Introducing the MB&F Legacy Machine Split Escapement Evo

Here is a new Legacy Machine from MB&F. Once upon a time, the collection included the Legacy Machine N°1; we reviewed the LM 101 and the MB&F x H.Moser & Cie.. The product line now gathers twelve models, including the most advanced perpetual calendar ever designed. It was Stephen Mc Donnell, the mathematician and brainchild behind the perpetual calendar’s one-of-a-kind algorithm, to have introduced another remarkable innovation, found on several iterations of the Legacy Machine throughout the offering. Its name is “Split Escapement” and, as the name suggests, means the MB&F‘s signature spring coil (placed atop the domed dial) is split from the anchor and escapement wheel, placed on the opposite side, somewhere amidst the calibre’s gearings and visible through the case back.

From a product and marketing perspective, the Evo line is MB&F‘s take on the luxury sports watch, a concept quite familiar across Indie watchmaking as exemplified by recent releases like the latest Grönefeld proposition or Romain Gauthier‘s sports watch unveiled last year, to name a few examples. With the Legacy Machine Split Escapement Evo, MB&F aims at turning a quintessentially classic layout into a daily-wear Haute-Horlogerie piece; hence the most refined piece of traditional watchmaking ready to appeal to those spending their weekend getaways onboard a speedboat or at their favorite Golf Club. Before applying the “Split Escapement” to a Legacy Machine, the patent’s second appearance was on the brand’s glorious Sequential Evo with a zirconium case.

The models pictured here are not the first-ever Split Escapement‘s attempt on an LM Evo; the concept initially appeared on the eagerly-wanted limited edition LM for the United Arab Emirates. The outcome was a success, so staggering to make it a standard model. The signature case, housing the 30-degrees-clockwise-mounted mechanical movement via the shock-absorbing Flex Ring device, comes in two new editions sporting a grade 5 titanium alloy case, the first showcasing an ice blue dial with over imposed counter rings and hour display in slate grey.

The second is a boutique edition and the first of various boutique-edition models to come, exclusively available at the MB&F Lab boutiques across the globe. Here is the 25-piece Beverly Hills Edition available at American luxury retailer Westime; this layout comes with a glossy black dial with contrasting electric blue counters.

The grade 5 titanium case adopts a polished and brushed finish on both models. The standard model showcases an exquisite blue finish which stands out under different lighting. Additional note: the wearer can activate the date correction via a semi-hidden push button located at two. The case measures 44 mm by 17,5 mm and offers water resistance up to 80 meters so that you can use both Legacy Machines with enough piece of mind. The timepiece runs for 72 hours, ensured by two barrels, when fully wound. The retail price is 81,000 Swiss Francs, and, as with any MB&F, the Legacy Machine Split Escapement Evo is a hot piece already.

(Photo credit: MB&F)

Editorial Team @Horbiter®