MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO Green
A First Look At The MB&F LM Perpetual EVO Titanium
With its vibrant green-blue dial, this exciting timepiece represents the ongoing evolution of the Legacy Machine.
By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large
Almost one year ago, MB&F unveiled a limited edition timepiece that was built on the foundation of the award-winning Legacy Machine Perpetual – the LM Perpetual EVO.
At that time, the rationale behind the re-design was concisely conveyed in the EVO name itself – it is a timepiece that is meant to evolve. Today, MB&F has announced the next stage in its transformation with the LM Perpetual EVO Titanium.
Wrist Action
Before we get into the unique properties of the futuristic LM Perpetual EVO Titanium, we are going to bounce back-and-forth through MB&F’s past.
Going back to horological innovation, the original 2015 Legacy Machine Perpetual was designed by Stephen McDonnell. He set out to reinvent the perpetual calendar complication by using a “mechanical processor” consisting of a series of superimposed disks.
This processor used 28 as the default number of days in the month (which makes sense because all months have at least 28 days) and then added the extra days as required by each month. This system removed the risk of the date jumping incorrectly, while a built-in safety feature disconnected the quickset pushers during date changeover to eliminate the risk of damaging the movement if the pushers were accidentally engaged during date changeover.
Despite all of these protections, many buyers are still wary of wearing a perpetual calendar watch, which is one of the reasons MB&F continues to evolve this complication.
Back in the Saddle
The 2020 version of the Perpetual EVO signified a transformation of MB&F itself. Before, the brand invited enthusiasts to join the company on its horological explorations. Having already disrupted watchmaking with new ways to keep and display time, MB&F developed the Perpetual EVO Titanium to re-configure how we wear watches.
The result is the most comfortable, sturdiest MB&F Legacy Machine ever. The case was re-designed (while retaining its quirky style) with sleeker silhouette, ergonomic double-sprung pushers; an integrated rubber strap; Super-LumiNova for improved legibility; a specially developed FlexRing shock-absorbing system; a screw-down crown; and 80 meters of water resistance (we’ll discuss these new elements in more detail later).
While MB&F will never be a mainstream watchmaker, the Perpetual EVO had crossover appeal for those who had been curious about the brand. The first edition in zirconium, released in three colorways, sold out within weeks. It was so popular that no more models of the Perpetual EVO were available for the next twelve months.
However, now it is back; and this time, in an even more comfortable Grade 5 titanium case and an engrossing green-blue CVD dial.
User Friendly
To highlight the beauty of the engine and make the watch more comfortable to wear required more than a simple design re-configuration.
The 44mm diameter remains the same from the Legacy Machine’s 2015 iteration, but the new case features a bezel-less construction and domed sapphire crystal fused directly to the case. The increased openness of this design strikes a better balance between the legibility of the calendar and the display of the mechanical components – including MB&F’s emblematic hovering balance wheel. This new crystal also decreases the profile of the timepiece making it easier to wear with cuffed garments.
This new silhouette required the development of a special thermal bonding system to secure the sapphire crystal to the bezel-less case.
While the titanium case and gorgeous green-blue dial elevate the LM Perpetual EVO Titanium from the earlier iterations, lest not forget how ground-breaking those models are. For anyone that finds setting a perpetual calendar too complicated, the pushers have been enlarged into double-sprung, oblong actuators, which makes them easier to adjust.
For the first time in any MB&F creation, the LM Perpetual EVO Titanium is rated to 80 meters of water resistance, enabled by its screw-down crown. This accomplishment was achieved by implementing a screw-down crown with a winding stem that is disengaged from the winding mechanism when it is pushed in and tightened, to eliminate the chance of manually over-winding the mainspring barrel.
Another unique feature of the LM Perpetual EVO Titanium is the FlexRing: an annular dampener fitted between the case and movement to ensure shock protection. The LM Perpetual EVO Titanium is available now at select retailers and on MB&F’s website for $176,000.
(Images © MB&F)
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