Meet the MB&F Minimilians

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Introducing the Minimilians: a quirky collection of collectible, alien-like creatures with heads modelled after the various watches making up the MB&F collection. Picture this: Minimilian Frog with its pop-out eyes, Minimilian Thunderbolt with those cool aviation vibes, and Minimilian Aquapod with its chubby round face – just to name a few. Since kicking off in 2005, MB&F has rolled out over 20 different calibres in about 30 distinct case shapes, and now each one has its own unique figurine.

Starting today, for every MB&F watch registered at The Tribe (the MB&F owners club) – whether it’s brand new or a well-loved gem from the secondary market – owners automatically score a matching Minimilian figurine, completely free of charge. This applies not just for new registrations; even if your watch is already registered at The Tribe, you’re in for a treat. We’ve got quite a task ahead with around 1,600 existing registered watches to cover, but the first batch of Minimilians is hitting the mail in July 2024.

And yep, you guessed it – the name “Minimilians” is a cheeky nod to a well-known member of the MB&F team.

Reinforcing communities – strengthening the family vibe

The Tribe currently boasts a tight-knit community of about 1,100 MB&F owners, all part of the MB&F family. The Minimilians are more than just cool collectibles; they’re a badge of honour, a sign that you’re in the club, with perks like special event access and exclusive products. Plus, Tribe members can extend their watches’ two-year warranty by another two years (if it’s currently under warranty). The Minimilians are a small token of gratitude to Tribe members, to thank them for having made the MB&F adventure possible since it started almost 20 years ago.

For MB&F owners who haven’t registered their watch yet at The Tribe, it takes just a few minutes, although you might need to grab your loupe to spot that serial number. Once you’re signed up, the corresponding Minimilian is boxed up and ready to find its new home.

Every MB&F watch is at some point in their journey and each Minimilian is like a stepping-stone or a celebration in that journey, which will continue for decades or more… While many brands are diving into the digital world with blockchain, MB&F prefers to stay grounded with tangible treasures, and the Minimilians are a part of that philosophy.

A family made by Friends

MB&F stands for Maximilian Büsser & Friends, and the little white Minimilian figurines are fittingly created by three existing “Friends”: Maximilian Maertens (the designer), AB Concept (the manufacturer), and Olivier Berthon (packaging).

Maximilian Maertens has been working with MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser for several years: he is the designer behind pieces like the T-Rex, TriPod and Orb clocks co-created with L’Epée 1839, or the MusicMachine1 Reloaded music box co-created with Reuge. Maertens was tasked with designing the individual characters; he was inspired by the chubby ghost from the 1984 Ghostbusters’ movie poster for the overall form of the Minimilians.

He had to study each and every watch model in detail to decide which features were essential – what to include and what to ignore – as designing for 3D printing instead of CNC machining created a totally different approach.

AB Concept and sister company AB Product, headed by Aurélien Bouchet, have been part of the MB&F Friends for several years as well. They have been contributing their expertise in case engineering and manufacturing, machining and finishing precious metals to craft hyper-complex cases like those of HM9 and HM9-SV. For the Minimilians, AB Concept brings a very different technology to the table: the figurines are brought to life by their state-of-the-art 3D printing machine that can create objects measuring anywhere from 2 mm to 38 cm. They are made out of polyamide, a type of nylon, which is extremely durable and shock resistant. The process starts from a powder which is transformed into grey figurines that are then painted in white, accentuating their features and personalities.

3D printing was key in the Minimilians project since many MB&F pieces have been crafted in very low numbers – but it was nonetheless important to thank the owners of those rare pieces with a matching Minimilian. The HM4 Final Edition for example, which has a very characteristic angular case shape that is quite different vs. the other HM4 variants, was limited to only 8 pieces. The same applies to pieces such as the HM3 JWLRYMACHINE or HM9-SV, which vary considerably compared to the other HM3 or HM9 versions.

The team chose a textured ceramic-like finish with an artisanal feel – a true reflection of the production process which provides on average 10 Minimilians per day.

