MB&F does not describe its M.A.D.1 watches as a diffusion line, but that is effectively what they are: little pieces of the mother ship’s creativity and desirability, but with a CHF 2,900 price tag.
The original M.A.D.1 launched three years ago as a way to thank friends of MB&F for their patience and loyalty.
But, because of the MB&F connection and an innovative design, M.A.D.1 became a power brand in its own right under the M.A.D.Editions name, with over 30,000 people reportedly languishing on waiting lists at one time in the post-pandemic boom years.
Collectors are getting itchy palms waiting for the arrival of the M.A.D.2, slated for 2025, but in the meantime M.A.D.Editions has unveiled a model with a slimmer case, made possible by a single cylinder display on the cases’ edge, and an upgrade to a Swiss-made movement.
The new model is called the M.A.D.1S and a raffle where winners get the chance to buy one of the watches opens today and closes on September 2.
The original M.A.D.1, at 18,8mm deep, stood tall on the wrist, but the S-type has been trimmed to a more comfortable 15mm by sacrificing the cylinder displaying minutes, which means it is harder to read the time precisely using just the hour cylinder, but improves the look and wearability of the timepiece.
Under the hood, a Japanese Miyota movement has been replaced with a La Joux-Perret G101, beating at 28,000bph/4Hz and with a power reserve of 68 hours.
The chances of bagging the slimmer M.A.D.1 S are around the same as previous models.
Suppliers and owners of MB&F watches can buy the watch directly and even have their own special Purple edition exclusive to “Friends & Tribe” on offer.
An Ice Blue edition is open to everyone through a raffle, which has a few measures to make it harder for flippers and easier for people who have been disappointed in previous raffles to improve their chances.