MB&F – Legacy Machine Flying T Onyx Yellow Gold Edition 2024
LEGACY MACHINE FLYING T
The first MB&F Machine inspired by women
Even the most unpredictable and audaciously led lives, when observed from a distance, form patterns and fall into cycles. This is a fundamental truth that underlies all human existence, whether individual or collective. For Maximilian Büsser and MB&F, creative energy comes in seven-year cycles. It was in MB&F’s seventh year that the Legacy Machine collection was born, that the first M.A.D.Gallery opened in Geneva and opened the door to the MB&F co-creations.
The 14th year of MB&F unveiled a new avenue of horological exploration, an evolution of creative horizons for founder and company alike: the Legacy Machine FlyingT, first launched in 2019, is the first of MB&F’s three-dimensional horological art pieces inspired by women.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
A round case in gold or platinum, with a steeply cambered bezel and slender, elongated lugs, often fully set with diamonds. A high, extravagantly convex dome of sapphire crystal rises from the bezel. Beneath the dome, a subtly curved dial plate in various finishes: liquidly black with layers of stretched lacquer, guilloché, vibrant gemstones or glittering with blazing white diamonds.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
An asymmetric ventricular opening in the dial plate frames the heart of the LM FlyingT engine – a cinematic flying tourbillon that beats at a serene rate of 2.5Hz (18,000vph). The tourbillon projects high above the rest of the engine, a kinetic, dynamic column that stops just short of the apex of the sapphire crystal dome. Affixed to the top of the upper tourbillon cage is a single large diamond that rotates simultaneously with the flying tourbillon, emitting the fiery brilliance of the very best quality stones.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
At the 7 o’clock position – another reference to the numeric theme that runs throughout LM FlyingT – is a dial of black or white lacquer (or gemstone) that displays the hours and minutes with a pair of elegant serpentine hands. The dial is inclined at a 50° tilt so that the time can be read only by the wearer, an intimate communication that highlights the personal nature of LM FlyingT.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
On the reverse, the automatic winding rotor takes the shape of a three-dimensional red gold sun with sculpted rays, providing LM FlyingT with four days of power reserve.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The design of Legacy Machine FlyingT is replete with associations drawn from the feminine and maternal influences in Maximilian Büsser’s life. Says Büsser, “I wanted LM FlyingT to reflect the personality and qualities of the women of my family, particularly my mother. It had to combine supreme elegance with tremendous vitality. The column-like structure of the flying tourbillon was very important to me as I felt very strongly that women form the pillar of humanity. At the same time, there is another layer of meaning coming in from the sun-shaped rotor, which incorporates the element of life-giving, a source of sustenance which we gravitate towards and around.”
Legacy Machine FlyingT was first launched in 2019 in three editions, all in white gold and set with diamonds. These were followed by two limited editions in 18K red gold and platinum, shedding their diamonds but featuring guilloché dial plates.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
LEGACY MACHINE FLYING T IN DETAIL
INSPIRATIONS
The creative process behind Legacy Machine FlyingT started, when Maximilian Büsser began thinking about making something inspired by the feminine influences in his life. Says Büsser, “I created MB&F to do what I believe in, making three-dimensional sculptural kinetic art pieces that give the time. I was creating for myself, which is the only way we could have made all these crazy and audacious pieces over the years. But at some point there came a desire to create something for the women in my family. I’ve been surrounded by their influence all my life, so I gave myself the challenge to do something for them.”
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
The intimate and personal nature of LM FlyingT led to the ultimate placement of the time indication at the 7 o’clock position on the dial plate, with the dial tilted 50° to face the wearer. The message is subtle but clear – that whoever the owners and wearers of Legacy Machine FlyingT may be, their time belongs to them and no one else.
