1,654 articles · 79 videos found · page 1 of 58
Architect-trained Geneva designer behind MB&F\'s entire HM and LM series, plus Bovet, Manufacture Royale, Greubel Forsey commissions.
MB&F's twelfth Horological Machine is a flying-tourbillon wristwatch that docks inside a 15 kg, nearly 400 mm tall transforming robot companion, and only 36 will ever exist
Monochrome
Childhood imagination and science fiction to inspire high-end watchmaking? Why not, and MB&F; is proof that it can be a successful combination. Since the launch of HM1 in 2007, Maximilian Büsser’s concept laboratory has consistently transformed memories of spaceships, supercars, aircraft and robots into complex mechanical creations for the wrist. Some of the brand’s memorable […]
Time+Tide
The MB&F; HM12, originally planned for the 20th anniversary celebrations, marks a major turning point as we enter the brand's third decade.
SJX Watches
After more than 20 years, avante garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. It combines a Horological Machine with a high-end shaped movement, flying tourbillon the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a designer. That Maertens did the har...
SJX Watches
After more than 20 years, avant-garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. The HM12 is a Horological Machine containing a high-end shaped movement featuring a flying tourbillon, nestled in the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and founder Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a...
Hodinkee
What We Know If there's a brand known to constantly exist in a state of one-upping itself when it comes to new designs, it's most certainly MB&F;. And, just as expected, following a slew of radical Horological Machine designs, this new Horological Machine 12 manages to go in a completely new direction. No, your eyes aren't fooling you. This new creation is a robot and a watch combined, in three editions of 12 pieces each: blue, green, and purple. If the Horological Machine 11 drew upon the architecture of the 1960s, the HM12 "The Guardian" looks a decade or two later, when a massive pop-culture obsession with science fiction and robotics would lead to generations of kids obsessed with properties like Transformers, Gundam, and the resulting toys that followed. If there's ever criticism of some of Max Busser's more playful ideas coming across as much too toy-like, the HM12 completely doubles down on that idea with this new design that takes the idea of a robotic action figure to the horological extreme. Here, Max's vision is implemented by another Max, Maximilian Maertens. A name familiar to collectors of the brand, Maertens has been responsible for many of the clock and music box creations for MB&F;, as well as the little Minimilian figures given to owners of MB&F; watches. There's a lot to break down here, so let's start with the watch itself. It is, ever so purposefully, designed to resemble a face, but its construction reveals so much jam-packed into the futuristic, spacesh...
Video
Deployant
We had a good look at the new MB&F; HM12 The Guardian recently when Max Büsser and his team visited and presented us with this novelty.
Monochrome
Teaming up with independent watchmaker wizard Stephen McDonnell in 2015 catapulted MB&F; into the rarefied domain of haute horlogerie. McDonnell’s extraordinary, award-winning LM Perpetual marked a before-and-after in the genre. A fully integrated 581-component calibre, the complication is shown dial-side beneath the suspended balance wheel of the Legacy Machine family. A mesmerising display of mechanical […]
Monochrome
Originally intended as a way to thank 500 of the brand’s suppliers and clients who couldn’t afford an MB&F; watch, Max Büsser came up with the M.A.D.1, an accessible one-off project. Inevitably, the news leaked, and requests from the watch community escalated into a frenzy, prompting the annual release of M.A.D. Editions via a raffle […]
Monochrome
The Legacy Machine collection has always been MB&F;‘s most paradoxical line. Conceived as a tribute to 19th-century watchmaking, it features some of the most theatrical three-dimensional movements in contemporary horology. The LM101, introduced in 2014, was the most restrained expression of that idea. Smaller, thinner, and mechanically simpler than its siblings, it stripped the concept […]
Deployant
MB&F; updates their LM Sequential EVO with a revisit to the launch edition to update it with a flyback on both chronographs. It also carries a new twist to the already very complicated watch.
Video
What does your grail watch REALLY say about you? Today we're roasting 20 of the most iconic grail watches in the world — from the Rolex Submariner and Daytona to the Patek Philippe Nautilus, AP Royal Oak, Richard Mi...
