This MB&F ‘Legacy Machine’ Watch Is An Absolute Mechanical Marvel
The $200,000 titanium timepiece has insanely accurate mechanical calendar capabilities.
MB&F’s Legacy Machines (LMs) represent the “more classical” pieces in the avant-garde brand’s portfolio of collector-grade watches—these are to tributes to 19th-century horology. But “classical” does not mean “antiquated” or even “traditional.”
In fact, the new LM Perpetual EVO features one of the most cutting-edge mechanical calendars ever devised for a timepiece. Note that a traditional perpetual calendar’s months are set to 31 days by default. When a month with fewer than 31 days ends, the calendar mechanism must skip extra through extra dates to the first of the correct month, inviting the possibility of malfunctions that can damage components.
Instead, the Legacy Machine Perpetual employs a “mechanical processor” consisting of a series of superimposed disks. This revolutionary system, invented by master watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, sets the default number of days at 28, as all months have at least 28 days. Extra days are simply added as required, eliminating the need to skip over days. During the short changeover, a built-in safety feature disconnects the quickset pushers, eliminating the risk of damaging the movement.
The mechanical processor also has a quick-set feature for that accommodates the four-year leap year cycle, whereas traditional perpetual calendar mechanisms require the user to scroll through up to 47 months to arrive at the right month and year.
The first MB&F LM Perpetual launched in 2015, and in 2020 came the EVO editions, which are built more robustly to withstand everyday conditions so wearers “never have to leave their watch behind,” as MB&F puts it. The version seen here features a 44mm titanium case to which the dome sapphire crystal is directly fused and a no-bezel construction.
There’s a dampening “FlexRing” between the case and the movement to provide shock absorption, the circular pushers have been upgraded to double-sprung oblong actuators for increased tactility, and when the crown is screwed down, the LM Perpetual EVO can dive to 80 meters. For 2024, the already-stunning bauble gets an icy blue titanium dial-plate.
Priced at $198,000, the MB&F LM Perpetual EVO Titanium is available to purchase now.
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