Finally, the Minimilians’ packaging is taken care of by another long-time Friend of MB&F: Olivier Berthon from Soixante et Onze. For well over a decade, Olivier has been creating and manufacturing the vast majority of watch boxes and packaging for MB&F. Each Minimilian box is created from high-quality foam – the same foam that protects MB&F watch boxes – that protects the Minimilians as they travel to their new homes.

You’ll find more details on The Tribe and the Minimilians at www.mbandf.com/thetribe

MB&F – GENESIS OF A CONCEPT LABORATORY

Founded in 2005, MB&F is the world’s first-ever horological concept laboratory. With over 20 remarkable calibres forming the base of the critically acclaimed Horological and Legacy Machines, MB&F is continuing to follow Founder and Creative Director Maximilian Büsser’s vision of creating 3-D kinetic art by deconstructing traditional watchmaking.

After 15 years managing prestigious watch brands, Maximilian Büsser resigned from his Managing Director position at Harry Winston in 2005 to create MB&F – Maximilian Büsser & Friends. MB&F is an artistic and micro-engineering laboratory dedicated to designing and crafting small series of radical concept watches by bringing together talented horological professionals that Büsser both respects and enjoys working with.

In 2007, MB&F unveiled its first Horological Machine, HM1. HM1’s sculptured, three-dimensional case and beautifully finished engine (movement) set the standard for the idiosyncratic Horological Machines that have followed – all Machines that tell the time, rather than Machines to tell the time. The fiercely unconventional Horological Machines have explored themes as diverse as space and science fiction, aviation, supercars, the animal kingdom and architecture.

In 2011, MB&F launched its round-cased Legacy Machine collection. These more classical pieces – classical for MB&F, that is – pay tribute to nineteenth-century watchmaking excellence by reinterpreting complications from the great horological innovators of yesteryear to create contemporary objets d’art. Certain Legacy Machines have also given birth to EVO editions, featuring increased water and shock resistance compatible with collectors’ active lifestyles. MB&F generally alternates between launching contemporary, resolutely unconventional Horological Machines and historically inspired Legacy Machines.

As the F stands for Friends, it was only natural for MB&F to develop collaborations with artists, watchmakers, designers and manufacturers they admire.

This brought about two new categories: Performance Art and Co-creations. While Performance Art pieces are MB&F machines revisited by external creative talent, Co-creations are not wristwatches but other types of machines, engineered and crafted by unique Swiss Manufactures from MB&F ideas and designs. Many of these Co-creations, such as the clocks created with L’Epée 1839, tell the time while collaborations with Reuge and Caran d’Ache generated other forms of mechanical art.

To give all these machines an appropriate platform, Büsser had the idea of placing them in an art gallery alongside various forms of mechanical art created by other artists, rather than in a traditional storefront. This brought about the creation of the first MB&F M.A.D.Gallery (M.A.D. stands for Mechanical Art Devices) in Geneva, which would later be joined by the M.A.D.Gallery in Dubai – along with MB&F Labs, which showcase a more compact selection of artists in locations like Singapore, Taipei, Paris and Beverly Hills.

There have been distinguished accolades reminding us of the innovative nature of MB&F’s journey so far. To name a few, there have been no less than 9 awards from the famous Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, including the ultimate prize: the “Aiguille d’Or”, which rewards the best watch of the year. In 2022, the LM Sequential EVO was awarded the Aiguille d’Or, while the M.A.D.1 RED won the ‘Challenge’ category.

In 2021, LMX won the Best Men’s Complication and the LM SE Eddy Jaquet ‘Around The World in Eighty Days’ was awarded in the ‘Artistic Crafts’ category. In 2019, the prize for Best Ladies Complication went to the LM FlyingT; in 2016, LM Perpetual won the Best Calendar Watch award; in 2012, Legacy Machine No.1 was awarded both the Public Prize (voted for by horology fans) and the Best Men’s Watch Prize (voted for by the professional jury). In 2010, MB&F won Best Concept and Design Watch for the HM4 Thunderbolt. In 2015 MB&F received a Red Dot: Best of the Best award – the top prize at the international Red Dot Awards – for the HM6 Space Pirate.