MB&F LEGACY MACHINE 101 (Edition 2021)
MB&F updates its LEGACY MACHINE 101, one of the brand’s most compact machines.
Introduced in 2014, the Legacy Machine 101 (LM101) watch features a 40mm diameter case and a hand-wound mechanical movement entirely conceived by MB&F’s in-house engineering team.
In 2021, the LM101 series welcomes technically and aesthetically-upgraded versions in 18k white gold, 18k 5N+red gold and stainless steel. These new watches boast colourful dial plates. In the upgraded edition, the bezel and “Legacy Machine” engraving on the dial have been omitted to highlight the time and power reserve, indicated on slightly larger sub-dials. The signature “flying” balance wheel inherits a double hairspring.
The dial side of LM 101 is dominated by a massive suspended balance wheel. Two pristine-white sub-dials hover just above the fine sunray engraved movement top plate. At the top right, highly legible hours and minutes are displayed by blued-gold hands, while the 45-hour power reserve indicator is displayed in a smaller, but similar sub-dial below.
Below the highly domed sapphire crystal glass that protects the dial, the balance wheel hangs from elegant twin arches. The arches are milled from a solid block of metal and require many hours of hand polishing to achieve their mirror-like lustre.
Its domed display back crystal reveals the exquisitely hand-finished movement. Sensually curved plates and bridges pay homage to the style found in high quality historic pocket watches.
The LM101 movement was designed and constructed in-house by MB&F. The award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen took the responsibility of its haute-horlogerie finishing and decoration, including undulating Geneva waves, hand polished bevels, gold chatons and countersunk blued screws.
LM101 was first launched in 18k red or white gold, then in two limited ‘Frost’ editions with frosted finishing (18 and 33 pieces), followed by limited editions of 33 pieces in platinum 950 and 18 pieces in palladium.
The 2021 upgraded versions are available in 18k white gold with a purple dial plate, 18k 5N+ red gold with a royal blue dial plate, and stainless steel with a light blue dial.
Technical details
Engine
Three-dimensional horological movement developed in-house by MB&F
Movement aesthetics and finishing specifications: Kari Voutilainen
Manual winding with single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: 45 hours
Balance wheel: Bespoke 14mm balance wheel with four traditional regulating screws floating above the movement
Balance spring: Traditional Breguet curve terminating in mobile stud holder; Straumann® double hairspring for the 2021 editions
Balance frequency: 18,000bph/2.5Hz
Number of components: 229 components / 231 for the 2021 editions
Number of jewels: 23 jewels
Chatons: gold chatons with polished countersinks
Fine finishing: superlative 19th century-style hand finishing throughout; internal bevel angles highlighting hand craft; polished bevels; Geneva waves; hand-made engravings, NAC black bridges for the 2021 editions and frosted dial plate for the “Frost editions”.
Functions
Hours, minutes and power reserve indicator
Large balance wheel suspended above the dial
Case
First editions in 18k red gold or 18k white gold, in platinum 950 (33 pieces) and in palladium 950 (18 pieces)
Two frosted editions in 18k red gold (33 pieces) and 18k yellow gold (18 pieces).
2021 Editions in 18k white gold, 18k 5N+red gold and stainless steel
Diameter: 40.0 mm
Height: 16.0 mm
Number of components: 35
High domed crystal sapphire on top and box sapphire crystal on back, both with anti-reflective coating on both sides
Strap
Hand-stitched alligator or veal strap with gold, platinum, stainless steel or palladium buckle to match the case
