Maximillian Büsser, Alain Silberstein: The meeting

A meeting between two famous names always creates expectations and predicts.Who would have been able to expect the remarkable result of the collaboration between Maximilian Büsser and Alain Silberstein? We could try to analyze it and put two and two together, but we will only come very closer to the event without understanding it. To figure out the collaboration we asked these two gentlemen of watch making

Questions to Maximilian Büsser

T.H: Mister Büsser, what does this partnership mean to you?
M.B: The pleasure of creating something together with someone that I have admired for over 20 years. Alain’s Basel Fair booth has been one of the few ones I visit each year without fault at the beginning of each exhibition. Unfailingly, for 19 years he has succeeded to amaze me and to make me smile. For me, this is a partnership but also my way of saying thank you to him.

T.H: After the model HM2 Only Watch, we saw the birth of the HM2.2. Why did you chose a HM2 base for these models?
M.B: HM2 is a platform in every sense. Technically, it is completely modular, thanks to its 102 components. Aesthetically it enables you to have a large space to create on, and by having different artists/designers work on it (the first collaboration was indeed with American artist Sage Vaughn for Only Watch), it allows you a benchmark to compare styles and ideas.

T.H: What was your reaction when you saw the HM2.2?
M.B: I was completely flabbergasted. By asking Alain to work on one of our pieces, I was excepting like many, some kind of colorful festival! On receiving the first design, I resisted the temptation of calling him. Let it lie, then came back to it the next day and already it was starting to tame me, a little like in the Petit Prince and the fox; then the third day I was conquered. Slowly I came to realize this is pure, strong and beautiful design – it requires some work to really grasp it, but afterwards it becomes eternal.

T.H: Watches from MB&F are very masculine, nearly like cars design, however the main concept remains an artistic work and not a sport one, what is your opinion?
M.B: I have never thought about our designs as being sport related! Actually they are quite hard to define since they are the result of multiple facets in one’s life. The reflection of the multiple passions which construct it. I admire beautiful pocket watches of the 18th century, and at the same time during my childhood I was fascinated by the manga/science fiction culture.  They both have nothing to do with each other, but they both are combined in our work… MB&F is a little like an introspection story, some would rather say a therapy…

T.H: The Industry sees more and more launches of limited editions. Is it a response to the current crisis, what do you think about it?
M.B: Limited editions have pretty much been the mantra for the last 15 years. One has to make the difference between a creator who announces that there will only be a certain amount of pieces produced of a model from the beginning of its introduction; and a marketer who changes the metal of the case or the color of the dial just to artificially increase sales. As long as there are naive buyers to fall for it, the concept of limited series will work!

Questions to Alain Silberstein

T.H: The result of the HM2.2 has surprised more than one. How did you succeed to combine the soul of MB&F and your personal style?
A.S: The soul of MB&F is called Maximilian Büsser. There is a mysterious alchemy called empathy and which enables you to understand each other beyond words. I had a lot of pleasure working in this watch making adventure with Max and this can be easily seen in my design. It is as simply as that.

T.H: Did the Karavan collection inspire you in this project?
A.S: Coincidence made these two models have two distinct portholes (in the case of Karavan, there are also two distinct cases and movements).

T.H: Could you tell us about the words written on side of the case?
A.S: Stendhal wrote: « true happiness is to have your job as your passion ». At 40, when I decided with my wife Sylvie to start a new professional adventure by creating a watch company, this sentence prevailed to us as a catch phrase for our brand by reversing the words: « having your passion as a job »

T.H: Alain Silberstein has a discreet communication, the HM2.2 is in total opposition of your style. What part of your personality it represents?
A.S: Let’s not mix communication and style!
The HM2.2 is a true creation of Alain Silberstein, made with four hands with Maximilian Büsser; an “exercise of style” which made us learn a lot, I hope it will find its public.
You are right about the communication point on Alain Silberstein: we have been too discreet; and are finally working on it.

T.H: This year has been very difficult for your company. Do you think the storm in now behind?
A.S: The storm is far from being calmed all over the world of watchmaking; we are at the moment in the eye of the cyclone; let’s take advantage of this lull to identify the partners who will accompany us for the next years to come, and work on a long term future.