MB&F's M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese: The Maverick Watchmaker Gets His M.A.D. Moment

At 82, Vincent Calabrese remains one of watchmaking’s great original thinkers and the perfect creative force for M.A.D.Editions. The M.A.D.3 brings his poetic Baladin concept of wandering, progressive jumping hours into a new era, combining Calabrese’s unconventional approach to mechanics with the playful, accessible spirit of M.A.D.Editions. Rather than simply reproducing the original Baladin, MB&F and its technical team have completely redeveloped the wandering-hours mechanism around a Swiss-made La Joux-Perret G111 calibre, while retaining the fluid transition that made Calabrese’s invention so distinctive. Launching just before Geneva Watch Days 2026, the 40mm stainless-steel case, designed by Eric Giroud, features floating lugs, layered architecture and domed sapphire crystals, while the dial combines a bombé sapphire minute ring, transparent elements and hidden Super-LumiNova. Available in two striking launch colours sunny raspberry and blue the M.A.D.3 is ultimately a tribute to a watchmaker who spent his career challenging convention. As Calabrese himself puts it: “Do not stay on the highway. Take your own path.”

The Original Maverick

Vincent Calabrese has occupied a singular place in contemporary watchmaking for more than five decades. An outsider by nature, he became known as “l’enquiquineur de l’horlogerie”, or the troublemaker of watchmaking, for his willingness to question established conventions and find solutions where others saw limitations. He co-founded the AHCI in 1985 with Svend Andersen, created the celebrated Golden Bridge for Corum and developed numerous unconventional mechanical systems, including wandering hours and tourbillons. More than 40 patents followed during his career.

Born in Naples and moving to Switzerland as a teenager, Calabrese did not follow the traditional path into horology. His career was shaped by experimentation, setbacks and reinvention rather than conventional industry logic. His belief that an outsider’s perspective could be an advantage became central to his philosophy: without being constrained by what a watchmaker was supposedly not meant to do, he simply experimented. That freedom resulted in some of the most inventive mechanical concepts of his generation.

Making the Hours Wander

The Baladin was born from Calabrese’s dissatisfaction with conventional jumping-hour displays. Rather than having the hour change instantaneously, he wanted the transition to reflect the continuous passage of time. His solution was to make the hour travel progressively across the dial while the minutes continued their normal movement. The result is a display that initially appears mysterious but quickly becomes intuitive and gives the passage of time a remarkably fluid, almost organic quality.

For the M.A.D.3, that fundamental idea had to be preserved while the mechanism itself was completely re-engineered. Calabrese’s original construction was highly artisanal and difficult to reproduce reliably at greater production volumes. MB&F’s technical team therefore developed a new wandering-hours module from the ground up, optimising energy transmission, reliability and long-term stability while retaining the hypnotic progressive movement of the hours.

The movement is based on the Swiss-made La Joux-Perret G111 and features a bidirectional jumping-hour and trailing-minutes module developed by MB&F. Operating at 4Hz, or 28,800 vibrations per hour, the automatic movement offers a 55-hour power reserve. It is a modern interpretation of Calabrese’s idea rather than a vintage reissue an evolution that respects the original while making it viable for a new generation.

A Watch With a Story

Turn the M.A.D.3 over and the movement reveals another thoughtful detail. As the rotor spins, a phrase gradually appears through its openings: “Il est assez aisé de plaire aux autres, bien plus ardu d’être fier de soi“ It is fairly easy to please others, far more difficult to be proud of oneself.” It is a fitting message for a watchmaker whose career was built around conviction rather than conformity.

The case, created by longtime MB&F collaborator Eric Giroud, combines the visual language of M.A.D.Editions with a fresh silhouette. Floating lugs, layered construction, domed sapphire crystals and intricate transparent elements give the 40mm watch a playful yet technically sophisticated character. The bombé sapphire minute ring and Super-LumiNova hidden beneath transparent components add further depth, with the dial changing character as light moves across its various layers.

The colour choices are equally expressive. The launch editions appear in a deep, sunny raspberry and a powerful blue, both inspired by colours associated with Calabrese’s own creations. They are elegant without being restrained much like the man whose work inspired them.

The M.A.D.Editions Philosophy

The collaboration is also a natural continuation of the story of M.A.D.Editions. Created from Maximilian Büsser’s desire to produce highly creative watches at a more accessible price point, the concept began as an alternative to the traditional watch brand. The first M.A.D.1 was initially offered to MB&F’s friends and loyal clients in 2021 before public demand transformed the project into something much bigger.

The M.A.D.1 Red followed in 2022, introducing a public raffle system that continues today. Subsequent editions included the M.A.D.1 Green, the Time to Love collaboration with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, the slimmer M.A.D.1S and Grow Your Dreams with Yinka Ilori. In 2025, Eric Giroud created the M.A.D.2, bringing his own design language to the platform. Click here to know more about M.A.D 2

Now, with the M.A.D.3, Vincent Calabrese becomes the latest author in the M.A.D.Editions story. It is an appropriate pairing: two creative worlds built on independence, experimentation and the refusal to follow the conventional route. And if the M.A.D.3 proves anything, it is that sometimes the most interesting way to tell time is to stop making it behave.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese?
The M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese is a collaboration between M.A.D.Editions and legendary independent watchmaker Vincent Calabrese. It reinterprets his pioneering Baladin wandering-hours concept with a new MB&F-developed mechanism.

2. What is special about the M.A.D.3’s wandering-hours display?
Instead of the hour changing instantaneously, the M.A.D.3 shows the hour progressing gradually across the dial while the minutes continue moving normally. This creates a fluid and unconventional way of reading time.

3. What movement powers the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese?
The watch is powered by a Swiss-made La Joux-Perret G111 automatic movement, fitted with a bidirectional jumping-hour and trailing-minutes module developed by MB&F. It operates at 4Hz and offers a 55-hour power reserve.

4. Who is Vincent Calabrese?
Vincent Calabrese is an influential independent watchmaker known for challenging traditional horological conventions. He co-founded the AHCI, created the Golden Bridge for Corum and developed more than 40 patents during his career.

5. What are the colours available for the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese?
The M.A.D.3 launches in two distinctive colours: a sunny raspberry pink and a powerful blue. Both are inspired by colours associated with Vincent Calabrese’s own watchmaking creations.