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Career Maximilian Büsser envy of any in 1998 his usual 31-year-old manager, was invited to take the post of managing director of Harry Winston watch division he managed in seven years at nine.
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increase turnover of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces, take the company into a market leader and earn a reputation as a successful manager with a fantastic business sense and after he at the peak suddenly uprooted and founded his own brand MB & F, it first considered insane, and then – recognized one of the devotees of modern watchmaking.
– Hello, Maximilian.
If I am not mistaken, at you Horological Machine №1 in white gold? – Yes, this is the first instance that came to us just before the show.
– And when they are available? – Well, actually, I’m trying to put a clock that we can deliver a maximum of three months.
This makes us different from many brands, which loudly announce new items, and then do not start their production or in a year or two .
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By the way, in part because of this, many premiers called concept.
Because concept – is something complex and advanced, that you can bring to mind the years and eventually left for better times.
We are, if you remember, presented Horological Machine №2 in November-December 2007, and by March have already sent dealers 25 copies of the 125 slated for production later this year.
– And what is the total circulation of the series? – 125 in two versions.
But as the year we can do about a hundred pieces, some customers will have to wait.
– So, HM2 production is imposed on the production of NM1? – The strategy of MB & F is to annually launch a new mechanism and a new model, the issue of which is calculated on a three-year period.
The reason is simple: so I’m trying to protect the business against unforeseen technical problems if gone wrong, in my work, there is still a couple that did not allow me to go out of business with the same model something.
Now you know a terrible secret that we are not obsessed by lust superkreativnosti and simply insure by force majeure.
Do not tell anyone, I beg you (laughs).
– I promise to be silent even under torture.
Say, a titanium NM1 has already appeared? – There will be only 10 units, since the production of titanium body – a real nightmare.
Actually, for me everything is decided by my supplier towers – manufacture G & F Chatelain from La Chaux-de-Fonds.
The mechanism is the same, designed by Laurent Bezom .
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– By the way, why did you choose it? He is not known outside of his circle, and many therefore believe the author of this caliber Peter Speake-Marin.
– Laurent – assistant Speake-Marin.
He is a brilliant engineer, which I have long and well-know.
He did tourbillons for Harry Winston, he participated in the development Microrotor line models for Universal Geneve, Memoire 1 for Maurice Lacroix, Tourbillon for Bovet.
But beyond his invested NM1 work of many specialists from STT specialist (now Dimier), is responsible for producing all the details of the mechanism, to the masters of Stewart, Stephen and Bruno, collect watches from ready-made components .
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– I’m sorry to interrupt: in the development of the second Machines are taken without participation? – No, the heart of HM2 has been made head of the company Agenhor Wiederrecht Jean-Marc and his assistants.
But the rest of the team almost has not changed.
You know, I have more than ten years in this business, but the experience with this type of network I have ever had.
Where personal responsibility is important because the larger the cell network, the easier it is to slip out of her fish.
Each of my children knows his stuff and is a fan of it, whether manufacturers or Tribo bridges.
The MB & F is concentrated enormous creative energy, and, most importantly, such an organization does not need to control, because people do not work for money, but for the idea .
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– They’re really your friends or all the same, most of the partners? – With friends do not work.
The word friends came because I could not otherwise express the essence of the relationship between those who share the ideals and values of professional.
I have worked with many of them, being the head of HWRT, and enjoyed it, and professional satisfaction.
And some came on the recommendation of proven suppliers and proved to be quite out of place.
If you think about it, neither I nor the MB & F do not need them for nothing: they all have good contracts with major brands that bring good money.
Why, it would seem to make the extra hundred dials a year if the weekly rate is one and a half thousand pieces? At this definitely will not earn much.
But they like to be part of the chamber design, the pure art of watchmaking.
They are proud of involvement in MB & F! And I am proud that they are proud of – not words.
In fact, our partners give us much more than we give them.
Without the letter «F» MB & F would not exist.
We would be left alone unrealized ideas.
– As far as I know, the two co-founders of the brand: you and someone else.
Do not tell anyone? – My partner – Serzh Kriknoff, well versed in technical issues specialist – he previously held the position of director of quality Lemania factory, then served as director of production in HWRT, after – the Managing Director of G & F Chatelain, and then, as I wanted something special.
He, like me, 41 years old, he, too, is alien to the corporate existence, and have at the same time something happened that is called midlife crisis, which actually is to strengthen the search for his place in life and is caused by a conflict between what you’re doing and be what you want to do.
I invited him to invest in the business, and he gave the nod.
– Where and when you appeared passion for horology? – When I was 4 years old, I knew I wanted to become a car designer.
