Today MB&F presents a double-first on the M.A.D.Editions with their first Limited Edition in collaboration with an external creator. The new piece is the M.A.D.1 ‘Time to Love’ is limited to 999 pieces and created with legendary French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac —who has infused the M.A.D.1 with his unmistakable style.
MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser has been an admirer of the artist’s pop designs for many years:
“Jean-Charles de Castelbajac represents five decades of creativity. Very early on, he was able to create a unique voice and style, then over the years pivot, reinvent himself and challenge the status quo. Today, at the age of 74, his message of love and life is more than ever an example for the new generation”.
JCDC has indeed never been a conventional designer, always daring to disturb, disrupt, and promote artistic chaos – he started by making clothes out of recycled materials in the 1970s, being the first to upcycle in the fashion world before it was even a thing! JCDC has always had a multidisciplinary approach to his work, connecting different worlds, collaborating with artists such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. He is perhaps best known for his audacious creations like the teddy bear coat, his “poncho for two”, his Barack Obama dresses, and the robes he created for Pope John Paul II.
For the M.A.D.1 ‘Time to Love’, JCDC worked with his signature colors —red for passion, blue for hope, and yellow for human warmth. The colorway is present on a newly engineered rotor featuring angel wings, where one of the wings is heavier than the other two to optimize spinning. A bright green is also present and featured on the piece’s hour disc; the numbers of the hour and minute rings are in Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s handwriting.
Other details include a quote from the artist in French on the dial:
“Ce trésor rare et précieux, c’est ta vie. Le temps vole de ses ailes blanches. Tu es le gardien de ton temps —This rare and precious treasure is your life. Time flies with its white wings. You are the guardian of your time.”
The crown features an engraving of an angel talking to the moon, a recurring theme in his art creations. Each timepiece comes with two straps —black and white— embroidered with ‘Time to Love’.
Like with previous M.A.D.Editions, a portion of these M.A.D.1 watches will be reserved for those who have made MB&F possible: their Tribe members —owners of MB&F watches— and our Friends —suppliers— on a first-come, first-served basis. Half of the production will be open to the public, via a raffle giving access to purchasing the M.A.D.1 Time to Love.
The raffle opens today April 3rd and will remain open for 2 weeks, until April 17th. Registration is of course free of charge. Click here to get to the raffle registration page or scan the QR Code to participate in the raffle, which will be open from April 3rd until April 17th, 2024.
Deliveries will take place from April to September 2024.
Sticker Price CHF 3,200 —approximately USD 3,600. For more info on MB&F and the M.A.D. Gallery click here.
