The unexpected and a very surprising move by MB&F when they shared with us what is their first ladies timepiece ever. The creative process behind the just released MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT started four years ago, when Maximilian Büsser began thinking about making something inspired by the feminine influences in his life. “I created MB&F to do what I believe in, making three-dimensional sculptural kinetic art pieces that give the time. But at some point there came a desire to create something for the women in my family. I’ve been surrounded by their influence all my life, so I gave myself the challenge to do something for them” says Büsser. “The last thing I wanted to do, was to take a masculine timepiece, resize it, put a different color on it and call it a ladies’ watch.”
Each MB&F creation is drawn together in a complex process that is equal parts original Max Büsser concept, design finesse by Eric Giroud, and mechanical ingenuity by the in-house technical team. Aesthetic and philosophical coherence is essential to the final result, from the adventurous Horological Machine N°5 “On The Road Again” to the high-complication, technically ambitious Legacy Machine Perpetual.
The new MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT is available in three different versions:
The Black Lacquer Edition —in our live pictures— is set with 168 diamonds totaling about 1.7 carats. It features 120 diamonds on the case, 21 on the buckle, 1 on top of the tourbillon cage and 26 for the crowns —the prototype we photographed was missing those diamonds on the crowns.
The Full Pavée Edition features 558 diamonds totaling about 3.5 carats. With 390 on its dial, 120 on the case, 21 on the buckle, 1 on top of the tourbillon cage and 26 for the crowns.
Lastly, the Baguette Edition includes 294 baguette-cut diamonds and 3 brilliant-cut diamonds. While the dial is set with 134 baguette-cut diamonds, the case features 124 baguette-cut diamonds, 12 baguette-cut diamonds on the buckle, 24 baguette-cut diamonds and 2 brilliant-cut diamonds for the crowns, and one diamonds on top of the tourbillon cage. The total weight in carats for this particular model is approximately 8.2 carats.
Things to Know About the Watch
To maximize the refinement for the ladies Legacy Machine FlyingT, the original Legacy Machine case was completely redesigned with the case thickness and its diameter reduced in order to shift the focus to the highly convex sapphire crystal dome. Additionally, the lugs were slimmed down featuring more prominent curves with deeper bevels. The new LM FlyingT is equipped with an 18K white gold case measuring 38.5mm in diameter by 20 mm in thickness and is fitted with a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides.
The LM FlyingT features two crowns, one on each side of the caseband. The crown on the left caseband winds the watch while the crown on the right caseband is used for time-setting.
The intimate and personal nature of the MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT led to the ultimate placement of the time indication at the 7 o’clock position on the dial plate, with the black or white lacquer dial tilted 50 degrees to face the wearer. Flying tourbillons, as their name suggests, are anchored only at their base, with no stabilising bridge to restrict lateral motion at the top. This increased need for overall rigidity is what causes the conservative placement of most flying tourbillons within their movements. Legacy Machine FlyingT breaks free of this limiting need for movement security and confidently displays its flying tourbillon in all its glory and to make things even better topped off with a brilliant-cut at the very top of its cage.
An asymmetric ventricular opening in the dial plate frames the heart of the Legacy Machine FlyingT movement with an extraordinary flying tourbillon that beats at a rate of 2.5Hz —18,000vph. The tourbillon projects high above the rest of the stacked movemetn, a kinetic, dynamic column that stops just short of the apex of the sapphire crystal dome. Affixed to the top of the upper tourbillon cage is a single large brilliant-cut diamond that rotates simultaneously with the flying tourbillon, emitting the fiery brilliance of the very best quality stones.
The subdial at the 7 o’clock position is either black or white lacquer —depending on the model— that displays the hours and minutes with a pair of elegant serpentine hands in blued gold. The dial features Roman numerals in either black or white to contrast against the main color of the dial.
The Movement
Turning the watch over reveals an exquisitely finished oscillating weight that takes the shape of a three-dimensional red gold sun with sculpted rays. This automatic movement fully conceived and developed in-house by MB&F is composed of 280 parts and 30 jewels. When fully wound, the movement provides an outstanding power reserve of more than four full days —about 100 hours. The oscillating weight is made of 18K 5N red gold, titanium and platinum.
On the Wrist & Pricing
The design of Legacy Machine FlyingT is replete with associations drawn from the feminine and maternal influences in Maximilian Büsser’s life. Says Büsser, “I wanted LM FlyingT to possess the epitome of femininity as reflected by the women in my life, particularly my mother. It had to combine supreme elegance with tremendous vitality. The column-like structure of the flying tourbillon was very important to me as I felt very strongly that women form the pillar of humanity. At the same time, there is another layer of meaning coming in from the sun-shaped rotor, which incorporates the element of life-giving, a source of sustenance which we gravitate towards and around.” The new MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT is delivered with a black or white alligator or calf strap —depending on the model—, secured by an 18K white gold pin buckle set with diamonds.
Sticker Price $115,000 USD for Black Lacquer Dial, Full Pavée Edition $145,000 USD and Baguette Edition $315,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.
