MB&F (Maximilian Büsser and Friends) is a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer founded by Maximilian Busser in July 2005 in Geneva, Switzerland. MB&F specializes in small series of concept-type watches.[1][2] MB&F's clocks have a futuristic style, and the company has collaborated with other artists and watchmakers.[3]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Watchmaking |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Maximilian Büsser |
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | Watches, Clocks |
Production output | 350 pieces (2022) |
Number of employees | 48 (2023) |
| Website | www |
History
edit
MB&F was founded by Maximilian Büsser in July 2005 in Geneva, Switzerland.[4] MB&F launched its first watch, Horological Machine No.1 (HM1) in 2007.[5] MB&F has since launched more than 10 atypical 'horological machines'.[6] In 2011, the brand presented Legacy Machine No.1 (LM1), the first in a collection of more traditional-looking, round-cased watches. In 2012, LM1 was awarded twice at the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Best Men's Watch and the Public Prize.[6]
In 2018 MB&F was granted a patent for a perpetual calendar mechanism that automatically corrects at the end of months having less than 31 days.[7]
In 2024, 25% of the company was acquired by Chanel for an undisclosed amount. Despite the new investment, Büsser, retains the majority ownership with 60%, while Serge Kriknoff hold 15%.[8]
Notable models
editIn 2010 the HM4 Thunderbolt was awarded the Best Concept and Design Watch by the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.[9]
In 2012 the Legacy Machine No.1 was awarded both Best Men’s Watch Prize and the Public prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève.[10]
The Horological Machine No.6 (HM6) features a rounded biomorphic case, flying tourbillon under a retractable cover, and automatic winding.[11] It displays hours and minutes on separate semi-spherical aluminum indication domes, crown to open/close a central flying tourbillon shield. It features hour and minute indications on domes, automatic winding regulated by twin turbines developed exclusively for HM6 by MB&F.[12]
In 2015 Horological Machine No.6 received a ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best" award – the top prize at the international Red Dot Awards.[13]
In 2015, MB&F presented Legacy Machine Perpetual featuring a new perpetual calendar architecture.[14] LM Perpetual has a large-diameter suspended balance with traditional Breguet overcoil suspended over on the dial from twin arches with the complete perpetual calendar complication visible on full display above the movement plate.[15] It displays hours, minutes, day, date, month, retrograde leap year and power reserve indicators. It has a fully integrated perpetual calendar developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring dial-side complication and mechanical processor system architecture with inbuilt safety mechanisms.
In 2016 Legacy Machine Perpetual won the Best Calendar Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).[16]
In 2018, Maximilian Büsser was awarded an Entrepreneurship prize by the Gaïa Prix.[17]
In 2019 MB&F presented the brand's first ladies' watch, the LM FlyingT[18] It features a central three-dimensional tourbillon movement, much of which is visible above the dial. The time is displayed on an inclined subdial at 7 o'clock. Hours and minutes are displayed on a 50° vertically tilted dial with two serpentine hands. Its movement is a three-dimensional vertical architecture, with automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house by Maximilian Büsser and Friends, central 60-second flying tourbillon, and 100-hour power reserve.[18] In 2019, LM FlyingT won Best Ladies Complication at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG).[19]
In 2020, MB&F launched HM10 Bulldog,[20] which features an unusual power reserve indication displayed by the opening and closing of the ”bulldog’s” jaws at the bottom of the watch. Under a large domed crystal, a high central balance wheel oscillates between the hour and minute indicator domes.[citation needed]
In 2022, MB&F presented LM Sequential EVO, a revolutionary dual chronograph. The movement features two column-wheel chronographs and a “Twinverter” binary pusher that enables multiple timing modes, including independent timing, split-second timing, sequential lap timer, and cumulative “chess match” timing. LM Sequential EVO won the top horological prize of 2022, the GPHG “Aiguille d’Or”.[21]
M.A.D. Gallery
editBüsser created the first MB&F M.A.D. Gallery in 2011 in Geneva,[22] Switzerland. "M.A.D." stands for Mechanical Art Devices. Büsser considers his timepieces to be kinetic art[23] and created his own art gallery to display his sculptured Horological Machines in the context of mechanical art by other artists.[24]
In addition to Geneva, there are now M.A.D. Galleries in Dubai[25] and Taipei,[26] and smaller ”MB&F Labs” in Singapore and Paris.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Watchmakers turn to new product ranges". Robb Report. December 2019.
- ^ "Two Watch-World Heavyweights Teamed Up to Create a Triple-Axis Tourbillon for MB&F". Robb Report. December 2019.
- ^ "MB&F and H. Moser launch 2 models: a two-way collaboration of latest timepieces". The Financial Times. March 2014.
- ^ "The Watch World's Risk-Takers". The Wall Street Journal. March 2014.
- ^ "How This Unconventional Brand Changed the Watch World for the Weirder". Gear Patrol. March 2014.
- ^ a b "2GHHP Prize list 2012". Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie de Genève. Nov 2012.
- ^ EP 1351104, "Device with program wheel for perpetual calendar mechanism, and timepiece provided with such a mechanism"
- ^ "Chanel Acquires 25% Stake in MB&F".
- ^ "GPHG Prize List 2010". GPHG. January 2016.
- ^ "GPHG Prize List 2012". GPHG. November 2012.
- ^ Quill & Pad: Horological Machine No.6
- ^ Hodinkee Introducing Horological Machine No.6
- ^ ABTW: MB&F HM6 RT Watch In Red Gold
- ^ Quill & Pad Why Legacy Machine Perpetual Catapults MB&F Into The Big League
- ^ Bloomberg: Legacy Machine Perpetual Is MB&F’s Most Ambitious Watch Yet
- ^ "GPHG Prize List 2016". GPHG. January 2016.
- ^ "Maximilian: 'This Is My Life'". FHH Journal. September 2018.
- ^ a b Liu, Ming (March 20, 2019). "MB&F Creates Its First Watch for Women". The New York Times.
- ^ "GPHG Prize List 2019". GPHG. January 2016.
- ^ "MB&F HM10 Bulldog: Forget The Dog, Beware Of The Owner (Video)". Quill & Pad. September 2020.
- ^ "GPHG Prize List 2022". GPHG. November 2022.
- ^ "Visiting the MB&F M.A.D Gallery, the crazy artistic universe of Max Busser & Friends". Monochrome Watches. 2016.
- ^ "Max Büsser's Accidental Art Gallery Empire". Watch Journal. May 2018.
- ^ "5 Awesome Mechanical Sculptures You Can't Miss At M.A.D.Gallery". Asia Tatler. 2019.
- ^ "Design Days Dubai in partnership with MB&F M.A.D Gallery". Gulf news. 2016.
- ^ "MB&F – Second M.A.D.Gallery in Taipei". Europa Star Dubai. 2015.