20 Years Anniversary
2025 marks the 20th Anniversary of an adventure that started in 2005 when Maximilian Büsser started putting together a network of “Friends”, on the basis of a drawing that we know now as Horological Machine No.1. Two decades and more than 20 calibres later, the MB&F team includes over 60 employees – what a ride it has been.
20 years of creativity
Reflecting on the last 20 years, Max shares: “It is like a dream come true, only I never dreamt it. I could never have even imagined we would be where we are today back then; it is surreal.”
This birthday year is jam-packed with new timepieces, collaborations, and surprises that are a genuine celebration of the art of MB&F creativity.
All of them are shared on this page for you to discover throughout the year.
LM101 Longhorn & M.A.D.1S 20th Anniversary Editions
As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, MB&F thanks its communities of watch lovers with an unprecedented raffle, inviting serendipity to play a role: 20 very special timepieces to be won, with the brand’s compliments (yes, you read that right).
For those who have been part of the MB&F journey over the past two decades, there now comes a chance to win one of two special anniversary edition timepieces. This invitation extends not only to the brand’s Tribe members – the ever so important owners of MB&F Machines – but also to the thousands of watch enthusiasts who have participated in the M.A.D.Editions raffles over the years, many without success.
The LM101 Longhorn 20th Anniversary
This LM101 20th Anniversary Edition features the other key elements of previous Longhorn pieces: a luminous sunburst rhodium-plated dial plate, black sub-dials, and distinctive blue hands. A special anniversary silver pad printing on the back sapphire crystal reads: “Fortune Favours the Bold”, as a reminder of the rewards that can be reaped by daring to take a chance – a value that is dear to MB&F.
Launched in 2014, the LM101 series remains one of MB&F’s smallest and slimmest creations, with its 40mm case – yet features a strikingly three-dimensional, hand-finished movement, created with award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen. As its “101” name suggests, LM101 focuses on the fundamentals of mechanical watchmaking: the signature “flying” balance wheel, which regulates precision; the power reserve, showing how much energy remains in the mainspring; and the display of time. Ten years on, LM101 has become one of MB&F’s most beloved Machines.
The M.A.D.1S 20th Anniversary
Aesthetically, to mark the occasion the M.A.D.1S 20th Anniversary takes its cues from its LM101 Longhorn counterpart. Roman numerals dress up the hours and minutes cylinder – a first for a M.A.D.Editions model. The colourway is the same combination of silver, black and a new blue ring under its bezel, subtly matching the blued hands of the LM101 Longhorn. The watch comes with the same light brown leather strap, bringing a touch of understated elegance. On the reverse, the case-back bears the engraving: “Fortune Favours the Bold”.
The 20th Anniversary edition is based on the M.A.D.1S, the latest iteration of the M.A.D.1 series, featuring a slimmer case and lugs, a single cylinder and a Swiss Made LaJoux-Perret G101 base movement.
20 Stories
To mark our 20th anniversary, we're taking a trip down memory lane with 20 anecdotes from the Friends (our partners and collaborators) who helped shape the creation and growth of MB&F!
We've asked 20 of our close Friends to take part in a dedicated series of videos each sharing their experience with the brand through a chosen story now available on our YouTube channel in a specific playlist available via the link below.
Anniversary Limited Editions
Two limited editions were created to kick-off MB&F's 20th Anniversary celebrations; the LM Perpetual Longhorn and the LM Sequential Flyback Longhorn – limited to just 20 pieces each.
The Longhorn concept was born in 2009 during the design phase of LM1, MB&F’s first Legacy Machine.
Fast forward to 2021 and the 10th anniversary of the LM1. There were no LM1 timepieces left, since MB&F had made the decision to close the series. Just one prototype remained, potentially to mark this important milestone.
They say that “all good things come to an end”, but if you can make them last a bit longer, why not seize the right opportunity? This was the thinking behind these first two anniversary timepieces featuring stainless steel cases, long horns, rhodium-plated base plates, glossy black lacquer sub dials and blued hands.
Legacy Machine Perpetual Longhorn
The first is the LM Perpetual Longhorn, containing MB&F’s GPHG award-winning perpetual calendar first released in 2015. Created in collaboration with independent watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, the 581-component, fully integrated and purpose-built movement eliminates the drawbacks of conventional perpetual calendars, offering a significantly more user-friendly and trouble-free solution.
McDonnell’s perpetual calendar relies on a ground-breaking “mechanical processor” which avoids skipping dates and jamming gears as the adjuster pushers automatically deactivate when the calendar changes. In this anniversary edition of 20 pieces, McDonnell’s visually stunning in-house movement takes on a whole new aesthetic with the addition of long horns and the black, silver and blue colourway.
Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Longhorn
The second limited edition, the LM Sequential Flyback Longhorn, was also conceived by Stephen McDonnell. The first version of the series, the LM Sequential EVO, was first released in 2022 and was MB&F’s first-ever chronograph – and 20th calibre. It featured significant technical innovations and an unprecedented combination of timing modes thanks to its “Twinverter” binary switch, allowing independent timing, split-second, cumulative and lap-timer modes – going on to win watchmaking’s ultimate prize, the coveted Aiguille d’Or award.
The Flyback version went even further than the EVO edition as, on top of the previous timing modes, typically associated with motor racing, it added the flyback function originally conceived for pilots, bringing the Sequential into the world of aviation. Now adorned with long horns, blued hands and glossy black sub dials, this second limited edition of 20 pieces is also ready to kick off MB&F’s 20th birthday celebration.
