Chanel announced today that it has taken a 25 per cent stake in MB&F, the luxury independent watchmaker celebrated for its avant-garde Horological Machines (HM) and Legacy Machines (LM) that push the boundaries of traditional watchmaking. Chanel calls it a strategic investment that demonstrates its desire to participate in the future of high-end watchmaking expertise, creation, and design.
The House of Coco Chanel has been building its haute horlogerie portfolio that already includes stakes in Romain Gauthier, F.P. Journe, and movement maker Kenissi. As early as 1987, Chanel invested in the G&F Châtelain manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds responsible for producing luxury ceramic watches like the Première and J12.
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Chanel J12 watch
“The announcement is part of our long-term strategy to continue to preserve, develop, and invest in specialist know-how and expertise, reaffirming our position in high-end watchmaking."
By - Frédéric Grangié, president of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery
When MB&F was established in 2005, it positioned itself as a horological concept laboratory, dedicated to designing and crafting radical concept watches. Over the years, MB&F has emerged as a powerhouse in the niche independent watchmaking world, earning widespread acclaim and a devoted following it calls The Tribe.
In response to Chanel's stake in his company, Maximilian Büsser said that this is a natural evolution for a company that will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year. “It’s the last piece in the puzzle to ensure MB&F survives me while maintaining our unique values. Legacy and continuity have been my biggest concerns in the last three years. With this legacy concern addressed, I can finally spend more time and energy to create more!”
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MB&F HM8 Mark 2 in sapphire blue
“Legacy and continuity have been my biggest concerns in the last three years. With this legacy concern addressed, I can finally spend more time and energy to create more!”
By - Maximilian Büsser
With Chanel on board, Büsser believes MB&F is in a stronger position. “The Chanel management has been incredibly kind in offering any services our little company could benefit from in the future—from helping with the supplier ecosystem to any legal questions for example. A small structure [like ours] does not have the bandwidth, knowledge, or resources to address every situation.”
Büsser emphasised that the partnership preserves MB&F's creative independence and remains “free of any pressure on growth. Chanel is a minority shareholder who only aims to help. They are probably attracted most to our creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and engineering, and artisanship. They have a history of minority investing in talented watchmaking companies while letting the owners and management continue operating independently.”
Büsser retains a 60 per cent majority stake of MB&F while his business partner and head of R&D and Production Serge Kriknoff owns 15 per cent.
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