MB&F
Template:Hersteller-Menue2 Template:File Template:File MB&F is an independent Swiss watch manufacturer founded in 2005 and named for Maximilian Büsser and his friends.
Overview
The Geneva watch creator Maximilian Büsser blew away all previous notions of timepieces with his "Horological Machines" (HM1 - HM3). The initials MB&F stand for "Maximilian Büsser & Friends". These friends include illustrious names from the class of Swiss Haute Horlogerie, including Peter Speake-Marin, Jean-François Mojon/Chronode, and Agenhor.
MB&F makes three lines of watches:
- The avant-garde Horological Machines (launched in 2005) have extremely unusual shapes and forms, designed to be entirely different from any other timepiece
- The simple, round Legacy Machines (launched in 2011) are designed to be worn, though they still delight with a top-center balance wheel above the dial
- Performance Art pieces come in very limited numbers and are designed as a showcase for the company
- MB&F also makes one-off sculptural collaborations with companies like Reuge and L’Epée
All MB&F watches up to the Legacy Machine 101 used ebauche movements reworked with complications. But the 2014 introduction of the Legacy Machine 101 changed that, with the first MB&F in-house creation, a hand-wound 23 jewel movement resembling the earlier Legacy Machines but entirely new.
History
Büsser formed MB&F in 2005 after establishing himself at Jaeger-LeCoultre. He launched the three-dimensional four-barrel Horological Machine No. 1 in 2007, collaborating with Peter Speake-Marin, Eric Giroud, and Laurent Besse. This was followed in 2008 with the Horological Machine No. 2, developed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor, Maximilien Di Blasi, and Patrick Lété on a Sowind ebauche. The next year, the Horological Machine No. 3 appeared, designed with Eric Giroud and developed with Wiederrecht/Agenhor. These early watches were fantastically new and unique in appearance and function. And Büsser's collaborative approach, bringing in outside watchmakers and naming his developers, would become the toast of the industry.
Another MB&F signature concept appeared in 2010 with the Boucheron diamond-set HM3 JwlryMachine. The company would collaborate with other jewellery companies in following years, decorating and re-using existing mechanics in new and exciting ways.
In 2011, another face of MB&F was revealed with the more-conventional Legacy Machine No. 1. This round watch was wearable and elegant yet still a true MB&F, being developed with Jean-François Mojon/Chronode and Kari Voutilainen.
The final piece in the MB&F puzzle appeared in 2013 as the company launched the sculptural MusicMachine 1 music box, constructed by Reuge. Later collaborations revealed whimsical elements inspired by movies and pop culture and were produced by Caran d'Ache and L’Epée as well.
Awards
MB&F is one of the most decorated independent watchmakers, winning 5 prizes at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève as of 2019.
- 2009 Montres Passion Special Jury Prize, Horological Machine No. 3
- 2010 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Design and Concept Watch Prize, Horological Machine No. 4 Thunderbolt
- 2012 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Men's Watch Prize, Legacy Machine No. 1
- 2012 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Public Prize, Legacy Machine No. 1
- 2016 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Calendar Watch Prize, Legacy Machine Perpetual
- 2019 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Ladies' Complication Watch Prize, Legacy Machine FlyingT
Models
- Legacy Machines
- Legacy Machine No. 1 - 44 mm round - Developed with Jean-François Mojon/Chronode and Kari Voutilainen (Also "Xia Hang")
- Legacy Machine No. 2 - 44 mm round - Developed with Jean-François Mojon/Chronode and Kari Voutilainen
- Legacy Machine Split Escapement - Movement developed by Stephen McDonnell
- Legacy Machine Perpetual - Movement developed by Stephen McDonnell
- Legacy Machine 101 - 40 mm round - Design and finish specifications by Kari Voutilainen
- Legacy Machine Flying T - 38.5 mm round for women
- Horological Machines
- Horological Machine No. 1 - Designed with Eric Giroud with movement enginnering by Laurent Besse and Peter Speake-Marin
- Horological Machine No. 2 - Developed by Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor, Maximilien Di Blasi, and Patrick Lété on a Sowind ebauche (Also "Black Box" and "Only Watch")
- Horological Machine No. 3 - Designed with Eric Giroud and developed with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht/Agenhor on a Sowind ebauche (Also "Frog" and "Megawind")
- Horological Machine No. 4 - Movement developed by Laurent Besse and Beranger Reynard (Also "Only Watch")
- Horological Machine No. 5 - Developed with Jean-François Mojon/Chronode on a Girard-Perregaux/Sowind gear train
- Horological Machine No. 6 "Space Pirate" - Movement developed with David Candaux
- Horological Machine No. 7 - Movement developed in-house
- Horological Machine No. 8 - Movement developed on a Girard-Perregaux ebauche
- Horological Machine No. 9 "Flow Air" and "Flow Road" (2018)
- Performance Art
- Collaborations
- Arachnaphobia - Manufactured by L’Epée
- Astrograph - Developed with Caran d'Ache
- Balthazar - Manufactured by L’Epée
- Destination Moon - Manufactured by L’Epée
- The Fifth Element - Manufactured by L’Epée
- Kelys & Chirp - Developed with Reuge and Nicolas Court
- Melichor - Developed with Reuge
- Music Machine - Developed with Reuge
- Music Machine 2 - Developed with Reuge
- Music Machine 3 - Developed with Reuge
- Octopod - Manufactured by L’Epée
- Sherman - Manufactured by L’Epée
- Starfleet Machine - Manufactured by L’Epée
Address
MB&F
Terrasse Agrippa d'Aubigné 6
Case postale 3466
CH-1211 Geneva 3
[email protected]