Jason Wilbur is part philosopher, part disruptor, part futurologist. But the New Yorker is mostly a designer with a passion for microengineering and horology and a mission to bring his supermachine timekeepers to the world.
“A supermachine is more than just a watch — it’s a tangible expression of human ambition, artistry, and the drive to push boundaries. It’s a machine built not to replace humans, but to empower them to dream bigger, take risks, and conquer new worlds,” he tells WatchPro.
“At WILBUR, our supermachines embody this philosophy by blending high-tech wizardry with raw emotion. The future of WILBUR is about creating artefacts that transcend generations — machines for those who refuse to settle for ordinary and want to leave their mark on history.”
Mr Wilbur may speak in vaunted prose, but his work is highly technical and informed by years working at the cutting edge of automotive design.
“My journey designing concept cars and futuristic vehicles for companies like Honda and Porsche deeply shaped my philosophy. In that world, everything was about pushing the limits of the ordinary to create the extraordinary. The same principles apply to my watches—blending meticulous R&D processes with bold creativity,” he explains. “Every WILBUR watch is a collision of old-world craftsmanship and cutting-edge design.”
As Max Busser, founder of MB&F and a frustrated car designer himself can attest, there are transferable skills between the automotive and horological world.
From sketching initial concepts to refining them in CAD, to ensuring every element aligns with ergonomic principles, the tools and methods are the same, according to Mr Wilbur.
“Designing a supercar and designing a supermachine both require the perfect union of art, engineering, and vision. It’s about respecting the timeless ideals of form and function while reimagining them for a new era. That’s how WILBUR pays homage to the past while boldly driving into the future,” he urges.
Their shared passions might one day lead to a collaboration between MB&F and WILBUR, if planets align. “Collabs are a great way to mix things up and create something unexpected. I’d love to collaborate with someone like Koenigsegg or MB&F — two brands that, like WILBUR, are pushing the limits of engineering and design,” Mr Wilbur says.
That may be some way in the future, but Mr Wilbur is already on the radar of the sometimes impenetrable Swiss watch industry having been nominated for a GPHG Award for his Tread 1 watch a decade ago.
WILBUR timepieces are challenging and avant-garde by the standards of most traditional manufacturers, but that is part of a long-term plan to build a lifestyle brand for the types of customers who are not afraid to stand out from the crowd.
“In ten years’ time we won’t just be a watch brand, but a lifestyle and design philosophy that reflects the next generation of craftsmanship. Our watches will be in the collections of those who appreciate objects that represent the future, not just tell time,” Mr Wilbur predicts.
WILBUR customers, he continues, do not follow trends, they create them. “They’re visionaries, risk-takers, and leaders who understand that true luxury isn’t about excess; it’s about exclusivity, legacy, and identity. My watches aren’t for everyone, and they’re not meant to be. They’re designed for people who see themselves as builders of their own destiny — people who want to be remembered not for what they followed, but for what they led,” he describes.
WILBUR started life as a typical microbrand, focused far more on design than overcoming the sort of engineering challenges that would burn through more time and money than he could then afford.
There were compromises in those early days, but the mission to develop supermachines was already in the minds of Mr Wilbur and his wife Michelle, who he met in Los Angeles in 2002 where they were both enrolled in the Pasadena’s renowned Art Center College of Design transportation design course.
Michelle went on to become the lead designer for Honda’s Acura NSX, a supercar that debuted in 2016 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
“When Michelle and I founded the company on a shoestring budget, we were forced to start with some of our less bold ideas simply because it was what we could afford at the time. But we saw it as an opportunity — a steppingstone to introduce the world to the brand and establish the foundation of our vision,” Mr Wilbur recalls. “Those early pieces were the seed of something much bigger.”
It was a white-knuckle ride for the couple in those early days, but he would not have it any other way. “Risk is everything,” he states.
“Michelle and I started the WILBUR brand with our entire savings, knowing that the only way forward was not to look back. We bet everything on this vision, understanding that true success requires bold moves and an unshakable belief in the dream.”
From those early days to today, their process is uncompromising, and can be draining. “The most critical part of taking this risk was committing to create from my heart and soul — not from focus groups or data points. This isn’t about chasing trends or playing it safe. It’s about making something raw, authentic, and deeply personal. I knew that if I was going to risk it all, it had to be for something I truly believed in. Even if WILBUR were to fail, I’d know that I followed my dreams, not someone else’s expectations. That mindset fuels everything we do — every design, every risk, every decision,” Mr Wilbur reveals.
Now, he says WILBUR is untamed, unshackled, and finally able to execute at the highest level with bold, high-concept machines.
“As we evolve, I’m focusing on what truly drives me: crafting ultra-luxury watches that are unapologetically different and intensely personal. The future of WILBUR lies in pushing the boundaries of what a luxury timepiece can be, creating designs that challenge convention and resonate with a highly discerning audience.
In 2020, WILBUR’s first commercial collection, the 250-piece limited edition Automatic Launch Edition, was a way of getting the business on a sustainable footing, but said little about the journey ahead to the Supermachines he intends to focus on from now. “It was the simplest watch we will make and served as the foundation for the brand going forward,” he said in a recent interview with aBlogtoWatch, although the watches were already setting some of the design direction for the brand with three-dimensional architecture and skeletonisation inspired by modern supercars.
“I used an ultra-simple workhorse movement to signify the beginning of the brand. This is a nod to the respect I have for old-school watchmaking while also aiming for the future with a watch that doesn’t follow all the rules,” he recalls.
Five years on and WILBUR is focusing on the high-end LEO collection of supermachine timekeepers, which use the in-house WILBUR Engine One Automatic Jump-Hour Movement, which he jokes — or half jokes — were developed over seven years at a secret bunker in the mountains of Vermont.
It is something of a mind-bending watch that reveals its mysteries over time. Its design, according to WILBUR, was inspired by the Roswell controversy of 1947 that conspiracy theorists believe is an FBI cover-up of an extra-terrestrial craft being discovered.
“Like the puzzling fragments and secrecy that fuelled beliefs in alien encounters, the LEO watch features cryptic symbols and partial numeral puzzle pieces artfully exposed to mimic otherworldly code,” the company describes.
The range of watches — with prices starting from $36,500 — have all their time and date wheels and gears exposed in a multi-layered, dizzying whirl of precision components. But the watch is relatively easy to read because the timekeeping seconds, hours and minutes are always displayed in a line from the top to the bottom of the dial.
Every version is made from tough and lightweight titanium.
Every design comes from the mind of Mr Wilbur, and requires an exhausting and emotional process. “It’s raw, personal, and deeply fulfilling. Every line, every curve, every technical element of a WILBUR watch comes directly from my hands and my mind. I sketch, prototype, and refine obsessively until the design feels like it has a soul. This process isn’t about creating something that will simply sell — it’s about making something that will endure. For me, designing is like breathing. It’s what drives me, and it’s the heartbeat of WILBUR,” he concludes.