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ack in 2005, all Max had was a sketch and a dream. Leaving his high-powered corporate role at Harry Winston, he set off on a world tour to pitch a timepiece that didn’t exist yet, from a brand no one had heard of.
But a few visionary retailers took the leap: The Hour Glass (Singapore), Westime (Los Angeles), Ahmed Seddiqi (Dubai), Ghadah (Kuwait) and Chronopassion (Paris). They paid up front for the promise of something extraordinary—and became the brand’s first retail “Friends”. It was a risky bet that helped launch one of the most influential independent watch brands of the modern era.
Like any startup story, MB&F’s first years were anything but smooth. Yet the result is astonishing: approximately 4,500 timepieces created across four main collections – Horological Machines, Legacy Machines, Performance Art and Special Projects – each powered by one of 22 original calibres. Not to mention co-created clocks, music boxes and other kinetic curiosities, plus the more democratic but equally daring M.A.D.Editions.
In a world where brands used to hide their suppliers, MB&F did the opposite. From the start, “Friends” were front and centre: watchmakers, designers, engineers, engravers, casemakers... Just like in film credits, everyone who plays a role gets acknowledged. Eric Giroud, the independent designer who has created with Max the first two decades of Horological and Legacy Machines, Kari Voutilainen, Peter Speake, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, Eric Coudray, Stepan Sarpaneva, Stephen McDonnell... and so many more!
MB&F doesn’t just craft watches—it builds connections. Over the years, it has gathered a global community of collectors inspired by the brand’s mission: not just to sell horological art, but to help people find their “true north”.
As MB&F enters its third decade, the adventure continues. Twenty years of mechanical insanity. Of believing in Friends. Of turning bold ideas into ticking realities. MB&F has helped redefine what independent watchmaking can be—transparent, collaborative, disruptive and above all: inspiring.
