MB&F HM1 (2007 Horological Machine No. 1): The Watch That Reinvented Time Display

In 2007, Max Busser unveiled the Horological Machine No. 1 and asked a question no major watchmaker had seriously posed in decades: what if time display did not have to be a dial?

The answer was the HM1, a wristwatch that separated hours and minutes into two distinct domes, mounted a one-minute tourbillon at the center, and wrapped the whole assembly in a titanium and gold case unlike anything in a Swiss catalog. It looked like something designed for a different planet. It was also, mechanically, genuinely extraordinary.

For collectors, the HM1 represents the founding document of MB&F as a creative proposition. It is where the whole thing started.

Who Is Max Busser?

Before founding MB&F (Max Busser and Friends), Max Busser spent eleven years as managing director of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces, where he championed ultra-complicated watches and developed a reputation for understanding both high horology and the collector psychology that surrounds it.

He left to start his own venture in 2005. The concept was unusual: rather than being a brand in the traditional sense, MB&F would function as a creative platform, working with independent watchmakers (the Friends) to realize horological concepts that would never get past a corporate committee.

The HM1 was the first proof of concept. It took two years to develop.

What the HM1 Does

The HM1's movement is a showcase of complications arranged with theatrical flair:

Separate hour and minute displays: Two large domed sapphire crystals rise from the case, each containing a rotating disc that shows either hours or minutes. There are no traditional hands. You read the time by looking at the position of the disc indicators beneath each dome.

One-minute flying tourbillon: Positioned between the two time domes at the center of the case, the tourbillon rotates once per minute and is visible in all its mechanical complexity. On a flying tourbillon, the cage appears to float without an upper bridge, creating a more visually open view.

Seven-day power reserve: Four mainspring barrels in series provide approximately seven days of autonomy. The power reserve display is on the case flank.

Dual winding: The HM1 can be wound both automatically via a bidirectional rotor and manually via the crown. The rotor is visible through the sapphire case back.

Movement: The HM1 caliber comprises approximately 365 components. The architecture was developed specifically for the watch by movement specialists working with MB&F.

Specifications

Specification	Detail
Case material	18k red or white gold; titanium
Case dimensions	Approx. 47mm x 55mm x 20mm
Crystal	Domed sapphire over each display
Power reserve	7 days
Movement	MB&F HM1 caliber (bespoke)
Water resistance	3 ATM
Editions	Multiple case/dial combinations
Production	Limited, discontinued

Variants and Reference Numbers

MB&F produced the HM1 in several configurations:

HM1 RS (Red Gold/Silver): 18k red gold case with silver-toned time display. Reference 10.T41RL.S.

HM1 RO (Red Gold/Orange): 18k red gold case with orange accents. Reference 10.T41RL.O.

HM1 WS (White Gold/Silver): 18k white gold case. Reference 10.T41WL.S.

HM1 TS (Titanium/Silver): The entry point into the HM1 range, using a lighter material. Reference 10.T41TL.S.

Each variant was produced in small numbers. The gold variants were more limited than titanium examples.

Market Values

The HM1 launched at approximately CHF 120,000 for gold variants. The secondary market has been active, with examples appearing regularly at auction and through specialist dealers.

Variant	Approximate Market Range
HM1 Red Gold (excellent condition)	CHF 35,000 - 55,000
HM1 White Gold (excellent condition)	CHF 32,000 - 50,000
HM1 Titanium (excellent condition)	CHF 22,000 - 35,000

A circa-2007 HM1 Ref. 10.T41RL.S sold for CHF 40,640 at Phillips Geneva in spring 2024, giving a current reference point for the red gold variant in the collector market.

Condition Grades

Excellent: Undamaged sapphire domes with no scratches, case with minimal polishing evidence, all functions operating correctly, box and papers present.

Very Good: Minor case wear, sapphire domes clean and unscratched, functions correct, box and papers may be absent.

Good: Visible case wear, possible fine scratches on sapphire, functions correct, no box or papers.

Fair: Case damage, scratched or chipped sapphire, requires service.

For the HM1 specifically, the sapphire domes are load-bearing to the reading experience. Any significant scratching materially affects the watch. Check them carefully.

The MB&F Ecosystem

The HM1 established a creative template that MB&F has sustained across subsequent machines. HM2 through HM12 each explore a different concept. The Legacy Machine series (LM1, LM2, LM Perpetual, LM Sequential EVO) takes a more classically romantic approach. The Maximilian series (M.A.D. Editions) brings prices down to more accessible territory.

But among collectors, the HM1 has a particular status. It is the founding statement, the piece that proved MB&F's concept was more than a marketing premise.

Why It Matters

The Swiss watch industry in 2007 was in a complicated moment. The renaissance of mechanical watchmaking that had begun in the 1990s had created enormous commercial success, but it had also produced a certain creative conservatism. The safe path was complicated movements in classical cases.

MB&F went the other direction. The HM1 wore its mechanism externally, making the machine the aesthetic. Busser explicitly described his creations as three-dimensional kinetic art, and the HM1 made that description credible.

For collectors who find even the most complicated traditional watches aesthetically repetitive, the HM1 opened a door. It demonstrated that fine watchmaking could operate outside the vocabulary of dials and hands without abandoning serious horological content.

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