MB&F HM12 The Guardian Is A Mechanical Masterpiece With A Mind Of Its Own
When it comes to creating horological objects that challenge convention, few brands operate as fearlessly as MB&F.
For more than two decades, Maximilian Büsser’s creative laboratory has produced timepieces that blur the boundaries between watchmaking, kinetic sculpture and science fiction. Now, to mark the beginning of its third decade, the Geneva-based brand unveils one of its most ambitious creations yet: the HM12 The Guardian.
Part wristwatch, part robot, and entirely MB&F, The Guardian is not merely a new Horological Machine. It is a complete horological concept comprising an extraordinary wristwatch and a towering mechanical companion designed to house, protect and celebrate it.
A Return to the Brand’s DNA
Originally conceived as a project for MB&F’s 20th anniversary, HM12 The Guardian evolved into something far more substantial during its lengthy development. Rather than looking backwards, the project revisits the ideas that have defined MB&F from the beginning: mechanical creativity, narrative-driven design and a childlike sense of wonder.
The result is a creation that feels simultaneously familiar and entirely new. It draws inspiration from the robots, science-fiction imagery and mechanical personalities that have influenced Maximilian Büsser throughout his life, while introducing a level of complexity rarely seen even within the world of independent haute horlogerie.
The Face of a Machine
At first glance, HM12 presents itself not as a conventional watch but as a mechanical face. The display is arranged to resemble the eyes of a robot, with instantaneous jumping hours positioned on the left and trailing minutes on the right. Between them, the architecture creates a striking sense of personality, transforming the watch into something that feels alive.
Above the display sits a flying tourbillon, intentionally positioned as the machine’s “brain”. Visible through an expansive sapphire structure that forms much of the watch’s upper section, the regulating organ is illuminated from multiple angles and becomes the focal point of the design.
Below the display, a double-sided micro-rotor shaped like MB&F’s iconic battle-axe motif occupies the position of a mouth, further reinforcing the anthropomorphic character of the piece.
The Shield Complication
One of HM12’s most intriguing innovations is its mechanical face shield system. Operated by the crown on the left-hand side of the case, the shields slide smoothly across the front of the watch, allowing the wearer to reveal or conceal the face to varying degrees. The mechanism serves both a functional and narrative purpose, protecting the robot’s features while dramatically altering its appearance.
Remarkably, more than 200 components are dedicated solely to the shield system. Entirely independent from the movement itself, the mechanism represents a level of engineering sophistication that would constitute a complete watch project for many manufacturers.
The finishing is equally impressive, with polished wheels, traditional chatons and carefully executed inward angles elevating the mechanism far beyond novelty and firmly into the realm of haute horlogerie.
Traditional Craft Meets Futuristic Vision
While the front of HM12 embraces science-fiction aesthetics, the reverse reveals a more classical personality. The in-house automatic calibre comprises 646 components and offers an impressive 84-hour power reserve. Viewed from the back, the movement displays a harmonious symmetry inspired by traditional watchmaking, with hand-finished bridges, refined architecture and a beautifully executed guilloché rotor dome created with the involvement of renowned independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen and his team.
This duality has long been central to MB&F’s appeal. HM12 successfully combines the expressive creativity of the Horological Machines with the meticulous craftsmanship associated with the Legacy Machine collection.
More Than a Watch
Every HM12 is accompanied by The Guardian itself, a 38cm-tall mechanical robot developed in partnership with specialist clockmaker L’Epée 1839.
Importantly, this is not a presentation stand. The watch detaches from its strap via a quick-release system and mounts directly onto the robot’s head, completing the character as originally intended. Hidden within the robot’s base is a drawer for storing the strap when the watch is displayed.
The robot consists of 755 components and incorporates several functional features. A mechanical thermometer occupies the centre of its chest, serving as its symbolic heart. One arm carries a magnifying loupe for examining the watch’s intricate details, while the other houses a detachable UV torch used to activate the Super-LumiNova elements found on both the watch and the robot.
Together, the watch and robot comprise almost 1,500 components, making The Guardian one of the most elaborate mechanical concepts ever presented by MB&F.
A New Creative Chapter
The project also represents a significant milestone within MB&F’s creative structure. For the first time, a Horological Machine has been conceived and developed entirely through the collaboration between Maximilian Büsser and designer Max Maertens. While Maertens has previously contributed to numerous MB&F co-creations, HM12 marks his debut as the principal architect of a Horological Machine.
The result demonstrates a seamless blend of imagination, engineering and storytelling that feels entirely aligned with the brand’s philosophy.
Limited and Collectable
HM12 The Guardian will be produced in three colour-ways, blue, green and purple, with just 12 examples of each edition available.
That means only 36 complete sets will ever be made. For collectors, HM12 The Guardian represents far more than a limited-edition watch. It is a celebration of MB&F’s past, present and future, a mechanical sculpture with genuine horological substance and a personality unlike anything else in contemporary watchmaking.
As MB&F enters its third decade, The Guardian serves as a powerful reminder of what makes the brand unique: the courage to dream, the skill to engineer the impossible, and the determination to turn childhood imagination into mechanical reality.
Technical Specifications:
HM12 is crafted in three editions of 12 pieces each: Green, Blue and Purple
Movement
In house automatic movement, double winding rotor
Flying tourbillon
Instantaneous jumping hours
Trailing minutes
Shield function
Power reserve: 84 hours
646 components
86 jewels
Case
Grade 5 titanium
84 components
Super-LumiNova highlights
Mobile lugs at 12 o’clock
Fixed lugs at 6 o’clock
Three sapphire crystals, top, bottom, and at 12 o’clock with view on the tourbillon
Dimensions: Length 49,3 mm, Width 43,6 mm, Height 13,8 mm
Strap
Quick release system to detach the watch and mount it on the Guardian
20 mm lug width
20 mm buckle
Velcro fastening
Guardian robot
Development by L’Epée 1839
Mechanical thermometer
755 components
Integrated magnifying glass on right arm (shield)
Integrated UV torch on left arm
Strap stored in drawer within the robot base
Dimensions including base: diameter 22 cm x height 38,2 cm
Weight including base: approx. 15 kg
Price
RRP is CHF 280,000 + VAT (USD 384,000 / EUR 305,000 + tax)
For more information please visit MB&F