MB&F x Gabriel Colliard
Overview
When mechanical ingenuity meets artistic imagination, unexpected worlds come to life. MB&F joins forces with independent artist and enameller Gabriel Colliard to transform the LM101, one of its most emblematic creations, into three miniature jungles of colour and craftsmanship. A collaboration where seemingly contrasting worlds – traditional métiers d’art, avant-garde watchmaking and creative freedom – find a common language.
Three editions, each limited to eight pieces, bring Gabriel's imagination to life through cloisonné enamel. A pair of macaws takes flight in a landscape dominated by red, a mischievous monkey inhabits a world of blue, and a crocodile emerges from lush green surroundings. Inspired by the richly coloured enamel dials of the 1950s, these compositions offer a contemporary interpretation, with each scene built around a dominant colour rather than a conventional multicoloured palette.
About the collaboration
The project originated in MB&F's desire to support Gabriel as an independent artist and give his work the recognition it deserved. It also offered him unusual creative freedom: rather than interpreting a predefined design, he was invited to develop his own compositions. Working closely with the MB&F team, he explored the possibilities of traditional cloisonné enamel through a nuanced approach to colour, combining an extensive range of shades within each dominant hue with translucent, semi-opaque and opaque enamels.
The collaboration has given birth to three compositions, each produced in just eight pieces. Three very different characters, each inhabiting its own miniature jungle.
MACAW - RED
A pair of scarlet macaws takes flight between the jungle and the sea, reflecting the birds' sociable nature. The scene evokes communication, expression and connection, while vibrant reds and oranges convey energy, strength and vitality. The birds emerge from their surroundings in an exuberant composition where colour and movement take centre stage.
MONKEY - BLUE
Playful, intelligent and mischievous, the monkey offers a reflection of our own human qualities and shortcomings. Its carefree character is also a reminder of the importance of not taking life too seriously – a sentiment that resonates well with MB&F. Surrounded by fruit and luxuriant vegetation, the monkey inhabits a blue landscape beside a lake of gently rippling water. The scene combines movement and tranquillity, its many shades of blue lending the composition a sense of serenity.
CROCODILE - GREEN
An ancient reptile, the crocodile embodies strength, power and, above all, resilience. With its jaws open at the edge of a swamp, it commands its surroundings, equally at home on land and in water. Dominated by shades of green, the composition has an organic, almost dreamlike quality. The richly nuanced palette evokes nature and harmony, contrasting with the crocodile's imposing presence.
Legacy Machine 101
The LM101 movement was entirely conceived by MB&F’s in-house engineering team, working in collaboration with award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, who was responsible for establishing the fine finishing specifications and ensuring fidelity to traditional watchmaking codes.
For the LM101 Gabriel Colliard editions, the manually wound movement has been upgraded. Its 222 components now deliver a power reserve of 60 hours, compared with 45 hours for previous LM101 versions. The 14mm suspended balance wheel, oscillating at 18,000 vibrations per hour, is complemented by a Straumann double hairspring.
Finding his own language
After studying fine arts in Argentina, Gabriel moved to Switzerland in 2003, hoping to pursue a career as an artist.
His first opportunity in the watchmaking world came through polishing, a profession that allowed him to put his natural aptitude for working with his hands to good use. By 2008, he was searching for a way to bring his artistic interests and watchmaking closer together. Enamelling offered precisely that possibility. He trained in Limoges, France, before gaining experience in specialist workshops and within prestigious watchmaking companies such as Patek Philippe. He eventually established his own independent practice.
His background as a painter continues to shape the way he approaches enamel. Rather than seeing the technique purely as a means of decorating a watch, Gabriel uses it to explore composition, light, colour and atmosphere.
Machine in action
The starting point was the traditional cloisonné enamel dials of the 1950s, with their richly coloured depictions of the natural world. MB&F and Gabriel began exploring how this artistic tradition could find a contemporary expression within the unconventional LM101 architecture.
Gabriel’s instinct as a painter is to work with a broad palette, and his early proposals followed a relatively traditional approach to colour. The team then suggested a different direction: what if each composition were developed around a dominant hue? Gabriel revisited his drawings, exploring how different shades of one predominant colour could create depth, contrast and atmosphere. The resulting compositions are not strictly monochrome: touches of other colours punctuate each scene, but a strong unifying hue gives every edition its own identity.
THE MACHINE
The LM101 Gabriel Colliard editions feature a cloisonné enamel dial plate and ratchet wheel by artist and enameller Gabriel Colliard.
Limited Editions of 8 pieces each
Monkey - Blue
Macaw - Red
Crocodile - Green
- Platinum case
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Height: 16.55 mm
- Water resistance: 30 metres
- 35 components
- Sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Lug width: 21 mm
- Three-dimensional horological movement developed in-house by MB&F with Kari Voutilainen
- Manual winding
- Power reserve: 60 hours, with sliding bridle barrel
- Balance wheel: 14 mm diameter
- Balance spring: Straumann double hairspring
- Balance frequency: 18,000 bph / 2.5 Hz
- 222 components
- 23 jewels
- Cloisonné enamel minute bridge and ratchet wheel by Gabriel Colliard
- NAC-treated rear bridges and rhodium-plated mainplate
- Hours and minutes indicated at 2 o’clock
- Power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock
- Central balance wheel with Straumann double hairspring
- Crown at 4 o’clock: winding and time-setting positions
Alligator strap with matching folding buckle
Buckle width: 20 mm
Discover the models available for this collection
A complex art
For Gabriel, enamel presents a double complexity. The first lies in mastering the material itself: its response to heat, thickness and neighbouring colours retains an element of unpredictability. The second lies in how the finished artwork is appreciated.
Watchmaking demands precision, regularity and flawless finishing. Artistic enamel requires no less skill or attention to detail, but invites a somewhat different way of looking. Beyond the technical execution, there is the richness of the colours, the interplay of light and transparency, and the atmosphere created by the composition as a whole.
This does not mean that the details are unimportant – quite the contrary. Every subtle variation in shade, every transition between translucent and opaque enamel contributes to the finished image. Together, these details give each composition its unique character, revealing the subtleties of a material whose depth and response to light no printed image can fully reproduce.
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