Chromatic Chaos: MB&F’s Mad New Trio by Yinka Ilori

Every watch that MB&F produces is an act of rebellion; mechanical art designed to turn heads and defy convention. Yet every so often, Max Büsser and Friends unveil an inarguable showstopper—a creation destined to be talked about for years, such as the new M.A.D.Editions x Yinka Ilori.

Back in the mid-2000s, contemporaries like Urwerk and Greubel Forsey were pushing horology into wilder, more theatrical territory. But no one drove the movement with the same mix of fervor, audacity, and shock value as MB&F.

The madness, of course, didn’t begin in 2005 with his own brand—it was already evident during Büsser’s tenure as CEO of Harry Winston (1998-2005), when his brainchild, the out-of-this-world Opus collects ion, regularly stopped collects ors in their tracks.

When I last saw Max in person, he had just accomplished what would be career-defining milestones for most: tripling MB&F’s revenue in three years to CHF 45.4 million, and convincing Chanel to acquire a 25% stake. But he waved those feats away with humility, steering our conversation instead to his more accessible M.A.D. sub-brand.

While an MB&F t.mes piece begins north of CHF 50,000, each M.A.D. watch has been priced around CHF 3,000. And in true Max fashion, you can’t simply buy one in a boutique. Instead, ownership is determined by raffle—a system designed to level the playing field and give every enthusiast a fair shot.

Having scaled the summit of independent watchmaking, perhaps what the prince of independent watchmaking now seeks is not just to dazzle the few, but to let anyone who dreams of MB&F, own a small piece of his heart.

Yinka Ilori MBE’s edition of the M.A.D.1 is the sixth iteration of this fidget-spinner–esque watch, following the red debutant of 2022 that broke the Internet and went on to win the GPHG Challenge Prize.

The British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist has brought his exuberant touch to everything from fashion and textiles to playgrounds and bridges, but this is his first foray into watch design. In fact, he’s created a trio of them.

Dubbed the M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’, the collects ion takes its name from Ilori’s uplifting personal motto, while the ‘S’ denotes the slimmed silhouette of the M.A.D.1.

“Two years ago whilst browsing through a 250-plus-page French design magazine called Ideat, I stopped in my tracks on the page showing Yinka’s work,” Max tells me.

“I sent him a message on LinkedIn and the rest is history! Yinka’s work is so full of joy, color and love—what our world needs more than anything these days. His personal journey is an example for so many who may have lost hope of achieving their dreams.”

Each watch has its own playful personality: ‘Sun’ pairs a yellow rotor with a sky-blue bezel, ‘Water’ a blue rotor with a green bezel, and ‘Nature’ a green rotor with a yellow bezel. For days when wearers want a subtler look, the vibrant straps can be swapped for white ones, rendering these colorful t.mes pieces just a touch less conspicuous.

The titanium rotors were anodized to achieve their vivid colors, then etched with Ilori’s motto and signature tree motifs, symbols of patience and growth. After machining, the 42 mm stainless steel case is filled with HyCeram, a high-tech liquid ceramic, then hand polished. The aluminum baseplate is stamped with waves to create a three-dimensional effect.

t.mes is read around the periphery of the M.A.D.1, with numerals designed by Ilori himself. And as with all previous M.A.D.1s, this edition is powered by the LaJoux-Perret G101 movement, offering a 68-hour power reserve.

Priced at CHF 3,200 and limited to 400 examples each, the M.A.D.1S ‘Grow Your Dreams’ is only available via raffle, which will be held from September 2nd to 8th. Sign up for free here.