Opus 1 - Francois-Paul Journe
If you’ve been around the watch world for any length of time, you’ll know the name Max Busser. He’s been responsible for some major achievements like the Master line of watches at Jaeger-LeCoultre and, of course, the Opus series at Harry Winston.
It’s hard to believe that the world of horology almost didn’t get this creative thinker to come in and shake things up. Ironically, Max never planned to go into watchmaking. He was raring and ready to enter the corporate life of Proctor and Gamble or Nestle, selling diapers or Tidy Cats, until a fateful interview at Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Now Max creates under his own brand MB&F fantastical Horological and Legacy Machines, 3D objects that are machines that just happen to tell time. We’ve showed you several, like the HM3 JWLRYMACHINE and Legacy Machine 1.
But before there could be MB&F, there had to be Harry Winston. Max was brought in as managing director to the famed jeweler to resuscitate their watch department, which was gasping on its last breath. It was here Max conceived the Opus project, named after the Opus 1 wine by Rothschild and Mondavi that Robert Benvenuto, Max’s boss at Winston, enjoyed.
I had the chance to grab Max for an impromptu interview while he was here in Hong Kong to attend a Christie’s event just before the watch auction on May 30th and speak about his Opus experience. He opens up about topics such as how the Opus series started, which one is closest to his heart and who was the most influential person in his life professionally.
Don’t miss your chance to get an Opus when they go up for auction on Wednesday, May 30 in Hong Kong. View the catalog here.