New M.A.D.1S presents a slimmer version of MB&F’s accessible design with a Swiss movement
Zach Blass- The new M.A.D.1S is available in two configurations – one for Friends and Tribe with purple accents, and another for the public with icy blue accents.
- It’s 20% slimmer thanks to its 68-hour La Joux-Perret G101 calibre and new single-cylinder display.
- The M.A.D.1S raffle will open for several days at the end of August, just before Geneva Watch Days – Price: CHF 2,900.
Not long ago, I took to Time+Tide Tribe to reveal how obsessed I am with the MB&F LM Sequential EVO – but also how incapable I am of ever being able to buy one due to its high price tag. This is a common sentiment around MB&F. Many people love its watches, but few are actually able to throw down the cash to secure the grail-level pieces. It’s this inevitable dynamic between the esteemed MB&F brand and watch enthusiasts that led Max Büsseer to create M.A.D.Editions. Whether enthusiasts or even his close friends and family, there were many who wanted to own a watch designed by him but would never be able to afford one. The new M.A.D.1S is the latest edition of the series, featuring a new, slimmer case, single-cylinder time display, and Swiss calibre.
Let’s take a step back. M.A.D.Editions was initially born to offer an olive branch to the brand’s loyal suppliers (the “Friends”) and its loyal clients (the “Tribe”), a quiet and unpublicised launch that unexpectedly became the talk of the town. Delivered during Geneva Watch Days 2021, with the lucky group of individuals allocated this first-ever M.A.D.1 Blue naturally wearing their watches around the city during the festivities. With the conversation-starting design, the under-the-radar M.A.D.1 Blue “Friend and Tribe Edition” appeared on everyone’s radar, and the MB&F team was flooded with enquiries. Little did people know, a few months later, the M.A.D.1 Pink Dial Project piece unique would surface to raise money for charity. Its result was incredible, rocketing past its US$2,500 estimate and hammering for US$172,000.
With high interest abundantly clear and so many expressing a desire to purchase one (myself included), the M.A.D.1 Red was born less than a year later in March 2022. To be democratic in its launch, a handful were reserved for those who had expressed interest the year prior, but the majority was made available via a raffle. However, the initial batch of 1,500 M.A.D.1 Reds inevitably left a large portion of the 19,000 entrants empty-handed, so a second batch of 1,500 watches was produced in February 2023. Subsequent editions have been released, with two green versions (one Lucky Clover version made available exclusively to those without allocation in the prior three raffles), and a collaborative smaller run with French artist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac all raffled off to the public. Three years later, the madness, while it has simmered a tad, has by no means died down. Watch collectors continue to get excited with each new edition, fingers crossed for an allocation in the raffle. While the purple version will not be available to the public, a M.A.D.1S that boasts a cool icy blue hue will be – once again through a raffle system.
The “S” in M.A.D.1S neatly summarises the headlining new elements of its design – a [S]limmer, 15mm-thick case that reduces the height by 20% compared to its predecessors, a [S]ingle-cylinder time display that allows the case to be slimmer, and a [S]wiss calibre. When the M.A.D.1 first debuted, a signature element of its design was its front-facing winding rotor that could spin at a high speed thanks to the uni-directional nature of the Miyota 8000 architecture. But at the time, the only movement that could allow M.A.D.Editions to offer something at a more approachable price was a Japanese Miyota 821A the brand would modify to its needs. A Swiss, uni-directional rotor-equipped calibre was not available for the price point – until now.
With the help of celebrated Swiss movement manufacture La Joux-Perret, a new G101 movement not only brings a Swiss uni-directional automatic movement into the mix, but also adds 26 hours of autonomy with its 68 hours of power reserve. Other, perhaps, more subtle changes include a more openworked rotor to afford a larger view of the movement and reworked lugs to further aid in a sleeker fit on the wrist.
It will be interesting to see how people react to the core trade this new design makes. In its reduction of thickness and transition to a single-cylinder time display, there are no longer dedicated discs for the hours and minutes – which some will find decreases the discernibility of the exact time. Others would point out that the M.A.D.1 and M.A.D.1S are artistic exercises that understandably do not prioritise chronometric precision or precise time-telling. In my personal experience, my M.A.D.1 Red has appeared to be surprisingly accurate – not that I could definitively tell due to the absence of a running seconds indication. Ultimately, the only thing that is lost in the design’s diet is the ability to firmly set the watch using the original’s clear five-minute intervals.
In its removal of a cylinder, the dots between each hour numeral indicate the 15th and 45th minute mark respectively, with the longer hash in between being the 30th minute marker. So, as long as you set your watch with a reference clock at any quarter of an hour, you’ll be totally synchronised.
If you must have clear-cut time-telling in a wristwatch, I would argue no M.A.D.1 is really for you. But if you appreciate the artistry behind its distinct design and want to sport horological artwork on your wrist, then a M.A.D.1S will be an awesome piece to score for your collection. The original design is notably bulky, but forgiven due to its novelty. While 15mm is by no means thin, it is a thickness that is much closer to standard wristwatches, and in line with many chronographs you would find on the market. You want my advice? If you’re not a flipper but rather a true appreciator of watchmaking and the mission of both MB&F and M.A.D.Editions, registering for the raffle is a no-brainer assuming you are prepared to spend CHF 2,900 – which is a very fair price considering all of these evolutions have not raised the price one cent.
M.A.D.Editions M.A.D1S pricing and availability
The M.A.D.1S public raffle for the Icy Blue version will open at the end of August, just before the Geneva Watch Days. The Purple model is limited to MB&F “Tribe” and “Friends”. Price: CHF 2,900
| Brand | M.A.D.Editions |
| Model | M.A.D.1S |
| Case Dimensions | 42mm (D) x 15mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal and mineral glass |
| Dial | Icy blue, purple |
| Strap and bracelet | Leather strap, steel folding buckle |
| Movement | La Joux-Perret G101, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Availability | By raffle, end of August |
| Price | CHF 2,900 |