Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect Watch Review
The multi-faceted dial of Mauron Musy’s MU05-106 Architect is a visual and technical labour of love. Created in collaboration with Italian architect Arturo Tedeschi, the model features an abstract skeletonised dial and a sporty avant-garde case.
Swiss Made or Swiss Crafted?
A watch bearing the ‘Swiss Made’ label has always commanded a premium over one that doesn’t. The truth is, there is an economic incentive for watch companies to be perceived as making Swiss-made watches. They’re considered inherently superior to brands of non-Swiss origin. Although that’s not always true, the Swiss watch industry has certainly worked hard to cultivate and defend its rich watchmaking heritage, purveying horological excellence over the centuries.
Although there are Swiss manufacturers that have been there from the very beginning, who wear their ‘Swiss Made’ badges with pride, a proportion of foreign brands have felt compelled to relocate to Swiss soil in the hopes that their craftsmanship will be taken more seriously. Rightly or wrongly, there are now more dials bearing the words ‘Swiss Made’ than ever before, blurring the lines around the authenticity of a watch and the transparency of the manufacturing practices employed.
Economies were much more local 100 years ago. The origins of a watch were easily traceable, since trade between a manufacturer and a supplier took place within a stone’s throw of one another, compared to the global exchange of parts today. Indeed, materials and watchmaking components flow freely through the economy’s porous borders these days. As such, it is challenging to identify where an origin begins and where it ends, depending on one’s definition of it.
A lot of economic interest hinges on this one small detail; is a watch truly ‘Swiss Made’, or not? And if a brand is sourcing some of its production from Switzerland but not all of it, then how do we protect the relevance and reputations of the true Swiss pedigrees in the industry?
The Swiss federal authorities have set in place legislation stipulating the criteria for what is considered a ‘Swiss watch’. For instance, a Swiss watch must have a Swiss movement ‘which is cased up in Switzerland’. The ‘final inspection of the watch is conducted by the manufacturer in Switzerland; and at least 60 per cent of the manufacturing costs are incurred in Switzerland’.
One watchmaker who thoroughly deserves to keep hold of its slice of the ‘Swiss Made’ pie is Mauron Musy. Not only does it craft its timepieces exclusively from Swiss-made parts, but it also procures them from within a 60 km radius of its Saint-Aubin home, nestled in the picturesque district of Broye in the canton of Fribourg. Bravely, it rejects the ‘Swiss Made’ label and opts for the term ‘Swiss Crafted’.
Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect
Founded in 2013, the company is still relatively young. Its seminal moment came with the launch of its innovative nO-Ring® technology (more on that later). Back in 2021, the two founders, who also happen to be micro-mechanical machining experts, released the Skeleton Amure MU05-101. This watch, made with precision-machined parts, celebrates modern milling technology, a characteristic one could easily obsess over if granted sufficient wrist time.
The Skeleton Amure MU05-101 exposed the MM01-SK movement through its surface and was adorned with numerous forms of decoration, including polishing, satin-finishing, bevelling, sunray-brush, etc. As a successor to this model and those that followed, the new MU05-106 Architect builds upon the same skeleton dial, this time as a collaborative effort between founders Eric Mauron and Christophe Musy and the talented Italian architect Arturo Tedeschi.
Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect – case
The MU05-106 Architect is housed in a 44 mm Grade 5 titanium case and adopts an industrial-inspired form. With Tedeschi’s architectural spirit at its core, this watch feels more raw and mechanical than the founding members of the MU05 family. Mauron Musy describes the latest watch as ‘pushing the boundaries where algorithms and horology merge’ and uses explanations like ‘exploring the infinite possibilities of parametric and computational creation’. To me, the design is much easier to appreciate when viewed from a simpler perspective.
It’s a multi-part case rather than a monocoque case, so you’d naturally presume that achieving suitable water resistance would prove more technically challenging. Yet Mauron Musy is the only brand in the world that overcomes water resistance with a no-gasket case, using a patented technology it calls ‘nO-Ring®’.
