Horological wizarding company MB&F is back with the latest iteration of its automobile-inspired HM8 Mark 2. Initially released last year in green and white colorways, the new model takes on an entirely different appearance. The HM8 Mark 2 is the continuation of last year’s models, which were a redesign of the original HM8 released in 2016. That watch had a look I’d describe as haute steampunk, and when I first saw the HM8 Mark 2, I could scarcely tell they were related. It’s with excitement, then, that I was able to experience the newest addition, the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 Blue.

We had the good fortune to go hands-on with the original HM8 Mark 2 last year, and in it, we took a comprehensive look at the watch and its inspirations. With that as a foundation, this hands-on will be more of a straightforward look at what’s new with this model, with only cursory attention given to the inspiration, backstory, and nuance of the model line. What you should know is that the HM8 Mark 2 is inspired by vintage automobiles and their dash displays, with the split-window 1963 C2 Corvette being a major source. The case mirrors the sweeping canopy of that and other vintage sports cars, with the double hump for the time apertures recalling the aerodynamic contours that flow from the top of the headrests to the rear of the body.

In this edition of the HM8 Mark 2, MB&F replaced the green or white components with a glossy blue. It refers to these as “body panels,” further emphasizing the automobile connection, and, as with the prior versions, the blue panels are made of a proprietary material called CarbonMacrolon®, a polymer matrix injected with carbon nanotubes for strength and rigidity. There’s a massive difference between the first two and this new execution. Instead of the matte/brushed appearance of the white/green, the blue has a glossy, translucent appearance, with sparkly shine achieved by adding metallic pigments — just like in car paint. It’s a bit like wearing a watch made of aventurine, and while I still find myself preferring the British racing green of the debut model, there was an elegance of material in the Blue that was missing or at least not as prevalent in the earlier options. From a long-term perspective, as someone who is both clumsy and doesn’t care for even the slightest of smudges, I’d worry about how this finishing of CarbonMacrolon may pick up fingerprints and other blemishes.

On the wrist, the watch is quite comfortable. Aside from the glossy blue paneling, the rest of the case is crafted from grade 5 titanium. A polished band runs through the brushed midcase that encircles the entire watch, framing the display apertures. That titanium keeps the prominent watch feeling light. While the diameter is 41.5mm, the more salient dimensions are the 47mm length and the 19mm height. You may balk at that thickness, but it’s not representative, as the rear of the case is far thinner than the front, and there’s a proper design rationale for it. Furthermore, the lugs, which emerge smoothly from the caseback, hug the wrist and the flared leather strap has the same effect that style does on Bell & Ross watches, mitigating the bulk of the watch by visually continuing its silhouette around the wrist. The crown — styled a bit like a tailpipe — is one further novelty, featuring a locking mechanism that requires a 3/4 turn to release. Don’t be deceived, though, as the watch only gets 30m water resistance.

When you think about the MB&F HM8 Mark 2 Blue as the driving watch that it is, the case dimensions, design, and even the water resistance make all the more sense. Driving watches come in two styles: rotated dial and casquette. The rotated dial approach can be seen on the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921. It provides a traditional case and display, simply rotated clockwise 1/8 so that it’s easier to read while driving. This is probably an easier and more effective method, but it’s far less exciting from a design perspective. The casquette approach has been seen in plenty of watches from Girard-Perregaux to Parmigiani to the Amida Digitrend that was partly responsible for inspiring the original HM8 (I’d actually even include the Richard Mille RM40-01, as it tilts the case toward the wearer). Of course, the MB&F HM5 and HM9 present the time this way, as well.  These designs feature a sweeping body that sits atop the wrist, with the time displayed through one or more apertures. In the case of the HM8, and most analog versions of the casquette, the movement is mounted traditionally, and number wheels on the same plane are reflected through prisms into the display windows. It’s a novel concept, but due to distortion associated with reflecting things and the appearance of multiple digits in the aperture at a time, legibility was middling. If I had paid any attention to the time, that might be a problem, but with this on the wrist, I was looking at everything but the minute and hour.

The engine block-inspired plate seen through the sapphire crystal in the titanium caseback supports the movement, which is on grander display through the top of the watch. The movement is a modified Girard-Perregaux caliber, tweaked in-house by MB&F to allow for the jumping hours and trailing minutes. Further customization includes the MB&F battle ax rotor. The movement offers a 42-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph.

As with many MB&F creations, the time is not the main concern. It’s about design first, then how the display of time is achieved, and then the actual display itself. For a tertiary matter, the middling legibility here is excusable. Other watches have similar forms that just aren’t quite the same, and that’s really what makes all MB&F timepieces stand out. There’s really nothing quite like them. The MB&F HM8 Mark 2 BLUE is priced at $78,00 USD and limited to 33 pieces. For more information, please visit the MB&F website.