The M.A.D.EDITIONS x Yinka Ilori M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’ is an utterly refreshing conjunction of artistic vibrancy and mechanical ingenuity, and it signals a new frontier for collaboration in watchmaking. In a sea of horological releases often content to recall the past or refine tradition, this model dares to infuse optimism, colour, and philosophy straight into the design, resulting in a timepiece that is as exhilarating as it is profound. M.A.D.Editions, the “accessible” arm of MB&F, continues to upend expectations, and this partnership with Yinka Ilori delivers a watch which celebrates the joy of dreams and the essential thrill of the everyday.
The M.A.D.Editions
To understand the M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams,’ one must first appreciate the journey of M.A.D.Editions itself, a brand conceived as a gesture of gratitude rather than commercial ambition. Founded by Maximilian Büsser, MB&F‘s creative force, M.A.D.Editions began with a modest email to suppliers and collectors, unwittingly unleashing the M.A.D.1 onto a world hungry for playfulness. Demand far exceeded initial supply, and soon the M.A.D.1 Blue followed, distributed exclusively to ‘Friends’ and ‘The Tribe,’ the MB&F inner circle.
The public finally had their chance with the M.A.D.1 RED, a 1,500-piece run awarded by raffle, followed by subsequent RED and GREEN editions. The ethos of fairness and accessibility has endured with raffles and precise batch sizes, these watches remain elusive yet surprisingly democratic. March 2024 marked the brand’s first artistic collaboration, with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s distinctive take gracing a limited run, setting a precedent further amplified by the partnership with Ilori. By 2025, the line had evolved into slimmer, technically advanced variants, the M.A.D.1S and the M.A.D.2, powered by Swiss-made La Joux-Perret movements and designed with characteristic wit and enthusiasm.
About Yinka Ilori
Yinka Ilori, London-based British-Nigerian artist and designer, brings an infectious optimism wherever he goes. His approach is multidisciplinary, mixing colour, storytelling, and cultural commentary from his dual heritage to create works that are both revitalising and thought-provoking. From joyful reimagining of London’s neglected spaces to globally recognised public artworks, Ilori’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that design should inspire growth. He draws from Nigerian parables and childhood recollections, wrapping objects in narratives that foster both personal and societal transformation. For Ilori, every tree is a symbol, a motif recurring in his portfolio, that reminds us of the hope and patience required for ideas to flourish.
“I’ve always been obsessed with trees. Harvesting and growing them because you invest time in it. It’s pouring love into something you care about, and that starts a conversation. It’s the same for this process, and the way of thinking behind it with Max. You have to be patient and harvest a watch. There are similarities between our universes. Typically, mine are very public, but there’s something very private and public about a watch. Everyone sees it, but it’s you who has that connection with it.”
Yinka Ilori
“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.”Maximilian Büsser, MB&F Owner & Creative Director
Bold, colourful
The dial of the M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’ is a feat in its own right, a canvas alive with Ilori’s palette. Each piece in the trilogy, ‘Sun’, ‘Nature’, and ‘Water’, claims a theme expressed in its colourways and tactile features. The most striking aspect is the rotating hours cylinder, accentuated with numerals designed by Ilori himself, which are coated in Super-LumiNova for a glowing display that is as playful as it is legible. Not content with ordinary manufacturing, the engineering team has developed a new approach to the rotor, shaving it to a thinner profile and decorating it with an intricate tree motif, visible at a glance and rendered in hues achieved via the precise process of titanium anodisation. The result is an almost kinetic piece of art, combining luminous detail, sculptural surfaces, and a spirit of movement that goes beyond telling the time.
Movement with pedigree
Under the exuberant dial, the Swiss-made Manufacture La Joux-Perret G101 movement hums with silent reliability. This calibre is noted for its rotating hours cylinder, engineered for visual intrigue yet offering robust precision. At just 4.45mm high with a line diameter of 11 ½”, the movement packs sophistication into its slender frame. The balance beats at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour), supported by 24 jewels and an ample 68-hour power reserve. Automatic winding uses a unidirectional titanium rotor enhanced by Super-LumiNova accents. The rotor, a centrepiece in this edition, is both functional and poetic: milled with a tree motif symbolising growth, finished in vibrant yellows, greens, or blues according to each model, and polished following anodisation to ensure luminous clarity. The movement architecture remains visible beneath mineral and sapphire crystals treated with anti-reflective coatings, making inspection a pleasure any time of day or night.
Joy of living
If the dial and movement are a masterclass in artistry, the case houses these achievements in a shell that is distinctively M.A.D.Editions. Forged from 316L stainless steel, the case sits at 42mm in diameter and 15mm high, a bold but not ungainly presence on the wrist. The bezel introduces a colourful revolution for the brand, with HyCeram liquid ceramic expertly applied into machined grooves and then hand-polished, a finishing technique that reflects both technical flair and aesthetic ambition. Water resistance stands at 30m (3ATM), protecting the watch against incidental immersion rather than inviting adventure sports. The strap options echo Ilori’s dreamscape: mismatched rubber bands in vivid pairs, each stamped with a leaf pattern for tactile nuance, supplemented by an interchangeable white strap for moments of understated simplicity. The security is assured by a stainless steel folding buckle, completing an ensemble that feels confident both in specification and intent.
Grow Your Dreams
To wear the M.A.D.EDITIONS x Yinka Ilori M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’ is to embrace not just a unique exercise in collaborative watchmaking, but also an ethos: that fun is essential, that colour and optimism can transform the routine of timekeeping into an everyday celebration. Ilori and Büsser share the conviction that dreams are worth nurturing, that objects can foster private connections while sparking public conversation. With every glance at the wrist, the wearer is reminded that each day carries the potential for growth and joy. In a watchmaking landscape sometimes overshadowed by the pursuit of seriousness, this creation offers not only technical refinement but a playful heart, inviting all to grow their dreams – one tick at a time.
