When Max Büsser founded MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends) in 2005, it wasn’t merely the birth of a watch brand — it was the inception of a philosophy. A philosophy that sought to tear down the rigid codes of traditional horology and rebuild timekeeping as a celebration of human creativity, friendship, and fearless imagination.
Twenty years later, MB&F stands not just as an icon of independent watchmaking but as a living, breathing movement. A movement shaped by a tribe of creators—designers, engineers, artists, and collectors—each driven by the dream to craft machines that defy logic and evoke the wonder of a child refusing to grow up.
This milestone is more than just a celebration of watches. It’s a tribute to the people who made them possible. MBandF spoke with 20 of these collaborators, the friends who have shaped MB&F’s fantastical universe.
The First Sparks
Meet Michael Tay
Group Managing Director, The Hour Glass
“Max was 31 and already radiating integrity. We backed his Harry Winston vision, then his bold idea called MB&F. From boardroom highs to near-bankruptcy lows, his loyalty never wavered. Watching him hit 20 years? Pure emotion.”
By Michael Taye
Michael’s early support helped MB&F secure crucial distribution in Southeast Asia, setting the stage for its global expansion. His faith in Max’s vision transformed risk into opportunity for an industry icon.
Meet Nicholas Mathier
Swiss-born entrepreneur in Singapore
A chance encounter at The MAD House gallery led Nicholas to his first MB&F: the platinum LM101.
“I still wear it to honour the people in Geneva who sparked my obsession.”
By Nicholas
That simple blue-dial watch became a talisman, inspiring him to champion MB&F’s spirit locally. His enthusiasm helped cultivate a passionate collector community in Asia.
Meet Stephen McDonnell
Independent watchmaker, Belfast
He poured his soul into the LM Sequential chronograph.
“Hiding in my workshop during the GPHG, I thought we lost—until MB&F won. I screamed for my wife. Unforgettable.”
By Stephen McDonald
Stephen’s pioneering chronograph bridged MB&F’s avant-garde ethos with traditional complications, proving the brand could master heritage techniques in its own irreverent style.
Meet Éric Giroud
Designer
He recalls Max sketching MB&F’s first concepts at his kitchen table in late 2004.
“With Max, you never rinse-and-repeat. Each project resets the compass.”
By Éric Giroud
Éric’s designs have become signature for their sculptural daring. His early faith in Max’s creative freedom helped MB&F define “machine art” in horology.
Meet Charris Yadigaroglou
Head of Marketing Communications since 2011
He ditched a five-month corporate recruitment for MB&F in a single week.
“Max’s willingness to leap defines our culture. We love to move fast and take risks.”
By Charris Yadigaroglou
Charris built MB&F’s voice worldwide, crafting stories that resonate far beyond traditional watch circles—into art, design, and tech audiences.
Poetry, Problems & Pivots
Meet Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
Fashion legend
He and Max created Time to Love, a rotating kinetic sculpture with three colored wings.
“Max never says no—he lightened those wings and made poetry mechanical.”
By Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
Their collaboration blended haute couture sensibility with micro-mechanics, showing MB&F could bridge worlds of art, fashion, and engineering in a single timepiece.
Meet Peter Speake
English watchmaker
When HM1’s movement supplier vanished, Peter organized a multi-national rescue team mid-drive from the factory to Geneva.
“Time joined the dream,” he says.
His resourcefulness not only saved the project but forged the resilient, do-whatever-it-takes ethos that MB&F is known for today.
Meet Thibault Verdonckt
Head of Sales since 2018
Arrived in a suit, Max looked him in the eye and said, “We wear T-shirts here.” Hired for potential, he now mentors fresh graduates to drive MB&F’s MAD Edition. “It’s always people over résumés.”
Tibo’s leadership expanded MB&F’s reach into new markets, proving that authentic relationships can outpace traditional credentials.
Meet Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani
Bulgari designer
Their first Allegra FlyingT collaboration sprouted from late-night sketches and shared manga fandom.
