MB&F is a Swiss watchmaking laboratory founded by Maximilian Büsser, dedicated to creating highly complex, three-dimensional kinetic sculptures. Breaking away from traditional watch design, the brand operates as a collaborative collective of watchmakers, engineers, and designers, producing ground-breaking Horological Machines and classic-inspired Legacy Machines.
Overview
Founded: 2005
Based in: Geneva, Switzerland
Typical Price Range: £45,000–£250,000 GBP
Known For: Legacy Machine 101, Horological Machine No. 9, Legacy Machine Sequential EVO
Website: mbandf.com
Brand Story
After leading Jaeger-LeCoultre and Harry Winston’s Rare Timepieces division, Maximilian Büsser founded MB&F in 2005. His goal was to create a company where he could design watches without corporate compromise, treating watchmaking as a form of art. By assembling a team of industry ‘Friends’ (hence Büsser & Friends), the brand highlights the contribution of independent watchmakers, dial makers, and case manufacturers who bring these wild concepts to life.
Design Language
MB&F divides its output into two families. Horological Machines (HM) are science-fiction-inspired sculptures that resemble spaceships, vintage cars, or aquatic creatures, often reading time via rotating drums or prisms. Legacy Machines (LM) pay homage to 19th-century watchmaking, featuring round cases, traditional finishes, and suspended flying balance wheels mounted above the dial.
Movements & Manufacturing
MB&F’s movements, which they call ‘engines,’ are developed in collaboration with master watchmakers like Jean-François Mojon, Kari Voutilainen, and Stephen McDonnell. They feature incredible three-dimensional architectures, custom finishes, and complex complications like sequential chronographs and perpetual calendars.
Notable Models
Legacy Machine 101: A compact Legacy Machine focusing on the essence of a mechanical watch: the balance wheel, power reserve, and time.
Horological Machine No. 9 (HM9): A highly aerodynamic titanium sculpture containing a complex manual movement with dual balance wheels.
Legacy Machine Sequential EVO: A revolutionary dual-chronograph watch developed in collaboration with Stephen McDonnell.
Why Enthusiasts Care
MB&F is one of the most innovative and artistic forces in modern horology. Their refusal to follow standard market formulas, combined with exceptional hand-finishing and absolute transparency about the collaborators behind their creations, has made them a darling of high-end watch collecting.
Official Website
Featured Models
Legacy Machine 101
The Legacy Machine 101 features a suspended flying balance wheel above the dial, showcasing MB&F's mechanical art in a traditional 40mm round case.