Monochrome
Following in the footsteps of the award-winning LM Sequential EVO of 2022, MB&F;’s first chronograph, or rather two chronographs, with an unprecedented combination of timing modes, MB&F; treats its more sophisticated LM Sequential Flyback to the brand’s all-terrain EVO treatment, a series of structural upgrades to beef up the case for an active lifestyle. Its […]
SJX Watches
MB&F; has updated its EVO line with an aquamarine version of Stephen McDonnell’s ingenious double chronograph, freshly upgraded with the flyback functionality first seen in the classic Legacy Machine Sequential. The Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback EVO is a tough titanium timer suited to the rigours of daily wear thanks to its shock-protected and water resistant case and supple rubber strap. Initial thoughts MB&F; has enjoyed enormous success over the last few years, and while the rising tide of interest in independent watchmaking has lifted most major brands, it helps that MB&F;’s products are excellent and original. While the brand rarely dabbles in traditional complicated watchmaking, its first two forays – the LM Perpetual and Sequential, both designed by Stephen McDonnell – are standouts in their categories. The Sequential in particular is among the most interesting and creative chronographs on the market. This latest iteration applies the movement’s latest upgrades, principally the flyback function, to a sporty, titanium, Legacy Machine EVO case, which comes with enhanced shock and water resistance. Despite these tangible upgrades, the EVO Sequential is no larger than its dressier precious metal Legacy Machine counterparts. That’s a good thing, since the watch has a commanding, almost overwhelming presence on the wrist as it is. One of the benefits of the EVO case, compared to that of the classic LM, is the presence of a FlexRing shock absorber that provide...
Time+Tide
With over 90 brands at Dubai Watch Week this year, there were plenty of hot new releases, with soft gold tones leading the way.The post Dubai Watch Week 2025 Special: new releases from Laurent Ferrier, Biver, MB&F; and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
The latest watch in the Horological Machine series by MB&F;, the HM11 is a true architectural experiment, but for the wrist: a quatrefoil case composed of four functional rooms surrounding a central atrium that hosts a flying tourbillon. Introduced in 2023 as the HM11 Architect, the concept combined an immediately tactile user ritual with an […]
SJX Watches
MB&F; opens Dubai Watch Week with a thematic reinterpretation of the HM11 Architect: the HM11 Art Deco. While the underlying structure remains the same, including the strangely satisfying rotate-to-wind case, the latest version goes all in on Art Deco motifs, from sunbeams and stained glass to ziggurats. The 20-piece limited edition also marks a subtle turning point: the growing influence of Maximilian Maertens, who has worked alongside Maximilian Büsser and Eric Giroud since joining the company as an intern in 2017. Initial thoughts Though ‘merely’ a new version of an existing watch, the HM11 Art Deco feels like a sign of things to come from MB&F;. The original HM11 design originated, as so many MB&F; products have, as a collaboration between Maximilian Büsser and designer Eric Giroud. But Mr Büsser is not the only Maximilian to leave an imprint on the HM11 Art Deco; that would be the brand’s Senior Industrial Designer, Berlin-based Maximilian Maertens. Mr Maertens joined MB&F; as an intern in 2017, and has worked on a number of larger objects including the Orb clock made in collaboration with L’Epée 1839. Mr Giroud will no doubt remain as critical as ever, but the growing impact of Mr Maertens is something to watch as MB&F; builds for the future. Tangibly, the Art Deco is much the same watch as the HM11 Architect that debuted two years ago, with its novel rotate-to-wind case and movement. But while everything else seems to have gotten more expensive since 2023, th...
Video
This Watch Caught Me Off Guard
SJX Watches
MB&F; has generated a lot of attention this year with a number of new releases celebrating the brand’s own 20th anniversary. Today MB&F; celebrates the 75th anniversary of one of its early champions and long-time retail partners, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, one of the most influential retailers in the Middle East, best known for organising Dubai Watch Week. To mark the occasion, MB&F; has developed two new limited edition models of its groundbreaking perpetual calendar, the Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO, on a sporty rubber strap, and the Legacy Machine Perpetual Baguette Diamonds, which is the first LM Perpetual to feature a gem-set bezel. Both models wear the typical Legacy Machine (LM) look and feature a vibrant blue colour used once before for another Seddiqi collaboration. Each watch is extremely limited; the titanium EVO will be a limited edition of just seven pieces, while only five pieces will be made of the steel version with its baguette-set bezel. Initial thoughts It’s a big year for milestone anniversaries, which is a good thing for watch collectors who are unusually spoiled for choice. That’s especially true for clients of Seddiqi, who can choose between two appealing new variants of one of the most intellectually compelling perpetual calendars on the market. They say it’s good to have friends in high places, but evidently it’s also good to have friends in dry places. Speaking about MB&F;’s long-term relationship with Seddiqi, founder Maximilian Busser noted,...