And he continued to dream about it until 17 years of age, although usually in boys, such obsession has lost somewhere years to ten.
I raved about the machines and therefore enrolled in engineering school in Lausanne, where realized with horror that I hate car design .
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I studied microtechnology, where, as you know, close to the hour of engineering.
And my thesis was a survey of people involved in the revival and restructuring of old watch brands: Breguet, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre and so on.
A propos: I come from a very simple family.
My father had a Omega, I – Tissot: typical combination for the lower segment of the middle class.
And my respondents talked easily about watches worth 50,000 francs.
I do not understand who needs these things, who want to buy them? So there was interest in the topic.
Henry-John Belmont (he is now engaged in manufactory Minerva RLG) showed me the inside JLC, and I was amazed.
But even then I was going to get a job in .
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Procter & Gamble.
I wanted to work in the marketing, want to understand how to create a product, why they buy, what drives the consumer.
– Wow! How unexpected! I could now produce luxury shampoos and powder! .
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– Yeah .
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And then it happened, as in a film by Claude Lelouch, where several strangers to each other people by force of circumstances meet each other at one point of time and space.
So the meeting with some amazing individuals, in the end, changed my life, and I wanted to stay in the watch industry.
Decisive in my choice was the meeting with the same Belmont in the ski resort of Verbier, where I went to an interview at P & G.
He recognized me, and we went for a coffee.
Belmont was looking for then the person to the position of product manager, and I jokingly asked him to reserve it for me in case I did not take in the P & G.
A week later, he called (in the yard was in 1991), and we talked for four hours.
JLC then sold around 1.
5 million a year Reverso brand trying to survive, but Henry-John told me about the grand plans that they are going to do the minute repeater, perpetual calendar, tourbillon .
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and immediately offered me a job.
He gave me three weeks to think about saying goodbye: You decide whether you want to be one of the 200,000 employees of the corporation or one of the five or six people who are going to bring back to life the legend of Swiss watchmaking.
The next morning, I called him and agreed.
– What got into Harry Winston? – For seven years I worked at the JLC manager of marketing and sales.
He was responsible for the European market, participated in the development of new models, doing websites.
When manufactory rose to her feet, I realized he was not ready to rest on our laurels.
And so, having received an offer from Harry Winston head decadent hour division of the company, I was delighted, although I was only 31 years old and I was a complete ignoramus in management science.
But I had a successful experience in a team of enthusiasts, raises the brand almost from scratch.
So I accepted the invitation to participate in the competition, becoming one of the 40 candidates.
I felt very relaxed, because, in general, it is absolutely not worried about that, I get this position or not – I think that my chances are practically zero.
But after a series of interviews in Europe and New York, I was informed that I had been accepted.
I even in my wildest fantasies could not imagine I’d be at the head of a division of the company, as the HW! I was given the keys to the house in New York and said that I can do whatever I saw fit, as they know nothing about the clock and just want good sales.
And the nightmare began.
I started to work in November, and it was necessary to prepare for the Basel show some semblance of the collection, which, of course, no one thought to do.
Moreover, in Basel at the HW did not even place! But we did it.
Furthermore, I will say straight out: the central office of the company has not invested a penny in HWRT! We did everything ourselves.
The company’s staff has grown quickly from 8 to 80 employees and turnover has increased tenfold.
And after a few flying felt that once I work out such exploits, then maybe I can do and what more? I decided not to become the next director of the well-fed, and started working on his own project.
– The decision to leave was given HWRT probably difficult? – And it is not easy and at the same time easily.
On the one hand, I had a great job, and on the other – I was overcome with the desire of the business.
Most weighed heavy responsibility for the team, which has become my second family.
I’ve been rehearsing it in front of them, but could not say it.
Just I said that resigning, and for them it was like a bolt from the blue.
I comfort myself only in that they do not need more father, they might as well do without me.
– What do you think about the decision to revive the project Amdi Shatti Opus? – Opus I closed for economic reasons.
We have become too strong in challenging the male-hour – half of our profits come to them, while the main specialization HWRT assumed quartz jewelry female models! Opus has created a big problem.
The company structure was not built for this kind of products.
And we all asked only about the Opus yes tourbillon! In Basel we could dance on the tables, show striptease – whatever! – but no one had nothing to do with women’s watches, all demanded complications.
As CEO, I could not allow such a development.
Now 78 percent of sales come from HWRT sophisticated men’s watch.
They are not happy.
I understand why Shatti resumed of Opus, but I would be in its place did not do it.
– What is the Opus is your favorite? – The first – because it was the first and because I enjoyed working with François-Paul Journe.