UNLOCKING THE FEMININE SIDE OF MB&F
“The last thing I wanted to do,” says Maximilian Büsser, “was to take a masculine timepiece, resize it, put a different colour on it and call it a ladies’ watch.” Each MB&F creation is drawn together in a complex process that is equal parts original Max Büsser concept, design finesse by Eric Giroud, and mechanical ingenuity by the in-house technical team. Aesthetic and philosophical coherence is essential to the final result, from the adventurous Horological Machine N°5 “On The Road Again” to the high-complication, technically ambitious Legacy Machine Perpetual.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
To bring out a different level of refinement for the feminine-inspired LM FlyingT, the Legacy Machine case was completely redesigned. Case height and diameter were reduced in order to shift the focus to the highly convex sapphire crystal dome. The lugs were slimmed down, their curves were emphasised, and deep bevels were introduced to create a more elegant profile.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
Woven throughout Legacy Machine FlyingT are subtle references to the aspects of femininity that resonate strongest with Max Büsser, such as the solar motif of the automatic winding rotor and the column construction of the tourbillon, which introduce concepts of life-giving and support.
ABOUT THE ENGINE
The mechanical antecedents of Legacy Machine FlyingT lie mostly in the Horological Machine collection, namely with the HM6 series and HM7 Aquapod.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
In a departure from most modern watch movements, which take a radial and co-planar approach to movement construction, the LM FlyingT engine utilises a vertical and co-axial approach. The cinematic flying tourbillon, which boldly projects beyond the dial-plate of LM FlyingT, is a visually stunning example of the rotating escapement and stands in stark contrast to other flying tourbillons, which usually do not venture past the confines of their surrounding watch dials.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
An additional distinct challenge which arose in the construction of LM FlyingT was the shape of the upper tourbillon cage, which creates more mass on one side of the tourbillon than the other. In order to compensate and ensure that the mechanism remains balanced, a counterweight was hidden under the tourbillon carriage, on the opposite side of the upper tourbillon cage.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
In order to display the time as precisely as possible on the 50° inclined dial, conical gears were employed to optimally transmit torque from one plane to another, a solution first used in HM6 and subsequently in HM9 Flow.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
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, a testament to the growth of in-house expertise and experience.
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO
============================
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Model: Legacy Machine Flying T Onyx Edition
Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTO 
- Diamond-set editions in 18K white gold cases with dial plates in black lacquer, paved diamond-set, baguette diamond-set, lapis lazuli, malachite, and ‘Cœur de Rubis’ (anyolite);
- 18K red gold and platinum limited editions with guilloché dial plates;
- Diamond-set edition in 18K yellow gold case with dial plate in tiger eye;
- 18K yellow gold case with dial plate in onyx.
Engine
Three-dimensional vertical architecture, automatic winding, conceived and developed in-house by MB&F
Central flying 60-second tourbillon
Power reserve: 100 hours
Balance frequency: 2.5Hz / 18,000bph
Three-dimensional sun winding rotor in 18k 5N+ red gold, titanium and platinum
Number of components: 280
Number of jewels: 30
Functions/indications
Hours and minutes displayed on a 50° vertically titled dial with two serpentine hands
Two crowns: winding on left and time-setting on right
Case
Material: 18K white gold and diamonds, 18K red gold, platinum, 18K yellow gold with or without diamonds.
High domed sapphire crystal on top with anti-reflective coating on both sides, sapphire crystal on back.
Dimensions: 38.5 x 20mm
Number of components: 17
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30m / 90’
Black Lacquer, lapis lazuli, malachite, tiger eye and Cœur de Rubis editions
168 diamonds (120 on the case, 21 on the buckle, 1 on top of the tourbillon cage and 26 for the crowns). About 1.7ct.
Paved diamond-set edition:
💎558 diamonds (390 on the dial, 120 on the case, 21 on the buckle, 1 on top of the tourbillon cage and 26 for the crowns). About 3.5 ct.
Baguette diamonds edition:
💎294-baguette diamonds and 3 stones (134-baguette diamonds on the dial, 124-baguette diamonds on the case, 12-baguette diamonds on the buckle, 24-baguette diamonds and 2 stones for the crowns, 1 stone on top of the tourbillon cage). About 8.2 ct.
Strap & buckle
Calf or alligator leather straps available with gold or platinum pin buckle matching the case.
🔰 Edition Limited edition of 78 units
🔴 Price: MSRP: $ 138.000 / € 120,000 EUR / 114.000 CHF💰
----------------------------------------------
Press release - 2024
----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
www.facebook.com - MBandF
-----------------------------------------------
For more information, please contact
MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Genève, Switzerland
Charris Yadigaroglou cy@mbandf.com +41 22 508 10 33.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.MBandF.com
