If you’re a serious watch enthusiast, you have undoubtedly heard of Loupe System —quite simply the most advanced portable magnifying loupes in the world today. Loupe System has teamed up with MB&F to create Project LpX, an intergalactic magnification station enabling accurate viewing of watch movement details, while simultaneously reminding you of the immensity of our galaxy. Synchronous, forward-thinking imagination knows no boundaries.
The idea for this ballistic project began when the founder of Loupe System saw MB&F’s just-launched Arachnophobia at Baselworld 2016. As fate would have it, he simultaneously presented a spider-shaped holder for his high-quality loupes at his booth at the same fair. The following year at Baselworld, when MB&F launched the rocket-shaped Destination Moon clock, Loupe System had a rocket-shaped loupe-stacking system. And then again at Baselworld 2018, when MB&F launched the spacecraft-like Fifth Element weather station, Loupe System had a flying saucer-shaped loupe holder at its booth. That final act of synchronicity convinced MB&F founder Max Büsser that a cosmic co-creation with Loupe System was virtually predestined.
Project LpX was designed by Maximilian Maertens, the same designer responsible for the recently introduced clock T-Rex —which MB&F co-created with clock specialists L’Epée 1839. Maertens, who began as an intern working with Büsser on various projects, was loosely inspired by both past MB&F projects and the SpaceX Falcon, a partially reusable two-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle. “Project LpX” —pronounced “loupe ex”— derives from the working code name for the project that began in 2018 and named “Project X”. The X caught on, and prefixed with an abbreviated version of Loupe, became Project LpX.
Five elements combine to make a rocket entity much larger than the sum of its parts. This versatile rocket ship offers dust-free storage of the highest quality magnification loupes but does much more than that while sitting on a desk looking pretty.
Project LpX is a smile-on-your-face reminder of the space-themed stories many of us read as a child, inspiring countless dreams of space travel and explorations of the unknown. And then, you turn off the lights to discover an eerie greenish glow emanating from underneath the rocket base, making the capsule appear to lift right off the desk. The smile on your face broadens as more childhood memories flood back.
Project LpX is made up of five modular parts, perfectly packaged in a sturdy travel case. The anodized aluminum rocket base contains a tritium capsule “booster” emitting a cosmic glow in the dark, making it ready for take-off in search of new lifeforms. The light comes from a self-luminous tritium capsule with a half-life of 15 years; torches/flashlights using the same technology were part of the equipment that NASA issued to Apollo astronauts. The glow requires no supplementary power sources and it is not affected by temperature, humidity, or altitude. Polished and satin-finished stainless steel, non-articulated landing struts are also attached to the base so that Project LpX can stand on its own. The rocket can be configured to accommodate one, two, or three Loupe System loupes, each hidden inside the rocket to be revealed at the owner’s leisure and pleasure.
The three anodized aluminum “stage” components attach to each other using a clicking bayonet system similar to the lens mount for an SLR camera, making them easy to assemble and disassemble. Project LpX comes with two Loupe System loupes in different magnification strengths: 3x and 6x. The anodized aluminum top rocket section doesn’t just minimize aerodynamic drag, it points toward space providing a constant reminder that there’s more to discover out there. The nose cone can be attached to any of the modular “stage” components using the same bayonet system. Loupe System’s universal clip is also included in the case, allowing you to attach the loupes to any mobile phone or tablet, and thus use them to take macro photos or videos. Project LpX launches in 4 limited editions of 99 pieces each in black, blue, red or green.
Sticker Price $3,300 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.
