M.A.D. Edition: M.A.D.2 By Eric Giroud

If the M.A.D.1 broke the rules, the M.A.D.2 spins a different story. Born from the mind of Eric Giroud – designer, rebel, and longtime MB&F Friend – this timepiece is a love letter to the wild, electrifying spirit of 1990s club culture; it’s the second act in a saga that started with an unexpected hit.

THE NEW M.A.D.2

Legendary designer Eric Giroud: 20 years of designing MB&F pieces. 20 years of creative partnership with Max. For the 20th anniversary of MB&F, it’s only fitting—this one’s his. His baby. His vision. But following up a hit? That’s a challenge. It’s like the second album of a band that nailed their debut. 

Eric and Max both hail from Lausanne; Giroud’s journey is anything but traditional Swiss design. While others might have been lurking around cold offices, Eric was tearing it up on dancefloors, living the 1990s club scene. Nights at the legendary MAD (Moulin à Danses) and Dolce Vita clubs in Lausanne, surrounded by creatives, musicians, actors and artists, shaped his aesthetic. 

Friends called him “Erico.” He hung out with Sébastien and Stephan Kohler—DJs who hit international fame with their track At Night. Early house music boomed, Stephan Kohler (Mandrax) spun vinyl on the famous Technics SL- 1200 Mark 2, and there was a palpable sense of freedom. The 90s were electric, a time when change was in the air, especially in music. This is the world that inspired the M.A.D.2—a watch born from the heartbeat of a bygone rave era. 

DESIGN THAT MOVES

The M.A.D.2’s raised central subdials – displaying the hours and minutes – look like the turntables from a DJ mixing console. The central dial over which they rotate is a love letter to vinyl textures, with grooves and satin finishes mimicking music tracks. Surrounding it is the platter, inspired by the stroboscopic band of the Technics SL- 1200 – complete with Super-LumiNova stop pins. Every flick of the wrist sets the platter spinning, and if you listen closely, it’s as if you can hear the rhythm of the past pulsing through it. The stroboscopic platter is in fact the automatic winding rotor, visible from both the front and the back. Flip the watch over and you’ll discover the gyroscopic off-centered rotor which will make your head spin. 

The M.A.D.2 stainless steel case is like a rounded pebble. Eric reminisces about his first watch design in the 1990s, one that never made it to reality. He called it Almond. And you can feel traces of that in the M.A.D.2—its smooth shape, how it feels in hand, the almond-like curves, and even the crown’s logo. 

And there’s a horological surprise: the jumping hour complication. It’s a secret you only uncover after spending time with the watch—nothing screams “bi-directional jumping hours” at first glance. The small metal markers – which look like guitar picks, almonds, or maybe even alien eyes – conveniently indicate the jumping hour and trailing minutes at the very center of the watch.  

At 42mm, the M.A.D.2 feels as smooth as it looks. It balances the playful, unexpected approach of M.A.D.Editions without going over the top—like a perfectly polished almond. Despite being visually worlds apart from the M.A.D.1, they share a heartbeat: the same La Joux-Perret movement found in the M.A.D.1S, now enhanced with a bespoke jumping hour module developed by MB&F. Swiss-made, Swiss-assembled.  

Two models, two personalities: an Orange edition for the Tribe and Friends. Green for the raffle. (Price CHF 2,900 + Tax).

MANDRAX’S TOUCH

For this special moment, Mandrax – aka Stephan Kohler, the Lausanne-based DJ and friend of Eric Giroud – decided to throw in his own little almond to the story, a special music production for this watch, pulsating the launch video. A tribute to a time when the club scene, the beats, and the vibe of the 90s were inseparable from their creative souls. Today, that same energy drives the M.A.D.2. 

In retrospect, the name says it all: M.A.D.2. The second chapter of a story that no one expected. Born from the mad spirit of the M.A.D.1 and the rebellious legacy of Lausanne’s MAD club golden era. Wild. Creative. Completely, unapologetically M.A.D.