“If a detail feels off, Max starts over—no compromise. That’s why the work sings.”
By Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani
Fabrizio’s iterative approach influenced MB&F’s iterative spirit, where each new collaboration raises the bar for creative excellence.
Meet Nirdhar Khazanie
Meta senior PM & Watches for Good CEO
“Twenty calibres in twenty years? Child-like playfulness meets brutal engineering discipline—that’s MB&F.”
By Nirdhar Khazanie
His nonprofit work and digital expertise have helped MB&F integrate social impact initiatives and cutting-edge online engagement into its brand DNA.
The Collaborators’ Circle
Meet Arnaud Nicolas
CEO & Creative Director, L’Epée 1839
Their Medusa clock fused Swiss mechanics with Venetian Murano glass. “Fifteen creations later, we still don’t see problems, only puzzles.”
Arno’s unwavering ingenuity has inspired MB&F to embrace material exploration far beyond metal and sapphire—into glass, ceramics, and beyond.
Meet Didier Dumas
Head of Watchmaking, MB&F (#2 hire)
“I spent my first week alone in a silent workshop questioning myself. Seventeen years later, passionate applicants queue to join the madness.”
By Didier Dumas
Didier’s steady leadership transformed MB&F’s watchmaking atelier into a crucible of innovation and mentorship.
Meet Jean-Marc Bories
U.S. Market Lead
A two-week, 3,000-mile road trip in a red Mustang cemented a friendship and led him to work alongside Max. “Best decision ever.”
His insider understanding of both founder and collector perspectives has been pivotal to MB&F’s American growth.
Meet Tiffany Busser
Max’s partner
Asked twice, “Are you French?”—Max’s code for audacious. Their “children” Baltazar and Melchior are now famous robot clocks. “LM1 was our first ‘child,’ born in months.”
Tiffany’s personal insight into Max’s vision grounds MB&F’s high-concept art in heartfelt humanity.
Meet Alain Silberstein
Designer & visual storyteller
She imagined raindrops of time for the LM1 and spent two years finding a partner to craft its sapphire bridge. “Every MB&F watch is a fairytale in metal.”
Alan’s cinematic eye has shaped how MB&F communicates its story, making each launch a visual event.
Flying Machines & Desert Adventures
Meet Serge Kriknoff
Partner, Development & Production
Aviation off-ramp to watchmaking: HM4’s turbine case and the vertical 3D power reserve of the Legacy Machines.
“I initially said, ‘I didn’t join MB&F for a round watch!’ Now, that round sketch is legendary.”
By Serge Kriknoff
Meet Frank Buchwald
Designer, Berlin
Cold-War Nixie tubes from Bulgaria became the Nixie Machine No. 1. “Beautifully insane—and that’s MB&F.”
Meet Todd Benson
Entrepreneur & inventor, Dallas
Sees MB&F as mechanical poetry. “These watches prove the child survived.”
Meet Laurent Poto
Retailer & early friend
First skeptic of HM1’s spaceship heft, now an evangelist. “MB&F pieces aren’t products—they’re declarations.”
Meet Muhammad Abdul Majid Seddiqi
CEO, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Dubai
In 2004, Max came to my father’s office in Dubai with the HM1, recalls Muhammad Seddiqi, whose family business helped introduce MB&F to the Middle East. It was huge, different, strange—and beautiful. My father said, “We’re in.”
“Thank you, Max, for making our dreams come true.”
By Muhammad Seddiqi
Two decades later, the partnership has flourished. Dubai has hosted special editions, exclusive launches, and even the MAD Gallery.
Across Geneva workshops, Berlin studios, Singapore galleries, and Dubai showrooms, one truth remains: MB&F is not a brand—it’s a tribe. Twenty voices, one story of trust, risk, and unbridled invention.
“A creative adult is a child who survived.”
Explore the full MB&F journey.
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