MAT Egg Master II: Whimsical Complication from a Tactical Brand VELOCE
The watch engineered for a more domestic, yet equally precise, challenge: boiling the perfect egg. Enter the Egg Master II, a delightfully quirky timepiece from a brand with a surprisingly hardcore pedigree. Don't let the playful concept fool you. This is a serious mechanical watch, born from a brand that typically supplies elite military and police units. It’s a fascinating contradiction: a culinary complication with a tactical soul. Let's crack this one open.
May 27, 2026 0 views
In the world of horology, we often celebrate watches built for the extremes—the deepest oceans, the highest altitudes, the fastest racetracks. But what about a watch engineered for a more domestic, yet equally precise, challenge: boiling the perfect egg? Enter the Egg Master II, a delightfully quirky timepiece from a brand with a surprisingly hardcore pedigree, MAT Watches.
Don't let the playful concept fool you. This is a serious mechanical watch, born from a brand that typically supplies elite military and police units. It’s a fascinating contradiction: a culinary complication with a tactical soul. Let's crack this one open.
From Elite Ops to "Oeuf Mayo": The MAT Watches Story
To truly appreciate the Egg Master II, you must first understand its creator. MAT Watches, which stands for Mer-Air-Terre (Sea, Air, Land), is a French watch brand founded in 2005 by Fabrice Pougez. From its inception, MAT carved out a niche by creating robust, reliable, and highly legible timepieces for professionals who operate in the world's most demanding environments.
The brand's big break came from a special order for RAID, the legendary elite tactical unit of the French National Police. This set the tone for the company's future. Over the years, MAT has supplied watches to the French Foreign Legion, naval aviation pilots, and even members of the US Navy. These are not fashion accessories; they are field-tested tools where precision and durability are paramount. This history is the bedrock of every watch they produce, infusing even their most unconventional creations with a sense of over-engineered toughness.
"MAT watches has been establishing a reputation for excellence in designing and crafting cutting-edge technical watches for renowned professionals... our automatic watches have equipped modern heroes, renowned for their reliability, precision, extreme readability, and resistance to the toughest tests." - MAT Watches
The Genesis of a Culinary Chronometer
The story of the Egg Master begins not in a war room, but in a bistro. The first version of the watch was born from a collaboration with the French "Association de sauvegarde de l'œuf mayonnaise" (ASOM), or the Association for the Safeguarding of Egg Mayonnaise. Yes, that's a real thing. That initial, limited-edition watch cleverly repurposed a regatta-timer chronograph to time the cooking of eggs and, unsurprisingly, sold out almost instantly.
Following this "runaway success," MAT decided to create a sequel, but this time, they elevated the entire concept. The Egg Master II is a thoughtfully designed mechanical watch that fully embraces its culinary purpose with a healthy dose of humor ("avec précision horlogère et second degré assumé" — with watchmaking precision and an assumed sense of humor).
Mastering the Details: The Egg Master II
Set for release on June 9, 2026, the Egg Master II is a significant upgrade from its quartz-powered predecessor.
- The Movement: At its heart beats a Swiss automatic Soprod M100 movement, a reliable and well-regarded caliber, visible through a transparent caseback. This upgrade signals a clear commitment to traditional watchmaking.
- The Case: It's housed in the brand's new "Picobello" case, a 39.5mm stainless steel design with a comfortable 46.7mm lug-to-lug distance, making it versatile for a wide range of wrists. With a screw-down crown, it boasts a serious 200 meters of water resistance—enough to handle any kitchen mishap.
- The "Complication": The watch's signature feature is its bidirectional rotating bezel. Developed with Chef Fabien Pairon, the bezel is marked with color-coded timings for four classic egg preparations: poché (poached), coque (soft-boiled), mollet (medium-boiled), and dur (hard-boiled). To use it, you simply align the desired cooking style with the minute hand and let the countdown begin.
The design beautifully marries technical utility with a clean, retro-modern aesthetic. The crisp white dial, luminescent hands, and sapphire crystal ensure excellent legibility, staying true to the brand's core principles. It's a watch that is both a conversation starter and a genuinely capable timepiece.
The Final Verdict: A Watch with Character
The MAT Egg Master II is a refreshing reminder that horology doesn't always have to be about life-or-death situations. It can also be about perfecting a simple, universal pleasure. The watch succeeds because it doesn't take itself too seriously, yet it is built with the same exacting standards as the tactical instruments that define the MAT brand.
It’s a perfect blend of high-end French watchmaking and playful ingenuity. For the collector who has everything, the foodie who appreciates precision, or the watch lover who simply wants a timepiece with a great story, the Egg Master II is a compelling and charming proposition.
GALLERY