The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2025 - Issue 38

M.A.D. EDITIONS Jada Brookes explores the mechanical art world of MB&F and their watch collaboration with British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE. bitewatches A t the heart of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends), the world’s first-ever horolog- ical concept laboratory, lies a mantra that resonates with artists, designers, and re- bels: “A creative adult is a child who survived.” This phrase, initially penned by American author Ursula K Le Guin, represents the brand's core philosophy of creating unconventional, imaginative timekeeping machines rather than simply focusing on commer- cially viable products. MB&F was founded in 2005 by Swiss businessman Maximilian Büsser, a visionary who left his role as CEO of Harry Winston Timepieces to pursue a more radical dream. This kinetic art collective is a playground for grown-up dreamers and the endur- ing power of childlike creativity. Büsser describes MB&F as a platform for co-creation, where watch- makers, designers, and artists collaborate to build ‘machines’ that tell time but also narrate stories, and express emotion, curiosity, and wonder. The brand’s Horological Machines and Legacy Machines are sculptural, futuristic, and unapolo- getically eccentric, often resembling spacecraft, jellyfish, or mechanical creatures. Their first model, Horological Machine No.1 (HM1), launched in 2007, was a radical departure technically and aes- thetically from traditional watchmaking. It has four mainspring barrels connected in an industry-first parallel and series, with a configuration delivering a robust 7-day power reserve. HM1 has a sculptural three-dimensional case fea- turing a modular construction enabling every part to be independently refurbished. It comprises 48 separate elements and features the first wristwatch movement to transmit energy to the regulating system from two sources simultaneously, enhancing stability and performance. A centrally mounted, X YINKA ILORI