Hodinkee
Introducing: The Solar Orbiter Watch Winder For The MB&F; M.A.D.Gallery
What We Know This year marks 15 years of MB&F;'s M.A.D.Gallery, a unique boutique concept that serves as both a storefront for MB&F;'s wildly inventive horological creations and a showcase of mechanical art from artists around the world (and yes, you can buy those pieces, too). As one of the projects celebrating this anniversary, the folks behind the M.A.D.Gallery has commissioned British designer Martin Smith to create one of the most unique watch winders I've ever seen, in a limited edition of 10 pieces. To say that this is a bit of an unconventional design for a watch winder would be an understatement, and it's something that I can't stop looking at. Designer Martin Smith playing with one of his other kinetic sculptures. The sculptural form of the Solar Orbiter stands at a height of 60cm—that's around two feet tall for us Americans—and spans a width and depth (essentially a diameter of the piece) of 40cm or around 16 inches. In the chaos of the two feet of powder-coated steel, aluminum, brass, wood, and electronics, Smith draws inspiration from the whimsy of pop art, toys, and Eames' iconic Solar Do-Nothing Machine from the fifties to create a spinning, rotating sculpture that is hard to ignore in any room. But most importantly, there is functionality to it all, as part of the spinning arm of the Solar Orbiter holds a watch to perpetually wind as the machine goes on. There are over 300 handmade parts in this piece, and the design certainly doesn't hide any of them. ...