The M.A.D.1S “Grow Your Dreams”

From MB&F -

Courtesy of MB&F

This is the latest of the M.A.D. Editions heading for raffle, the "Grow Yor Dreams". 

Courtesy of MB&F

This latest collaboration is with Yinka Ilori. Per MB&F -

We are so happy to announce a new collaboration created with British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori: the M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’! Known for his bold use of color and playful designs, Yinka brings an exciting perspective to his first-ever watch collaboration. Maximilian Büsser discovered Ilori in 2023 and became an instant fan: “Yinka Ilori lives in a universe bursting with colour; his work makes you feel alive, like a rush of adrenaline pushing you to go further. This collaboration has created something that brings joy, a reminder to realise your own dreams”.

Courtesy of MB&F

Like the previous M.A.D. editions, this one will use a raffle to determine who gets to order one of these wonderful time machines -

The Raffle:

The raffle kicks off on Tuesday, September 2 at 2PM Swiss time and will stay open for one full week- plenty of time to sign up! 

The draw will happen right after it closes, and a few days later, we’ll reveal the lucky winners.

Here are the pertinents -

• While the 42mm case and Swiss-made LaJoux-Perret movement remain as in the M.A.D.1S, the titanium rotor has been entirely re-engineered: slimmer and milled with a tree motif, then anodised in yellow, green, or blue.

  
  

• Colourful time display featuring numerals by Ilori.

  
  

• Stamped aluminium baseplate adding 3D wave textures under the movement.

  
  

• Each model features mismatched rubber straps with stamped leaf patterns, and comes with a second interchangeable white strap.

Feeling lucky? If so, here is the link to participate in the raffle -

https://www.mbandf.com/madeditions/madeditions-raffles?mc_cid=be1247fe56&mc_eid=5a7c1d2a24

HM4 Thunderbolt from MB&F

It has often been said, better to go out with a bang, not a whimper, and the folks at Max Büsser and Friends have taken that motto to heart with the final iteration of the Horological Machine Number 4!

Courtesy of MB&F

Some press releases are better than others - but I have to say that MB&F goes out of their way to provide press releases that truly need no further embellishment.  So in their own words -

Horological Machine No4 Final Edition


HM4 Final Edition – Easy to see, virtually impossible to catch!

Stealth. If you look at any plane or boat designed with stealth in mind, they usually look to all intents and purposes anything but inconspicuous. And the stealthier they are, the more strikingly – radar excepted – obvious they are.

Courtesy of MB&F

Lockheed’s sensational F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft. While visually unmistakable, the F-117’s flat, faceted panels reflected radar away from detection and its dark surfaces blended seamlessly with the night sky. The Nighthawk was also revolutionary in the fact that its structure was a mix of aluminium and titanium.

Like the iconic F-117, HM4 Final Edition features square angular panels, dark surfaces and high-tech titanium. It looks fast. It looks menacing. And to date there have been no reports of a Final Edition being picked up by radar, so that’s the ‘stealth’ box ticked as well.
The aviation-inspired case and engine of Horological Machine No. 4 – first launched in 2010 – are one. This 2013 'Final Edition' case blends high-tech titanium for its lightweight and strength with a sapphire centre section offering a view into the engine. Black PVD provides the titanium with its shadowy cloak of concealment without blocking the light playing off the contrasting matte and highly polished surfaces.

Courtesy of MB&F

The HM4 engine is the culmination of three long years of development. Each of the 300-plus components – including the regulator and even the screws – was developed specifically for this anarchistic calibre. Horizontally configured dual mainspring barrels drive two vertical gear trains, transferring power to the twin pods indicating hours/minutes and power reserve. 

Courtesy of MB&F

But describing HM4's engine through its mechanical functionality is like describing Renoir's work through the chemical composition of his paint. Only careful contemplation enables full appreciation, and the sapphire case section and display panels top and bottom allow full access to the flawless fine finishing of HM4's intricate and vibrant micro-mechanics.

Courtesy of MB&F

The sleek aerodynamic form of HM4 has its roots in Maximilian Büsser's childhood passion for assembling model plane kits, though none looked remotely as futuristic as these. The striking transparent sapphire section of the case requires over 185 hours of machining and polishing to transform an opaque solid block of crystal into a complex, exquisitely curved panel allowing the light to come in and the beauty of the HM4 engine to stand out. Every component and form has a technical purpose; nothing is superfluous and every line and curve is in poetic harmony. Articulated lugs ensure supreme comfort. Highly legible time is a fringe benefit.
HM4 Final Edition is an elusive limited edition of just eight pieces. It closes the book on the HM4 series, which was limited to only 100 movements over all models.

Detection of the HM4 Final Edition will undeniably be difficult!

