The MB&F LM2 Now in Red Gold with Blue Dial

There are two sides of MB&F. First are the much-coveted, sci-fi inspired watches of the “Horological Machine” collection, those bold, futuristic creations that many people associate with the brand. The other side comprises heritage watches… But don’t expect vintage 1960s dive watches here. The “Legacy Machine” line-up is all about Steampunk and Jules Verne. One of the long term members of this legacy-inspired collection is named LM2 and today, a new, highly limited version in red gold with a blue dial is about to see the light. Meet the MB&F LM2 Red Gold Blue.

The “Legacy Machine” collection is very special in its own right. Brands usually play on modern/futuristic elements or on 1950s/1960s themes for their new watches. At MB&F, the concept of heritage is different. The LM line was designed as if the brand’s founder, Max Büsser, had been born in 1867 instead of 1967 but still keen on creating impressively modern watches. Imagine what futuristic meant back then…? The LM collection taps into the zeitgeist of the late 19th century, smack in the middle of the industrial revolution with Jules Verne’s adventure books and Gustave Eiffel’s soaring architectural creations.

The LM2, a watch already introduced in 2013, took most of the codes of its predecessor, the LM1: round case, white lacquered dial and blued hands, use of classical Roman numerals, highly traditional execution and decoration of the movements and a focus on chronometry. And here, the latter concept was pushed even further, as the LM2 pays tribute to some of the greatest watchmakers, such as Berthoud, Breguet or Janvier, but also to a modern master, Philippe Dufour and his Duality watch, by using a double regulator movement with the rates of two balances averaged by a planetary differential.

Since its introduction, the MB&F LM2 has been launched in several editions: red gold, white gold and platinum (for the first generation) and titanium with a slightly redesigned case and movement. Based on the latter, Max Büsser and his friends are launching a 12-piece edition of the LM2 in 18k red gold with a bright blue dial.

This second generation of the LM2, on which this red gold version is based, introduced a polished bezel (instead of brushed, like the rest of the case) and polished horns. Another good point is the slightly redesigned profile of the case, which shaves of 1 millimetre, making it 19mm thick instead of 20mm in the previous models. Another change is the arches that support the balances. Previously sharp and skeletonized like an Eiffel creation, they now feature the same rounded profile as the LM101, the LM Perpetual and the LM Split Escapement, with a highly polished surface.

The main novelty here is the use of red gold combined with a new blue colour for the dial (obtained by CVD – chemical vapour deposition) and for the strap. For the rest, the watch remains mechanically identical, with its dual-balance architecture – each beating at its own rate, without resonance effect – and a planetary differential at 6 o’clock which averages the rate of the two regulators to indicate a more precise time indication.

The back of the movement, finished with great care (according to Kari Voutilainen’s guidelines), shows beautiful curves, large wheels and rubies in gold chatons. All the parts are finely hand-decorated, with polished bevelled angles and large Geneva stripes.

The MB&F LM2 Red Gold Blue will be produced in 12 pieces only and will be available at official retailers in the coming days. It will be priced at CHF 148,000 (excl. VAT) or EUR 137,000 (excl. VAT) or USD 156,000 (excl. VAT). More details at mbandf.com.