Maximilian Büsser and the Courage to Build for Wonder
Maximilian Büsser did not set out to disrupt watchmaking. He set out to liberate it.
Through MB&F — Maximilian Büsser & Friends, he has consistently articulated a philosophy that is radically human in an industry often dominated by tradition for tradition’s sake. His language—across interviews, brand statements, and public reflections—returns again and again to the same core ideas: childlike wonder, mechanical poetry, collaboration, and friendship.
MB&F does not describe its creations as watches. They are “Horological Machines” and “Legacy Machines,” language that immediately reframes expectation. These objects are not meant to quietly disappear under a cuff. They are meant to provoke curiosity, conversation, and emotional response.
Büsser’s worldview is unmistakable. He believes creativity flourishes when fear is removed from the room. His decision to leave the security of established maisons and create MB&F was not framed as rebellion, but as necessity—a need to build a space where imagination could breathe freely.
The brand’s very name enshrines this ethos. “& Friends” is not marketing flourish; it is structural truth. Each piece emerges from collaboration with independent artisans, engineers, designers, and craftspeople whose contributions are openly credited. Büsser positions himself not as a solitary genius, but as a conductor of creative energy.
His own language reflects humility paired with conviction. He speaks candidly about burnout, risk, and vulnerability, often acknowledging that MB&F exists because he chose joy over safety. That decision reverberates through every mechanical sculpture the brand releases.
The objects themselves are unmistakable. Floating balance wheels, domed sapphire crystals, biomorphic forms inspired by spaceships, animals, and childhood dreams—each piece feels animated, as though it might move even when still. These are machines designed not just to tell time, but to ignite imagination.
Within the Museum of Modern Relationship Intelligence, Büsser’s work occupies a rare position: the relationship between maker and wonder. His creations reintroduce emotional intimacy into an object category often treated as status signaling. Ownership becomes participation in a story rather than possession of a symbol.
This is where the concept of relationship intelligence quietly enters. MB&F pieces demand engagement. They invite the wearer to explain, to share, to connect. They are conversation catalysts—objects that create relational bridges between strangers, collectors, and creators alike.
Büsser’s leadership philosophy mirrors this relational openness. He consistently emphasizes trust, mutual respect, and creative freedom. Success, in his framework, is measured not solely by commercial achievement but by the integrity of the journey and the well-being of the people involved.
There is also a deep respect for heritage woven through his work, but it is never nostalgic. Legacy Machines reinterpret classical watchmaking through a modern lens, honoring tradition while refusing to be constrained by it. This balance—reverence without rigidity—is central to his identity.
In an industry where scarcity is often manufactured, MB&F’s rarity feels organic. Production is limited because the work is complex, collaborative, and time-intensive—not because exclusivity must be enforced. That distinction matters.
Maximilian Büsser builds objects that remind adults of who they were before they learned to be careful.
His contribution is not merely mechanical innovation. It is cultural permission—to dream loudly, to build bravely, and to place joy back at the center of craftsmanship.
And that courage, sustained over time, is what earns MB&F its place in the permanent collection of modern creative leadership.
Maximilian Büsser
mbandf.com
MB&F
mbusser@mbandf.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximilianbusser/
https://x.com/MaxBusser
https://www.instagram.com/maxbusser/
https://www.facebook.com/MBandF/
https://www.youtube.com/@Mbandf
https://www.tiktok.com/@mbandf