Legacy Machine N°2
Overview
MB&F celebrates the pioneering works of past masters and complications with Legacy Machine No.2.
Suspended high above the dial, the double “flying” balances are in fact the most visible parts of two fully independent regulating systems, each beating at its own rate. The planetary differential sits proud of the surface, supported by a stunning double-arc mirror-polished bridge. The complex differential is the key element in the double regulator system: the rates are averaged out by the mechanism, which drives the blued hour and minute hands of the white stretched-lacquer sub dial. To make things just a bit more complicated, the two flying balances and their escapements are identical mirror images, right down to the position of the stud holders pinning their balance springs.
What's so special about this machine?
Flying balance wheels, planetary differential and fine finishing come together to offer one of the most forward-looking expressions of traditional mechanical watchmaking.
PLANETARY DIFFERENTIAL
The advantage of using a planetary differential is that the two balances beat at their natural rate, with the differential supplying the average of the two completely independent frequencies. This provides a rate with fewer variations.
FINE FINISHING
Superlative hand finishing throughout, respecting 19th century style: polished internal bevel angles highlighting handcraft, Geneva waves and hand-made engravings.
FLYING BALANCE WHEELS
Icon of the Legacy Machines, the LM2 has not just one but two bespoke 11mm balance wheels flying above the movement and dials.
Machine in action
A wondrous reinterpretation of significant horological inventions by the greatest watchmakers in history.
THE MACHINE
On display under a domed sapphire crystal cupola, the dial of Legacy Machine No. 2, which is actually the top plate of the exquisitely finished movement, is an object lesson in symmetrical simplicity.
Top to bottom: the white stretched lacquer sub dial at 12 o'clock, with its blued hour and minute hands, is visually balanced by the large, raised differential at 6 o'clock. Left to right: the two flying balances and their escapements are identical mirror images, right down to the position of the stud holders pinning their balance springs.
- Materials: 18k red gold, 18k white gold, platinum 950, grade 5 titanium or palladium.
- Dimensions: platinum, red and white gold editions: 44mm x 20mm; redesigned edition in titanium and palladium: 44mm x 19mm
- Water resistance: 30 m / 90' / 3 atm
- Three-dimensional horological movement developed exclusively for MB&F by Jean-François Mojon at Chronode and Kari Voutilainen
- Manual winding with single mainspring barrel
- Planetary differential comprising 3 gears and 5 pinions
- Two bespoke 11mm balance wheels with four traditional regulating screws floating above the movement and dials
- 241 components / 44 jewels / 45-hour power reserve
- Superlative hand finishing throughout respecting 19th century style
- Hours and minutes
- Planetary differential transmits the average rate of the two regulators to the single gear train.
Discover the models available for this collection
Inspiration
Legacy Machines celebrate complications from past masters, and complications don’t come much more intriguing than connecting two regulators with a differential to drive one time indication. Nor do past masters come more masterful than Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807) and Antide Janvier (1751-1835), three men united by their inventive genius and their experimentations with dual regulators.
Two and a half centuries after three of the world’s greatest watchmakers put two balance wheels into their movements, MB&F celebrates their pioneering works with Legacy Machine No.2 and its double flying balances.
