MB&F doesn't make watches—they create "Horological Machines." These sculptural timepieces look like spaceships, robots, and creatures from science fiction. In an industry obsessed with heritage, MB&F proves that radical creativity still has a place.
Maximilian Büsser's Vision
Maximilian Büsser founded MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends) in 2005 after leading Harry Winston's watch division. He'd proven he could create commercially successful luxury watches. Now he wanted to make something purely creative—timepieces unconstrained by market expectations.
The "& Friends" is crucial: MB&F collaborates with independent watchmakers, designers, and artists to realize each creation.
Horological Machine No.1
HM1, launched in 2007, announced MB&F's intentions clearly. This wasn't a watch—it was a sculptural object that happened to tell time. The radical case design housed a complex movement visible through multiple sapphire panels.
The industry had never seen anything quite like it.
The Horological Machines
Each subsequent HM explores different themes. HM2 resembled a spaceship. HM3 featured a cone-shaped display. HM4 evoked jet engines. HM6 looked like a spacecraft with retractable blast shields. HM7 took the form of a jellyfish. HM9 channeled 1950s automotive design.
These aren't variations on a theme—each is a completely new creation requiring years of development.
Legacy Machines
The Legacy Machine series offers slightly more traditional aesthetics—though "traditional" is relative for MB&F. LM1 featured a massive suspended balance wheel visible through the dial. LM Perpetual created a revolutionary perpetual calendar. LM Sequential EVO delivered a radical twin-chronograph.
Legacy Machines prove MB&F can execute classical watchmaking at the highest level while maintaining creative distinction.
Collaborations
MB&F embraces collaboration openly. They've worked with L'Epée on fantastical clocks shaped like octopuses, spiders, and robots. They've partnered with independent watchmakers on special projects. The "Friends" in MB&F represents genuine creative partnership.
M.A.D. Gallery
MB&F operates M.A.D. (Mechanical Art Devices) Galleries showcasing kinetic art beyond watches. These spaces in Geneva, Dubai, and Taipei display mechanical creations that blur the line between horology and sculpture.
Limited Production
MB&F produces perhaps 200-300 pieces annually—minuscule by industry standards. Each Horological Machine requires extensive hand-finishing and assembly. This isn't mass production; it's artisanal creation at the highest level.
Pricing Reality
MB&F watches start around $50,000 and can exceed $500,000 for complex pieces. These prices reflect the genuine complexity, limited production, and artistic value of each creation. They're not for everyone—but that's rather the point.
MB&F Today
MB&F continues pushing boundaries that most brands don't even approach. For collectors who see watches as wearable art, who value creativity over convention, MB&F offers something no traditional brand can match: genuine horological imagination without compromise.