Twelve on Time: Maximilian Büsser on His Personal Relationship with Time and Watches
Monochrome's "Twelve on Time" series features an interview with MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser, exploring his personal views on watchmaking beyond brands and products. Büsser discusses his inspirations, what he values in a watch, and his perspective on modern watchmaking trends and challenges.
Maximilian Büsser identifies the Urwerk UR-103 from 2003 as the watch that changed his perspective, calling it the first three-dimensional kinetic art piece that tells time.
He values the human qualities of a watch's creator and the shared journey as the most important aspects of a watch.
Büsser considers the creator's 'very complicated brain' his favorite complication.
The most overrated trend in modern watchmaking, according to Büsser, is viewing watches as speculative assets.
A detail that instantly signifies a watch made with care is when 'no detail deters from the rest'.
He believes the era between 1750 and 1870, when virtually every known complication was created, most fundamentally shaped watchmaking.
The greatest challenge facing the watch industry today is returning to a healthier 'value for money' ratio.
Büsser's childhood, despite his attempts to escape it, remains a significant source of inspiration for his watchmaking.