The MB&F HM12 watch arrives as the most extraordinary release in the brand’s 20-year history. Therefore, the MB&F HM12 watch does not simply look like a robot — it is designed from first principles to be a robot face. Furthermore, bidirectional jumping hours in the eyes, a flying tourbillon as the brain and a battle-axe mouth built around a double-sided micro-rotor make this one of the most complex mechanisms MB&F has ever constructed. Based on this, the MB&F HM12 watch marks two decades of a brand that calls itself a horological concept laboratory rather than simply a watchmaker. So, 36 pieces exist worldwide — 12 green, 12 blue and 12 purple. Ultimately, this is watchmaking as science fiction made mechanical and wearable.
What Is MB&F? Twenty Years of Horological Rebellion
MB&F does not accept the description of watchmaker without some resistance. Therefore, founder Maximilian Büsser— the MB — created the brand 20 years ago with a specific and deliberate vision. Furthermore, the F stands for friends — the collaborators and creative minds that Büsser invites to co-create each new Horological Machine. Additionally, the brand describes itself as a horological concept laboratory where avant-garde ideas translate into mechanical objects you can actually wear on your wrist.
Based on this, two decades of MB&F have produced machines that reference spaceships, jet engines, alien anatomy and now robots. Consequently, the MB&F HM12 watch represents both a milestone anniversary and the logical extension of everything Büsser’s laboratory has explored since 2006.
The New Creative Partnership: Büsser and Maertens
The MB&F HM12 watch marks the first timepiece created through a new creative partnership. Therefore, designer Maximilian Maertens joins Büsser for the HM12 in a collaboration that produces an entirely new visual language for the brand. Furthermore, this does not signal the end of the long-standing relationship between Büsser and creative director Eric Giroud — the partnership responsible for two decades of MB&F’s most celebrated machines. Additionally, the arrival of Maertens simply adds a new creative voice to the laboratory’s roster of collaborators.
Based on this, the HM12 represents a genuine evolution rather than a replacement. Consequently, collectors who appreciate the previous MB&F design language will find a familiar ambition here — expressed through an entirely new and striking visual identity.
The Robot Face: Three Parts of One Extraordinary Design
The robot face architecture of the MB&F HM12 watch divides into three distinct functional zones. Therefore, the eyesdisplay bidirectional jumping hours — a complication where the hour display jumps instantaneously between positions rather than advancing continuously. Furthermore, the brain takes the form of a 60-second flying tourbillon — a regulation device that counters the effects of gravity on the movement. Additionally, the mouth takes the form of a battle-axe shape integrated around a double-sided micro-rotor that winds the movement.
Based on this, every element of the robot face serves a genuine mechanical function rather than simply providing visual decoration. Consequently, the HM12 is not a watch designed to look like a robot — it is a series of watchmaking complications arranged into a face that happens to be a robot.
The Case: Titanium, Sapphire and Intricate Architecture
The case of the MB&F HM12 watch matches the movement’s complexity in every physical detail. Therefore, titanium and sapphire combine in an architecture that MB&F describes as deeply intricate. Furthermore, mobile lugs allow the case to articulate and flex during wear — an unusual structural choice that demonstrates the engineering ambition extends to every touchpoint of the piece. Additionally, a variety of surface finishes across different case zones create visual contrast and textural depth that rewards close inspection.
Based on this, the case architecture reinforces the robot concept without relying on applied decoration or superficial detailing. Consequently, the HM12 achieves its visual identity through engineering decisions rather than cosmetic additions.
The Robot Body: 755 Components and a Desk Piece Worth Having
The MB&F HM12 watch arrives with an optional robot body — and it is extraordinary in its own right. Therefore, the robot body contains 755 individual components — more parts than the watch movement itself. Furthermore, it functions as a desk sculpture rather than a wearable piece. Additionally, both the watch and the body share the same three colour options and the same strict production limit of 36 pieces per colour.
Based on this, the complete HM12 package — watch and robot body together — becomes one of the most unusual and collectible objects in the luxury goods market of 2026. Consequently, any collector who acquires one without the body has arguably missed the most compelling part of the entire artistic proposition.
The Numbers: 36 Pieces, Three Colours, One Price
The MB&F HM12 watch arrives in strictly limited production. Therefore, exactly 36 pieces exist worldwide divided into 12 green, 12 blue and 12 purple examples. Furthermore, MB&F confirms these launch editions are the final editions — no subsequent production runs are planned for this specific reference. Additionally, the price sits at CHF 280,000 — approximately £261,875 plus VAT.
Based on this, the combination of a 36-piece global limit and a confirmed final edition status makes the HM12 one of the most immediately collectible pieces MB&F has ever produced. Consequently, anyone who wants one faces a genuinely narrow window and a decision that does not benefit from extended deliberation. For the latest luxury watch news across the Middle East, follow GearsME. For full official details and the product film, visit the official MB&F website.
Why the MB&F HM12 Matters Beyond Its Price
The MB&F HM12 watch carries significance that extends beyond its CHF 280,000 price tag. Therefore, it marks 20 years of a brand that genuinely changed the conversation about what independent watchmaking could be. Furthermore, MB&F proved over two decades that the watch industry had room for objects that asked questions rather than simply answered them — and found a global audience willing to pay accordingly. Additionally, the HM12 introduces a new creative partnership that suggests the next 20 years of MB&F will carry the same ambition as the first.
Based on this, for collectors in the Gulf and wider Middle East where independent watchmaking has a growing and sophisticated collector base the HM12 represents a genuinely significant release. Consequently, the MB&F HM12 watchdeserves attention from any serious watch collector regardless of whether 36 pieces is a realistic purchase opportunity.
Final Thoughts: The Wildest Watch of 2026
Ultimately, the MB&F HM12 watch proves that Maximilian Büsser and his laboratory have not run out of ideas in 20 years — they have simply found a new collaborator and a new face to channel them through. Furthermore, a robot face built from functional complications, a 755-part desk sculpture companion and 36 pieces at CHF 280,000 in three colours is a combination that demands a response. Consequently, whether that response is admiration, confusion or both — it is never indifference, and that has always been exactly the point of MB&F.