Upon its launch, it was unclear whether this type of technology, based on a metal clamp system, would gain traction throughout the industry. It replaced the rubber gasket system that most watch brands use (which can perish over time) with a 36-component case devoid of any gaskets. The technology has since become one of Mauron Musy’s most important achievements. The unique sealing method not only claims to reduce maintenance costs but also confers an impressive water resistance of 300 metres.
Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect – dial
Mauron Musy’s dials tend to favour conservative tones, yet find a way to be original. Moreover, they don’t look faddy or outré. They manage to achieve complexity without any unwanted clutter. They’re palatable, moody and enrapturing all at the same time.
The dial of the MU05-106 Architect doesn’t skimp on detail. Indeed, Mauron Musy has expended a great deal of time in building the display layer by layer, each level showcasing a different form of surface decoration. To maximise the play of light, the skeletonised dial is made up of three superimposed layers, celebrating an interplay of angles and facets. Here, several finishes, including sunray brushing, polishing, graining and bevelling, create visual richness.
The base layer is composed of black ruthenium-coated brass. Upon this, handcrafted and microblasted finishes provide an elevated platform for a set of luminescent-tipped, diamond-polished hands to travel over, lucidly imparting meaning. The upper geometric framework of the dial also bears the aforementioned ‘Swiss Crafted’ label upon its surfaces. The ‘AT’ and ‘µµ’ logos feature on the base level, protruding through the upper bridges, while a small seconds counter resides at 9 o’clock.
Mauron Musy MU05-105 Architect – Calibre MM01-SK
The focus of the MU05-106 Architect is its ability to fetch light, diffuse it and shoot it back off the dial. Interestingly, it’s not just the dial that’s responsible for this. The movement is a visual symphony of contrasts where every surface plays a role.
The plate and bridges of the Calibre MM01-SK are meticulously hollowed out and sculpted, allowing the diamond-polished angles to come to the fore, defining intricate contours across the various planes of the dial. Meanwhile, the satin-brushed gear wheels offer a subdued gleam against the startling brilliance of sunburst balance bridges.
To the seasoned watch collector, details like these are a refreshing treat. They signify a departure from the classical Swiss decoration we so often associate with brands of Swiss heritage. Though modern, they serve as a tonic, cleansing this layered dial with contrasting textures that go against the norm. Lastly, the Calibre MM01-SK beats at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a power reserve of 55 hours once fully wound.
Mauron Musy MU05-105 Architect – straps
The Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect watch is limited to just 10 single pieces and comes with two straps, one in rubber strap and the other in leather, both available in various colours. The straps can easily be swapped without the need for tools and secure to the wrist with a Grade 5 deployant clasp.
Closing remarks
It’s clear by the design of its case that the Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect is the work of a brand obsessed with machining metal. Eric Mauron and Christophe Musy are metal experts through and through and their background in case design reflects an innate bravery to try new things.
If you appreciate avant-garde design, this may be a watch for you. It challenges the perceptions of traditional timekeeping and sits at an intersection between two polar opposites; complexity and simplicity. It showcases an abundance of mechanical ingenuity, yet reveals many thought processes in plain sight. Mauron Musy has surpassed the idea of the three-dimensional dial; it has created unique architectural structures employing algorithmic design.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Mauron Musy MU05-106 Architect
- Case: Grade 5 titanium, diameter 44 mm, height 13 mm, water resistance 30ATM (300 metres), sapphire crystal to front; sapphire caseback
- Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds
- Movement: Calibre MM01-SK, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz), 25 jewels, power reserve 55 hours
- Strap: delivered with two straps, a rubber strap (8 colours) and a leather strap (4 colours). Features tool-free interchangeability of straps. Deployant clasp in steel and Titanium Grade 5
- Price: CHF 28,000 including International VAT (RRP as of 16.8.2025)
- Limited Edition: 10 pieces