Over a period of roughly twenty five years, we’ve been introduced to a number of haute horology creations that challenge both mechanical and aesthetic conventions, while still managing to gain a greatly important standing in modern watch collecting circles. Brands that produce such timepieces include Urwerk, Vianney Halter, Richard Mille, and Greubel Forsey, though none seem to attract admiration from such a wide array of audiences in the same way that Max Busser’s horological collective “MB&F” does. Through the use of alternative movement construction and designs reminiscent of science fiction icons in a way that’s still grounded and conservatively accepted, the brand has gained a devoted cult following, that’s very well deserved. The “Legacy Machine” collection, which is arguably made up of the brand’s most recognizable watches just received a new addition last week, the MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual, that was met with tremendous excitement. Though I do believe this latest release is certainly a momentous one, I personally have a couple hang-ups with the watch, along with a few things that really excited me, that I’d like to share with you now.
As the name would suggest, this is in fact a Legacy Machine that’s been designed to accommodate the brand’s very first perpetual calendar equipped movement, as designed by watchmaker Stephen McDonnell. It stays true to the original spirit of the Legacy Machine collection in many ways, though most notably through how it makes use of the same 44mm case from the LM1, and the now iconic, highly pronounced dome crystal. Furthermore, they’ve also managed to continue using the familiar color combinations of previous Legacy Machines, as the watch will be released in a rose gold variant with a dark grey dial at $145,000, and a platinum variant with the electric blue dial we’ve all come to love at $176,000.
I had always loved the Legacy Machine collection for the way its pieces seemed to sit perfectly between being avant-garde and still wearable on a daily basis without attracting staring. Despite their often larger case sizes and domed crystals, watches like the LM1 and LM2 still weren’t entirely “out there”, so to speak. With the new release, I feel as if the added indicators that come with the complication clutter the dial, and take away from what made the previous releases so great. There was always a maintained golden ratio between the displays on the dial, and void space, and with this one, it just isn’t there. With all this said, I still think this watch does represent a big step forward for the brand, that shouldn’t go unnoticed.
Where this watch really impresses me, is in the small details that aren’t necessarily complications, but instead, thoughtful modifications made to the movement to maintain the piece’s original integrity. What I speak of is how the date adjustment pushers are not useable at certain times of the day, in order to protect the movement from unnecessary stress and potential damage. Since I’ve worked for a local watch retailer before, I know the routine of teaching clients when and when not to adjust the time and date on a perpetual calendar, so the inclusion of this detail on the movement will make both the ownership of this watch significantly easier.
To sum up this release in a single word, I’d have to say that it’s bittersweet. Although I would’ve liked to see the deeper design characteristics of the Legacy Machine collection carried over into this piece, I think I’m willing to sacrifice some of that for just how mechanically sophisticated this watch is, and what it says about the brand.
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