Legacy Machine 1 The ghost of the past will reappear at the auction to commemorate its tenth anniversary.

As many people remember, the 2011 Legacy Machine 1 is the foundation of the Legacy Machine series, marking a complete departure from the retro-futuristic ship of MB&F. Legacy Machine aims to celebrate the great innovators of watchmaking with the iconic MB&F 3D dynamic distortion. It features a traditional round case, white lacquered registers with Roman numerals, and a charming immortality hanging in the middle of the dial. Balance wheel. The attributes of Legacy Machine 1 will become the blueprint for the ever-expanding LM watch dynasty with more and more complications. Then, in 2017, just 6 years after its debut, MB&F staged the last 18-piece steel version of Legacy Machine 1. Well, at MB&F, the word “final” is not as limited as expected. Just when we thought that LM1 had disappeared forever, MB&F resurrected the 2011 LM1 prototype to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the LM series. This one-of-a-kind work will be jointly auctioned by Phillips and Bacs & Russo in Geneva on November 7, 2021. A large part of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Rhino International. If you participated in the Only Watch auction on November 6th in the city, but failed to get MB&F’s HM10 Panda, you can try again at any time and bid for this one-time LM1 “Longhorn” prototype the next day .

prototype
Since all inventory of the LM1 version has been used up, MB&F decided to rescue the original prototype of LM1 and dust it for the tenth anniversary. This is not the first time MB&F has resurrected a prototype: in 2020, the HM4 Kittyhawk prototype was sold privately to a collector. However, in order to give more MB&F fans a chance to bid for this unique prototype, Legacy Machine 1 “Longhorn” will be auctioned.

Long horns
Since in the design phase from 2009 to 2010, the long lug or horn of LM1 will become a unique design element of LM1, the prototype is called “longhorn bull”. However, long horns are not ideal. Regarding the question of where to put the spring bar, close to the case or the tip of the lug, Max Büsser and Eric Giroud were finally convinced to choose shorter trousers. Despite this, Büsser did not give up, and the idea of ​​long horns still attracted him. “In one of our recent brainstorming sessions, I suddenly had the idea of ​​drilling two holes in the long horn to act as spring rods-one hole at the tip of the horn and the other close to the shell-and then let the customer decide where he wants to. Fasten his belt. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this ten years ago!”

Stainless steel case and black subdial
The original concept of the long, curved lugs is restored—a unique feature that any other LM1 watch does not have—and there are some other attributes that make this prototype truly unique. Although most LM1 is made of gold, platinum and titanium, the LM1 Longhorn is made of stainless steel, just like the 2017 LM1 Final Editions. The bottom plate is rhodium-plated, and for the first time in the history of LM1, the lacquer of the bright white sub-dial has been replaced with a shiny black lacquer, in sharp contrast with the blue hands. The arched bridge across the flying balance wheel corresponds to the latest and more organic version of the bridge on the Final Edition model.

Like the earlier version of Legacy Machine 1, the case has a diameter of 44m and a height of 16mm. There are two crowns for setting independent time zones to be displayed on two black sub-dials with white Roman numerals. The original vertical power display is located at 6 o’clock, and the most striking is the huge 14mm balance wheel that vibrates at 18,000vph suspended above the dial.

The reverse side reveals the three-dimensional watch movement developed with the traditional 19 MB&F by Jean-François Mojon-century hand-finished supervised by the Finnish watchmaker Cary Votilion: polished beveled interior, Geneva ripples, and countersunk Polished and hand-carved gold sleeve. The names of the two are engraved on the bridge, and the words “Prototype” are engraved on the steel bezel on the back of the watch.

LM1 “Longhorn” will be jointly auctioned by Phillips and Bacs & Russo in Geneva on November 7, 2021. The luxury MB&F team received the prototype “Longhorn” nickname during the brainstorming session, directly referring to rhinoceros; an endangered species that has been hunted for its long horns. Most of the proceeds from the auction prototype will be donated to London-based Save the Rhino International, which aims to protect five species of rhinos in Africa and Asia.

Technical Specifications-MB&F LEGACY MACHINE 1 “LONGHORN”
Case: 44 mm diameter x 16 mm height-stainless steel, brushed and polished-2 crowns with 2 independent time zones-long curved lugs with 2 spring bar positions
Dial: Rhodium-plated bottom plate, round brushed-2 black sub-dials with blue hands for 2 independent time zones-Central suspension 14 mm balance wheel with arched bridge-Unique vertical power reserve-High arched sapphire crystal glass
Movement: Jean-François Mojon specially developed for MB&F – Manual winding – Single barrel, power reserve 45 hours – Customized 14 mm balance wheel, 4 adjusting screws on the dial side – 2.5Hz/18,000vph – 279 components – 23 Two jewels – traditional 19th-century hand-finished by Kari Voutilainen supervised by Kari Voutilainen – sapphire crystal with AR coating on both sides – Jean-François Mojon and Kari Voutilainen engraved on the bridge plate – “Prototype” engraved on the back of the case
Strap: Brown calfskin strap-stainless steel buckle