A Closer Look: MB&F 20th Anniversary Long Horns

This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the independent brand MB&F. This brand, short for  Max Busser & Friends, has become a legendary name in a very short time. That is, of course, because Busser constantly thinks outside of the proverbial box – way outside. There is such a great story to be told here about this anniversary, and that will be forthcoming soon.

But for today, we are just going to take a look at the two remarkable limited-edition watches that kick off the celebration year: the   “Longhorn” editions. These include the Legacy Machine Perpetual Longhorn and the Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Longhorn – both a  tribute not only to MB&F’s artistic ingenuity, but also to the enduring partnerships that have defined its journey. Both versions retail for CHF 168,000.

The MB&F Longhorn Story: From Concept to Reality

The Longhorn concept originated in 2009 during the design of the Legacy Machine No. 1 (LM1). The idea of elongating the lugs for a distinctive aesthetic appeal was explored but ultimately set aside due to practical challenges. Fast forward to 2021, the 10th anniversary of the LM1, when the Longhorn design was revisited for a one-off prototype. This unique piece, featuring elongated lugs with dual spring bar positions for better fit, glossy black lacquer dials, and a stainless steel case, was auctioned for charity, leaving collectors in awe and sparking demand for more.

In 2025, the Longhorn concept has been revived in two stunning 20-piece limited editions. These timepieces blend MB&F’s rich legacy with modern innovation, featuring stainless steel cases, rhodium-plated base plates, and striking black dials paired with blued hands – a nod to the original LM1 prototype.

MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual Longhorn

The LM Perpetual Longhorn showcases MB&F’s groundbreaking perpetual calendar movement, developed by independent watchmaker Stephen McDonnell in 2015. This revolutionary 581-component mechanism eliminates the fragility of traditional perpetual calendars with its unique “mechanical processor.” It prevents date-skipping or jamming and deactivates the adjuster pushers during automatic calendar changes for a seamless and user-friendly experience.

This anniversary edition elevates McDonnell’s award-winning movement with the addition of long horns and a bold black, silver, and blue aesthetic, combining technical mastery with visual drama.

MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Longhorn

The LM Sequential Flyback Longhorn builds on MB&F’s first-ever chronograph, introduced in 2022 with the LM Sequential EVO. Another masterpiece by Stephen McDonnell, this innovative caliber introduced the “Twinverter” binary switch, enabling four timing modes – independent, split-second, cumulative, and lap-timer – alongside the prestigious Aiguille d’Or win.

The Flyback edition extends its functionality into aviation-inspired territory, adding a flyback feature that allows for instantaneous resetting and restarting of the chronograph. With its Longhorn design, this timepiece bridges the technical complexity of motor racing chronographs and aviation’s precision requirements, all while exuding MB&F’s characteristic boldness.

A Tribute to Stephen McDonnell

MB&F’s 20th-anniversary celebrations fittingly begin with two timepieces powered by Stephen McDonnell’s ingenious concepts.

“We cannot talk about MB&F’s journey, without talking about Stephen McDonnell,” says Maximilian Büsser. “It is for this reason that we wanted to start our 20^th-anniversary celebrations with his calibers, which are some of the most complicated movements in the MB&F collection.

Northern Ireland-based watchmaker Stephen McDonnell is indeed one of the original MB&F Friends. His collaboration began in the very early days of the brand when he assisted with the final development and assembly of Horological Machine No.1. Several years later, he went on to develop the abovementioned LM Perpetual and Sequential.

Looking Ahead

These Longhorn editions are just the start of what promises to be a year of exciting releases, collaborations, and surprises. With a legacy built on creativity and camaraderie, MB&F’s 20th anniversary is not just a celebration of its achievements but also a testament to the friendships and innovations that have propelled the brand to the forefront of independent watchmaking.

Technical Specs:

 

MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual Longhorn

 

20^th Anniversary Limited Edition: 20 pieces in stainless steel with black sub dials

Engine

Fully integrated perpetual calendar developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring dial-side complication and mechanical processor system architecture with inbuilt safety mechanism.

Manual winding with double mainspring barrels.

Bespoke 14 mm balance wheel with traditional regulating screws visible on top of the movement.

Superlative hand finishing throughout respecting 19th century style; internal bevel angles highlighting hand craft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings.

Black lacquered sub dials

Power reserve: 72 hours

Balance frequency: 2.5Hz (18,000vph)

Number of components: 581

Number of jewels: 41

Functions/indications

Hours, minutes, day, date, month, retrograde leap year and power reserve indicators

Case

Material: stainless steel

Dimensions: 44 mm x 17.5 mm

Number of components: 69 components

Water resistance: 30 m / 90′ / 3 ATM

Sapphire crystals

Sapphire crystals on top and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces.

 

 

MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Longhorn

20^th Anniversary Limited Edition: 20 pieces in stainless steel with black sub dials

Engine

Fully integrated dual chronograph flyback system developed for MB&F by Stephen McDonnell, featuring Twinverter switch allowing multiple timing modes.

Manual winding with double mainspring.

Flying balance wheel with regulating screws at 12 o’clock, Breguet overcoil.

Superlative hand finishing; internal bevel angles highlighting handcraft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings.

Black lacquered inclined dial & black sub dials

Power reserve: 72 hours

Balance frequency: 3Hz (21,600 vph)

Number of components: 619

Number of jewels: 63

Functions

Time display (hours/minutes) at 6 o’clock.

Left chronograph : seconds displayed at 9 o’clock and minutes at 11 o’clock; start/stop pusher at 10 o’clock and reset/flyback at 8 o’clock.

Right chronograph : seconds displayed at 3 o’clock and minutes at 1 o’clock; start/stop pusher at 2 o’clock and reset/flyback at 4 o’clock.

Twinverter pusher at 9 o’clock: binary switch that inverts the current start/stop status of both chronographs.

Both chronographs are equipped with a flyback.

Power reserve indication at the back of the movement.

Case

Material: stainless steel

Dimensions : 44mm x 18.2mm.

Number of components : 88

Water resistance : 30m / 3ATM / 90 feet

Sapphire crystals

Sapphire crystals on top and display back treated with anti-reflective coating on both faces.