SJX Watches
On episode 13 of the SJX Podcast, Brandon Moore and SJX discuss MB&F;’s decision to give away 20 free watches – 10 pieces of a new LM101 Longhorn for Tribe members and 10 pieces of a matching M.A.D.1S for prior raffle registrants. It’s a move that’s generated a lot of buzz, and a little bit of consternation, but regardless it’s a remarkable offer from one of the more successful independent brands of its era. Also discussed is the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds which just got upgraded with a new solid 18k pink gold dial. Is it still competitive nearly a decade after launch? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.
Time+Tide
MB&F; is celebrating 20 years by giving away 20 watches in total, split across two new, anniversary special models.The post Ever wanted a free MB&F;? Well, the brand’s actually giving some away – here’s how to get one appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
In celebration of their 20th anniversary, the self-proclaimed “world’s first horological concept laboratory”, MB&F;, has a slate of special editions to remind the world of their experimental timepieces that push the boundaries of watchmaking (and watch wearing). Named for founder Maximilian Büsser (and friends), the brand’s back-catalog of inventive pieces has been plundered, with a total of 20 limited edition watches to be given away to the lucky few. The catch here is that instead of making the limited editions available commercially, MB&F; will be holding two raffles, each yielding 10 watches to 10 lucky winners. The first of the two raffles is more exclusive, being open only to “Tribe” members; aka, current owners of MB&F; watches. Becoming a Tribe member requires registering your MB&F; watch, and opens the door to special editions, collectibles, warranty extensions, and other perks. This Tribe-exclusive raffle promises winners one of 10 limited edition LM101 Longhorn pieces. The LM101 is among the most prized “Legacy Machine” watches MB&F; makes, and the Longhorn case is seen infrequently in MB&F;’s catalog, and is perhaps even more sought after. It’s named for its distinctive long lugs, here extending from a 40mm stainless steel case. The colorway is sober silver with black subdials and blue accents on the hands. A caseback inscription on the reverse side reads “Fortune Favors the Bold”. The second raffle is tied directly to the much more acces...
Deployant
20 crazy years of MB&F;. And the madness continues. And a special raffle for two limited editions released for this occassion. Leran more here.
Video
I went to London on my birthday to buy a Rolex Explorer 36 — and came home with a discontinued Cartier Santos 100 instead. This is the full story of a day spent watch shopping across London, including hands-on with...
Fratello
It’s hard to believe that MB&F; has been in business for 20 years. Yet, here we are with the marque that was part of a new wave of independents changing the look of Haute Horlogerie. Futuristic and funky designs are a hallmark of MB&F;. Today’s latest pair of Legacy Machine 101 (LM101) Evo watches continues […] Visit Introducing: The MB&F; Legacy Machine 101 Evo to read the full article.
Deployant
Celebrating Maximilian Büsser & Friends (MB&F;)'s 20th Anniversary, the avangarde Swiss Haute Horlogerie Maison launches the iconic LM101 EVO.
Quill & Pad
In celebration of MB&F;’s 20th anniversary in 2025, two LM101 EVO editions are introduced in titanium, available with either a salmon or peacock green dial plate.
Time+Tide
A sporting take on one of the most legendary models the exciting independent makes with plenty of character. The post MB&F; updates the LM101 with its sporty EVO upgrades appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
It might seem like aeons ago, but MB&F;’s Legacy Machine dynasty is still a teenager in watchmaking terms. Launched in 2011, the LM family turned our perceptions of MB&F;’s galactic design language inside out and upside down. Flying back to 19th-century watchmaking for inspiration, Max Büsser’s vision of a monumental balance wheel suspended on the […]
Video
5 IWC watches I’d love in my collection; which is your favourite?
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.