MB&F - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

MB&F, founded in 2005 in Geneva (Switzerland) by Maximilian Büsser, brings together “Friends” — watchmakers, designers, artisans — to create wearable kinetic sculptures. The brand speaks to collectors who value three-dimensional mechanical expression and time reading as part of the show.

Horological Machines: 3D volumes and mechanical storytelling

The “HM” line treats the watch as a spatial object where shells, sapphire domes and purpose-built engines form a living tableau; the aim is not to hide complexity but to stage it on the wrist. Clear waypoints:

• MB&F HM4 Thunderbolt — twin-pod architecture with aviation cues, separated readouts and unmistakable presence.
• MB&F HM7 Aquapod — jellyfish-inspired concentric build, tentacled rotor and flying tourbillon glowing at night.
• MB&F HM9 Flow — streamliner case like an aero engine, complex sapphires and twin balances averaged by a differential.
• MB&F HM10 Bulldog — expressive “jaw” power-reserve, peripheral time display and compact stance.
• MB&F HM11 Architect — pavilion-like case with radial “rooms” (time, power, temperature), turning the wrist into a mini-habitat.

Legacy Machine: suspended balance, rethought perpetual and sequential chronograph

With “LM”, MB&F stages mechanics in a round, neo-classical register: suspended balance, finely finished bridges, off-centre displays; the re-engineered perpetual calendar and the sequential chronograph exemplify this visible-engineering mindset.

• MB&F LM Perpetual — “mechanical processor” by Stephen McDonnell, pushers deactivated during date change to prevent jams.
• MB&F LM101 — refined three-hand under a hovering balance, wearable proportions and clean dials.
• MB&F LM Split Escapement — separated regulator architecture with the balance showcased above the dial.
• MB&F LMX — ten-year LM tribute with dual-time display and 3D architecture.
• MB&F LM Sequential EVO — twin-chronograph with multiple modes (sequential, logical split), 2022 Aiguille d’Or.

Friends, M.A.D.Galleries and a creative ecosystem

The collaborative method gathers master watchmakers, dial artists, setters and kinetic sculptors; M.A.D.Galleries — opened in Geneva in 2011 and later in Taipei, Dubai and Hong Kong — embed this culture of mechanical art. They double as an in-house stage for MB&F and like-minded creators.

Positioning, output and reach

MB&F operates in independent haute horlogerie with annual output in the low hundreds and selective distribution (workshops, M.A.D.Galleries, retailers); typical public prices run from the high five figures up to around CHF 200,000 depending on series, within deliberately measured volumes. In 2024, Chanel acquired a 25% stake without altering control, signalling long-term stability.

Conclusion

MB&F suits those seeking a watch-sculpture where technique is a language: “HM” for manifesto objects, “LM” for tradition recast (perpetual, sequential chronograph). Choose between formal radicality (HM) and illuminated classicism (LM), weighing size, legibility and wear. To validate your shortlist with real ownership, rely on Dialicious customer reviews.

(Updated August 2025)