Intelligence Reports indicate that this fast-looking, menacing aircraft will be deployed to only 5 airbases across the globe: The Hour Glass in Singapore, Westime in Los Angeles, Chronopassion in Paris, the Chronometryx alpine airstrip in Gstaad and MB&F's M.A.D.Gallery home base in Geneva.

www.mbandf.com

Summer reruns - a few minutes with Maximilian Busser

A Few Minutes with Maximilian Busser

JH - What was your first watch? Was it a gift? Is there a story behind it?

MB - I was 8 years old. It was a hand - winding Jean Perret and every evening I would religiously wind it up in front of my father when he would come to say good night to me. I remember the winding would hurt, because the crown was so small…

JH - A bit about yourself please - you started out with Jaeger-LeCoultre and stayed for 7 years. But then you left - why?

MB - I had no intention of leaving! And then one day one of the top headhunters in the world (who only hunt top executives), called me up. I was intrigued… “Why would he call a small fry like me ?”, so I went down to Geneva for an interview with them. It turned out the job position was Managing Director of Harry Winston Timepieces! I laughed out loud, but the headhunter convinced me of trying the interview. I thought anyway I did not have a chance to get the job, but it could be fun. Then four months later, to my dismay… they told me I was the “chosen one”!

JH - So then after Jaeger-LeCoultre you went on to Harry Winston - this was a very large jump in terms of the types of company "profile" - from a world-class horology based type of company, to a jeweler turned watch maker - why such a jump?

MB - Because when you have never expected or dreamt of such an amazing job (head of a watch brand), the day someone gives it to you on a platter, you just cannot turn it down without having regrets all your life. Clearly I had my reservations on leaving such a beautiful company as JLC, a real Manufacture which devotes all its energy to creating fantastic mechanical calibers, to join a jeweler! But Ronald Winston (son of Harry, and then owner of the company) found the right words to convince me to join. He basically told me he would give me the freedom and support necessary to turn the brand into one of the most admired watch creators, when it was already one of the most prestigious jewelers in the world. He kept his word and let me follow my own path to develop Harry Winston Timepieces. 

JH - When you were a boy - what did you want to be when you "grew up"?

MB - A car designer. I was obsessed with this idea - doodling cars from the age of 4 to 18 ! And then my 5 years of studying engineering at university sort of killed that. I suspect that maybe I was kind of depressed during those years, and really did not connect with what I was studying. 



JH - Where did you go to school - what did you study exactly?

MB - I did a Masters in micro technology engineering. Not my most inspired choice, but it introduced me to watch making (5 hours of courses amongst 5 years of studies!) which became my passion and my life. In my life, the brightest light has always followed the darkest moments. 

JH - Who else is making watches that excite you?

MB - A few real creators/watchmakers who create not to please clients but to follow their calling. For example Felix Baumgartner (Urwerk), Denis Flageollet & David Zanetta (DeBethune) or François Paul Journe (F.P.Journe)


JH - MB&F is Maximilian Busser & Friends - where did this idea come from?

MB – It was really a matter of simply stating the obvious. Without all those amazing people around me, my ideas would just remain ideas. And I have chosen the “Friends” as much for their fantastic competence and ability as for their/our shared human values. I discovered early in life that by being totally transparent, one had nothing to lose - on the contrary you have everything to gain. 

JH - What do you like to do in your "down-time"?

MB - What “down time” ??? In the last 5 years, since the beginning of MB&F, the little time I have not been working I have devoted to my family, loved ones and friends. There was no way I could build my dream company without sacrificing hobbies, sports and social life. 

JH - How does MB&F work on a daily basis?

MB - Fast! All joking aside, MB&F is a very small, adrenaline - addicted beehive! There are only 7 of us in the company (including the two Master watchmakers who assemble every movement). It is the type of place where everyone works as if it were their own company. That is also one of the most important reasons of our success. 

JH - It appears that you spend a good amount of time meeting your fans and customers - what is your favorite spot to visit so far?

MB - I love travelling in Asia – it is so vibrant, so energy - driven, so forward-thinking! Everyone looks to the future, contrary to Europe where everyone looks back and tries to hang on to a grandeur which was once theirs. 

JH - Why watches?

MB - Because it is one of the only technical working environments where each human being is important and each person can make a difference (contrary to cars for example, where only massive corporations can hope to exist and where individuals are more or less expendable)

JH - If you weren't doing this - what would you be doing?

MB - I don’t know. I already have issues grasping the fact that I am so lucky! This is my life. This is my calling. 


JH- Who was/is your "horological hero"?

MB - Günther Bluemlein, the man who recreated Lange & Söhne, and the ex-CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC. Visionary, charismatic, engaging, knowledgeable and caring for the individuals he respected.

Visit Maximilian and read about him and all of his friends at -

www.mbandf.com

A Few Minutes with Peter Speake-Marin

Peter Speake-Marin was kind enough to share some time with me this past week - and now - A Few Minutes with Peter Speake-Marin

James  -   What was your first watch – is there a the story behind it?