Third – because it was a unique event for the entire industry.
Before Basel our director of sales at a loss told me that he does not know how to convince the customer to buy it, and our best regional representatives echoed in one voice.
And it turned out the opposite.
He is still, as you know, is not ready, but almost none have paid did not take back the money.
Everyone is waiting and willing to wait as long as necessary.
This is by far the most expensive in the history of the development of Harry Winston, and the final amount is not yet known.
And, of course, the fifth – because it’s just a three-dimensional miracle.
– Last question: Horological Machine №1 equipped with tourbillon, Horological Machine №2 devoid prestigious complications .
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What is NM 3? Again difficult? – NM 3 will be very different from the first two.
Its premiere is scheduled for November, and deliveries will begin in January and February.
In accordance with voice above principles, we are preparing a new mechanism, a new form of housing, different concept display timing – everything is new.
More I can not say.
I can only assure you that the production megadorogih hours at 500-600 thousand francs does not interest me.
Much more interesting – but difficult – to create unique and at the same time functional clock for 60-70 thousand.
This is my way.
Horological Machine №1 Firstborn» MB & F has turned out well.
Few imagined that a solo hike Büsser in sky-high sphere of watchmaking bring such impressive results in such a short time.
NM 1 not be confused with anything: a large body in the form of the number 8 is reminiscent of the infinity of time and looks at the wrist as a symbol of excellent taste and a sign of belonging to a cohort of experts chronometric advanced mechanics.
Tourbillon, located in the eight center brings together two equal-counter: left and right hour minute.
This layout of the dial (without Tourbillon) is a classic controller, which certainly can be considered a curtsey creators against the great masters of the past.
In this classic is made in such a bold avant-garde style that leaves no doubt as to the authors claim the laurels of the great masters of the present.
The main figures of the project are 1 NM himself Max Büsser and designer Eric Giroud, clockworks designer Laurent and Without academician Peter Speake-Marin.
It was they who came up with the body, consisting of 48 pieces, three-level dial, and a system of paired four winding drums, provides a machine a solid seven-day power reserve.
Surprisingly, despite some awkwardness of the model, it is very ergonomic and does not cause discomfort when worn.
Wishing to acquire NM 1 recommend hurry: a series in pink gold is already sold, there were only copies in rose gold and titanium (total 10 pieces).
Specifications NM1 MOVEMENT: automatic, with four wind-up reel, the tourbillon regulator, 28,800 vibrations per hour; It consists of 376 parts; range – seven days FUNCTIONS: hours (the left half of the dial), minutes and power reserve indicator (right half of the dial) BODY: pink, white gold or titanium, 41 x 64 x 14 mm; sapphire crystal on both sides DIAL: silver and ruthenium, silver or dark gray, or open (titanium version); bridges pointers in hours and minutes are made of sapphire glass STRAP: alligator leather, black or brown in color with a gold clasp.
Horological Machine №2 In the second car Büsser separate private time of universal, giving the right half of the dial hours and minutes, and the left is reserved for date display and moon phases.
Unlike its predecessor, Dy 2 elite devoid of complications, however, fraught with a very complex structure of the conjugate retrograde pointer nodes minutes and jumping – hour.
Mainly for Jean-Marc Wiederrecht in charge of the development of the mechanism it was to achieve perfect synchronization jump hour mark and return the minute hand to the top of the scale.
Usually it changes hour digits at the expense of the accumulated energy of minute wheel, which adversely affects the balance of the work.
Wiederrecht is arranged so that the wheel of the minute hand at the time of zero pushes hour indicator disc.
Thus it was possible to kill two birds with one stone: to synchronize the pointers, and at the same time avoid unnecessary energy loss.
Given the fact that the head of the company Wiederrecht Agenhor, specializing just on retrograde Wisdom, we would not have so much surprised witty solution of the problem .
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Special mention is worthy rotor self-winding, in the shape of bilateral combat ax with a blade thickness of 0.
2 mm – can be cut so really! And, of course, do not forget to mention the much more complex compared to NM 1 building which despite seeming ingenuousness rectangular consists of more than hundreds of components! Specifications HM2 Movement: Automatic Caliber Aghenor with the wheel and the carrying Girard-Perregaux systems, 28,800 vibrations per hour; It consists of 349 parts; power reserve of 42 hours FEATURES: date, phase of the moon in both hemispheres (left half of the dial), hours and minutes (right half of the dial) BODY: rose gold and titanium or white gold and titanium, 59x38x13 mm; sapphire crystal on both sides Dial: silver and ruthenium STRAP: alligator leather, black or brown in color with a gold clasp .
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