 3,200 before taxes, roughly USD 3,600 or EUR 3,300 before VAT, with deliveries scheduled from April through September 2024.
For collectors drawn to the M.A.D.1 because of its mechanical theatre, the Time to Love adds a stronger emotional and graphic signature without diluting the playful engineering that made the series so compelling in the first place.