Peter Speake-Marin - My first watch was a “Steve Austin Bionic Man” watch, back in the seventies with an led push button display.  I can’t say this fired my desire to become a watchmaker but it will always hold a place in my heart.  If I remember correctly, my Uncle bought a small quantity of them from a dubious source and then proceeded to given them away to the children in the area. The first ‘real’ watch I owned was a Longines military watch from 1948 that I acquired in London, when I was working in the Piccadilly arcade.  I then (probably very wrongly) opened the case back up to view the movement, and redesigned the dial in a slightly more gothic fashion. I wore that watch religiously for around 5 years before giving it to a friend who had always coveted it.  He continues to wear it today. He now lives and works for Apple in California.

J - Where were you born?

P - St Margarets hospital, Epping, Essex in 1968

J - When you were a boy, what did you "want to be when you grew up?”

P - Initially as a child, perhaps a bus driver like my father.  Following that I never had a clear view except that it had to be what I perceived to be practical and creative.  As an adolescent I had aspirations of going into architectural engineering.

J -  It seems fair to say that perhaps you were an "accidental watch maker"?  Your first interest was jewelry, yes?

P - I left school half way through my A levels and initially tried for the engineering division of the RAF.  I was under-qualified for this, and began searching for something else, which I thought would suit my skill set.  Jewelry seemed to fit, however the lack of a foundation degree in art meant I was immediately rejected from this avenue. A careers teacher in Loughton Essex dug up an old prospectus on Horology (a word that at 17 years of age I had no understanding of).  After my first visit to the school in Hackney I started the course 2 weeks after it had begun. At 17 I found something that I was good at and held the promise of travel. My Brother and Father had traveled extensively and I had always wanted to do the same. I was told that watchmaking meant that I could find work in any city in the world.

J - Are you more artistic, or more mechanical?

P - Both sides of my brain are fairly balanced which is a strength and enables me to advance projects very quickly, designing things which both are beautiful and work and can be made.

J -  There is a real history of notably famous English watchmakers - Graham, Harrison, and others.  Do you see yourself ever returning to the UK to set-up shop there?

P - Some times I play with the idea but it is already very complex producing the components I design in Switzerland, where I currently live and work. Switzerland is highly specialized in this domain. To make these types of components in the UK would be difficult. Returning to the UK to live for periods of time is a strong possibility, to set up a company making the type of watches I make today virtually impossible.

J -  Who else is making watches that interest you?

P - Nobody specifically but I am drawn to the independent world more than the larger companies because these guys feel far more authentic to me in their motivation.


J - If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

P - Probably driving a bus.

J -  Living and working in Switzerland - did you have any challenges/difficulties adapting culturally? How about with the language?

P - Language was the toughest element, I am not a natural linguist and although I work like a dog I am lazy at those things which I need but don’t really appreciate, French is one of them.

J - I have to say, I love the Marin-1 with your SM2 self-winding movement.  How long did it take for you to develop this new caliber?

P - From original drawings througto delivering the first watches approx 3 years

J - Any future SM calibers in the future?

P - There are already a number in developement but all based in some way on the SM2

Marin -1

J -   You seem to spend a lot of time "on the road" meeting your customers and fans - has it always been this way?

P - I spend less time than people perceive traveling, but when I do travel I try to make as much noise as possible since this is my way of reminding people that I am there and about my work. Like many independents I spend my cash on the watches and not marketing.  As a result the traveling becomes my marketing and as I meet my clients and visit different countries I share the experience on the internet. It has not always been this way but will increase over the next 2 years as my business grows until a point comes when I can be more conventional in marketing my work. This does allow me to live a childhood dream of travel.  In September I leave for a world tour which will be for at least a month.

J - You are one of the "Friends" in the MB&F "Friends" - what is that like?

P - Max has been a friend for many years and I am happy to have been able to help him start his business as he helped me and many other independents when he was with Harry Winston.

P - It seems that you might have come into watchmaking at just about the right time with the renaissance of mechanical time pieces following the quartz crisis. What are some of the differences you see between when you started out and where things are now?

P - Essentially the increased size of the collectors market and education through social media, had the internet not existed I doubt I would have been able to have the success I have had today.

J - Where do you see Peter Speake-Marin in three years’ time?

P - In a different workshop with a larger team in a constant state of development.

J - What do you like to do in your "down" time?

P - Family, food, wine.


                                       

J - Was there ever a time when you asked yourself - "what was I thinking?"

P - Every other day

J - Going out on your own was a big decision. Any regrets?

P - None

J -  Finally, any advice to the future aspiring watchmakers/entrepreneurs out there?

P - Create a real business plan which will help you to plan every element of your business and work, and assure your self a financial cushion.  Believe actions and results not words.

In addition to be one of the world's leading independent watch makers, Mr. Speake-Marin is also an author and you can purchase his book here:

 watchprint.com

Visit the Peter Speake-Marin website here:  

www.speake-marin.com