Independent luxury Swiss watch brand MB&F has created two limited edition Legacy Machine FlyingT models in collaboration with French jewellery designer Emmanuel Tarpin. Inspired by swirling snow and icy stalagmites, the new MB&F x Emmanuel Tarpin Ice and Blizzard editions are limited to just eight pieces each.

MB&F x Emmanuel Tarpin Legacy Machine Flying T Ice

The first model, called Ice, features asymmetrical diamond-set stalagmites that encroach on the sapphire crystal dome and the movement.

Each icy stalagmite is different, replicating the uncertainty of nature. Tarpin took his inspiration from a trip to Lake Baïkal in Southern Siberia, where in winter the lake freezes from the edge inwards until it is totally frozen.

The claws of the diamond stalagmites have not quite claimed the movement and the matt lapis lazuli dial, leaving the beauty of the mechanism and the time visible to the eye.

MB&F x Emmanuel Tarpin Legacy Machine Flying T Blizzard

For the Blizzard model, Tarpin took inspiration from the Alps where he has been skiing since his childhood. He has interpreted memories of being caught in blizzards of snow into the LM FlyingT with brilliant-cut diamonds set under the sapphire crystal dome and closed-set diamonds set into the matt lapis lazuli dial, depicting snowflakes on the ground.

The case-back reveals the sun-shaped oscillating weight: its sandblasted and polished rays rotating on a ruthenium disc positioned above a platinum counterweight.

Emmanuel Tarpin had a few requests in respect of the movement, starting with the elimination of all gold-coloured elements that would have clashed with the white gold case and icy theme. All the yellow or red gold elements were changed, while the balance wheel was blued. Another request was to switch out the diamonds set into the centre of the tourbillon and two crowns for rare turquoise Paraiba stones, to further reinforce the glacial theme.

The barrel ensures a generous 100-hour power reserve made possible by the reduction in the number of gears. A sapphire crystal dome tops this three-dimensional assembly.

The LM FlyingT engine utilises a vertical and co-axial approach, along a central axis orchestrating the overall architecture of the entirely visible mechanism. In this respect, the watch deliberately goes against tradition, since everything that is usually hidden is highlighted here in a three-dimensional construction.

The flying tourbillon boldly projects beyond the dial-plate of LM FlyingT. In order to display the time as precisely as possible on the 50° inclined dial, conical gears are employed to optimally transmit torque from one plane to another. The 280-component engine of Legacy Machine FlyingT has a power reserve of four days (100 hours), which is among the highest within MB&F.

Technical details

Model: MB&F x Emmanuel Tarpin LM Flying T ‘Ice’ & ‘Blizzard’

Edition
8 ‘Ice’ Edition pieces and 8 ‘Blizzard’ Edition pieces; both editions in 18K white gold with fully diamond-set cases and blue matte lapis lazuli dial plates.

Movement
MB&F FlyingT movement featuring three-dimensional vertical architecture, automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house with a blue balance wheel
Central flying 60-second tourbillon
Power reserve: 100 hours
Balance frequency: 18,000bph / 2.5Hz
Dial plate in blue matte lapis lazuli
Three-dimensional sun-shaped winding rotor in 18K 5N+ red gold, titanium and platinum
Number of components: 280
Number of jewels: 30

Functions
Hours and minutes displayed on a 50° vertically tilted dial with two serpentine hands.
Two crowns: winding on left and time setting on right.

Case
Material: 18K white gold, set with diamonds.
High domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, sapphire crystal on back.
Dimensions: 39 x 20mm
Number of components: 17
Water resistance: 3ATM / 30m / 90’

Stone-setting

‘ICE’ edition

• Brilliant-cut diamonds – On the Ice decoration: ~ 0.611ct, on the crowns: ~ 0.138ct, on the case: ~ 1.402cts
• 2 paraibas on the crowns: ~ 0.11ct and 1 paraiba on the tourbillon: ~ 0.03ct

‘BLIZZARD’ edition

• Brilliant-cut diamonds – On the dial: ~ 0.0457ct, on the Blizzard decoration: ~ 0.921ct, on the crowns: ~ 0.138ct, on the case: ~ 1.402cts
• 2 paraibas on the crowns: ~ 0.11ct and 1paraiba on the tourbillon: ~ 0.03ct

Strap
Alligator leather strap with white gold paved pin buckle matching the case