Last September 20th, MB&F's Maximilian Büsser was awarded the GAÏA PRIZE one of the most prestigious award within the watchmaking industry.
Since 1993, the Musée International d'Horlogerie (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds has presented the prize in recognition of extraordinary careers in the field of watchmaking. The only one of its kind, many have called the Gaïa Prize the Nobel Prize of watchmaking. While that may be somewhat exaggerated, it certainly does function in very much the same way: it is not a prize as such, but rather a distinction. You cannot apply for it: only third parties can suggest candidates to the distinguished Jury members, who ultimately decide.
The list of previous winners reads like a watchmaking Hall of Fame. In the Craftsmanship & Creation category, some of the most famous names include George Daniels, Philippe Dufour, François-Paul Journe and Kari Voutilainen. In the History & Research category, you'll find names like Roger Smith and Ludwig Oechslin. The Entrepreneurship category is populated by prominent figures like Nicolas G. Hayek, Günter Blümlein, Jean-Claude Biver, Richard Mille, Philippe Stern... and now, Max Büsser.
According to the official press release, Max Busser received the Gaïa Prize "in recognition of his creative approach to watchmaking in the design and marketing of his products, and for the innovative way he manages his business".
Max Busser was joined in the 2018 edition by two amazing individuals:
- Paul Clementi (Craftsmanship & Creation), whose career spans L'Epée, Parmigiani and Bovet in addition to academic responsibilities at the Technical College of La Chaux-de-Fonds and the Haute Ecole HE-ARC.
- Reinhard Meis (History & Research), now retired, but who played a key role for many years at Lange & Söhne and then at Richemont, where he was Engineering director for product design and fine watchmaking.
Thanks.