Unlocking MB&F’s Legacy Machine FlyingT, Tiger Eye!

There are patterns and cycles in everyone's lives—even those that seem out of control and daring when seen in the distance. Individual or collective, this is a fundamental reality that underlies all of human existence. There are seven-year creative cycles for Maximilian Büsser and MB&F, according to Maximilian. At this time, MB&F's first M.A.D.Gallery opened in Geneva and paved the way for MB&F's collaborations with other brands.

Legacy Machine FlyingT, MB&F's first three-dimensional horological art piece dedicated to women, was unveiled in 2019 as a new avenue of horological discovery in the 14th year of the firm. And now we have the Legacy Machine FlyingT, Tiger Eye!

Leaning towards the feminine side

This is the last thing designer Maximilian Büsser wanted to do: downsize a men's watch, change the dial's colour, and label the new timepiece as a "girls' watch. Each MB&F invention is a culmination of a multi-step process involving the original Max Büsser vision, Eric Giroud's design expertise, and the in-house technical team's mechanical inventiveness. Coherence in both aesthetics and philosophy is important to the final product, from the experimental Horological Machine N°5 "On the Road Again" to the high-complication, technically ambitious Legacy Machine Perpetual."

The Legacy Machine casing was fully revamped for the feminine LM FlyingT to bring out a new degree of fineness. A more slender case was used in order to draw attention to the sapphire crystal dome's extreme convexity. To achieve a more refined appearance, the lugs were shortened, their curves were emphasised, and deep bevels were inserted.

Where did the inspiration come from?

Legacy Machine FlyingT was born out of Maximilian Büsser's desire to create something influenced by the feminine in his life. As Büsser puts it, "I started MB&F to do what I'm passionate about: creating three-dimensional kinetic sculptures." The only way we could have produced all of these outlandish works throughout the years was if I was doing them for myself. However, the impulse to produce something for the women in my family arose at some time. Because I've spent my entire life in their shadow, I decided to take it upon myself to do something for them.”

Maximilian Büsser drew inspiration from the women in his life who shared a blend of seemingly incongruous attributes. An infectious energy that could enthral a room full of people was essential, but so was elegance.

Understanding the working of the engine…

Legacy Machine's mechanical ancestors Most of FlyingT's products are included in the HM6 and HM7 Aquapod series of the Horological Machine collection. The LM FlyingT engine employs a vertical and co-axial method to movement construction, in contrast to the radial and co-planar technique used by most current watch movements. To compare, the LM FlyingT's cinematic flying tourbillon, which boldly extends beyond the dial-plate, is a visually spectacular example of the rotating escapement.

Flying tourbillons, as their name suggests, are anchored only at their base, with no stabilising bridge to restrict lateral motion at the top. Most flying tourbillons have a more cautious positioning of their tourbillons due to this increased necessity for overall stiffness. Relics of the Past There is no need for movement security in the FlyingT, which proudly exhibits its flying tourbillon.

The shape of the upper tourbillon cage, which provides greater mass on one side of the tourbillon than the other, presented an additional distinguishing problem during the construction of LM FlyingT. A counterweight was buried under the tourbillon carriage, on the opposite side of the upper tourbillon cage, to compensate and ensure that the mechanism remained balanced.

Conical gears were used to transmit torque from one plane to another in order to display the time as precisely as possible on the 50° slanted dial, a solution originally adopted in HM6 and then in HM9 Flow. When it comes to MB&F's internal skills and experience, the Legacy Machine FlyingT's 280-component engine has a power reserve of four days (100 hours).

For those who own and wear Legacy Machine FlyingT, the message is simple but clear: their time is theirs and no one else's, regardless of who they are. Retail price of the LM FlyingT Tiger Eye is CHF 132,000 + VAT (EUR 132,000 / USD 150,000 + tax). They start shipping now to their worldwide retail partners and are listed at their eShop.