Chanel took a 25% stake in Swiss independent watchmaker MB&F in a deal announced on 22 August 2024. MB&F said founder Maximilian Büsser and partner Serge Kriknoff would continue leading the business with its existing management team. The companies framed the investment as a strategic partnership to support MB&F’s long-term continuity while preserving its independent direction; they did not disclose a purchase price or valuation.
How MB&F’s ownership was divided in the 2024 announcement
MB&F’s announcement set out the following ownership split:
| Holder | Stake announced |
|---|---|
| Chanel | 25% |
| Maximilian Büsser, founder | 60% |
| Serge Kriknoff, partner and head of R&D and production | 15% |
The announcement described Chanel’s investment as a minority stake, not a transfer of control. It said Büsser would continue leading creation and general management alongside Kriknoff, Charris Yadigaroglou and Thibault Verdonckt. These figures describe the arrangement announced in 2024; they do not independently confirm whether ownership has changed since then. MB&F’s 22 August 2024 announcement
Why Chanel invested in MB&F
The stated rationale was continuity, not a publicly announced plan to absorb MB&F into Chanel. MB&F said the partnership would support the watchmaker’s stability and long-term future. Büsser said the investment would let the company continue its independent path without pressure to grow, while giving it access, when needed, to Chanel’s broader ecosystem and specialized suppliers.
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“In addition to allowing us to pursue our independent path, free of any pressure on growth, the investment by Chanel will strengthen our operations by providing access when needed to their wider ecosystem and network of specialized suppliers,” Büsser said in the announcement.
Chanel presented the investment as part of a longer-term effort to preserve and develop specialist watchmaking expertise. In its FY2024 results, published in 2025, Chanel later listed a stake in MB&F among its acquisitions and investments. That subsequent mention confirms Chanel included the stake in its reported investments, but does not by itself establish that the 2024 ownership percentages remain unchanged.
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What is MB&F?
Founded by Maximilian Büsser in 2005, MB&F stands for Maximilian Büsser & Friends. Forbes describes the company as a maker of small-series conceptual watches called “Horological Machines,” developed with watchmakers, designers, artists and other collaborators. The watches are conceived as three-dimensional kinetic art rather than conventional timepieces alone. “World’s first horological concept laboratory” is MB&F’s own description, not an independently established industry ranking. Forbes’ 2024 deal coverage
What is known about the deal’s financial scale?
The purchase price and MB&F valuation were not disclosed in the announcement or the cited deal coverage. No reliable figure can therefore be given for what Chanel paid or what the investment implies about the company’s value.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →For historical context only, Forbes reported that MB&F generated CHF 45.4 million in revenue and produced 419 wristwatches in 2023. Those are 2023 figures reported in 2024, not current-year results or a measure of the stake’s purchase price.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the investment fits Chanel’s watchmaking strategy
Forbes reported that Chanel had previously made minority investments in independent watchmakers Romain Gauthier in 2011 and F.P. Journe in 2018. These deals provide context for Chanel’s interest in specialist watchmaking, but the available information does not establish that the investments share identical governance terms or commercial arrangements.
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Frédéric Grangié, president of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery, described the MB&F agreement as a strategic partnership: “We are delighted to sign a strategic partnership with MB&F who share the same values of independence, creativity and excellence.”
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