Collectors Talk, Novelties

MB&F LM1 EVO: Updates Tempt Me to Put My Money Where My Mouth Is

Fifteen years after its launch, MB&F’s Legacy Machine No.1 has received the full EVO treatment and feels like a very different watch from the original version. A “Goldilocks” case size, a quick-release strap system and a revised power reserve complete the transformation. Is the evolution enough for me to place an order?

By Paul Blandford

October 13, 2026

MB&F LM1 EVO Titanium and MB&F LM1 EVO Rose Gold — Image © MB&F

The LM1, introduced in 2011, was the first classic, round-cased watch from MB&F. Since then, the brand has expanded the Legacy Machine family to incorporate an innovative perpetual calendar, arguably one the world’s most accurate mechanical chronographs, and a sportier EVO line.

Until now, the LM1 had remained untouched, but MB&F is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the original by launching an EVO version, instantly making it the most modern of all the Legacy Machines.

MB&F LM1 EVO Titanium model — Image © MB&F

42mm Case Could Be the EVO’s “Goldilocks Size”

The first big difference between the updated LM1 and the original is that it now comes in an EVO case. Not just any EVO case, though, but a new size for the EVO line: 42mm in diameter.

Having owned a Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO myself, I can confirm that the integrated rubber strap does make the EVO version wear slightly smaller than the traditional version of the same watch. This means that the 44mm case fits all but the smallest wrists, whilst still being a relatively large watch. On the other hand, I actually find that the 40mm case feels too small on the LM101 EVO unless you have a particularly small wrist.

MB&F LM1 EVO Rose Gold model — Image © MB&F

MB&F LM1 EVO Titanium model on the wrist — Image © MB&F

By putting the LM1 EVO into a brand-new 42mm case, MB&F may well have applied the Goldilocks principle to create the perfect case size for many collectors: not too big, not too small, just right.

New Quick-Release Strap System Increases Versatility

If you’re anything like me, you’ll know how much you can change the look of a watch simply by changing the strap. If you own any of the previous MB&F EVO models, you’ll know just how difficult that was to do yourself!

The great news for those of us lacking the manual dexterity to deal with six tiny screws every time we want to put our EVOs on a different-coloured strap is that MB&F has introduced a quick-release strap system on the LM1 EVO.

With one simple click at each end, the strap can now be removed, and with another couple of clicks, a new one can be installed in its place. This will undoubtedly save a lot of pain for owners … and save even more pain for EVO casebacks by preventing screwdriver damage!

Launch Editions Share the Same Updates but Offer Two Very Different Looks

The evolution of the LM1 continues with an upgraded calibre that extends the power reserve from the original’s 45 hours to 60 hours. Additionally, the balance wheel now features a Straumann® double hairspring, which improves accuracy whilst looking even cooler than the original.

MB&F LM1 EVO Rose Gold model caseback — Image © MB&F

MB&F LM1 EVO Rose Gold model on the wirst — Image © MB&F

At launch, buyers have the choice of a rose gold case with a deep green dial plate or a titanium case with a silver one. Both feature the same black sub-dials for the dual-time indication, which now have baton markers instead of Roman numerals, tying in with the more modern look.

However, when you see them side by side, they have a very different feel. For me, given that the EVO is a sporty MB&F, titanium is the natural choice for the case. As an added bonus, the colourway reminds me of the beautiful, unique LM1 Longhorn that was auctioned for charity by Phillips in 2021.

Max Büsser smiled when I mentioned the Longhorn comparison and told me,

We’ve done many panda-related watches in the past for OnlyWatch … but this is our first panda watch.

Regardless of whether you see a Longhorn or a panda, I have absolutely no doubt that this particular configuration will be an absolute strap monster, especially now that owners will be able to change the straps themselves much more easily.

New Power Reserve Indicator Continues the Evolution

The original LM1 came with the world’s first three-dimensional vertical power reserve indicator, which was an incredibly intuitive way of displaying how much power remained.

The limited-edition collaboration with Xia Hang took this one step further, featuring a miniature “comma man” sculpture on the dial that sat upright when the watch was fully wound and then gradually slumped down as the power diminished. Personally, I think this has to be the coolest power reserve indicator ever made!

For the EVO version, MB&F has mirrored the changes made to the dial layout and opted for a cleaner, sportier look for the power reserve indicator. However, it wouldn’t be MB&F without a twist! The switch from a vertical display to a dial may be seen by some (myself included) as less interesting than the original version. However, the dial is set at an incline, which I believe has never been done before either.

Do I wish they had used the “comma man” concept from the Xia Hang edition and gone with a miniature panda power reserve indicator for MB&F’s panda-dial watch? Yes. Do I acknowledge that this would have been very niche and appealed only to watch geeks like myself? Yes. Do I think the new power reserve indicator is actually more in keeping with the overall aesthetic of the EVO design language? Yes. Do I wish they would make a pièce unique for me featuring my miniature panda design concept instead? Also yes!

MB&F LM1 EVO Rose Gold model on the wrist — Image © MB&F

Pricing and Verdict

The rose gold LM1 EVO is priced at CHF 102,000 (excluding taxes), and the titanium version at CHF 82,000 (excluding taxes).

For anyone who finds the 44mm MB&F EVO cases a little too big and the 40mm EVO cases a little too small, this watch could be “just right”. For anyone who was thinking about buying an EVO but wished they could easily change the straps themselves, this watch could be just right. For any MB&F Tribe Member who was desperately hoping to win the raffle for a 20th-anniversary Longhorn, the titanium version of this watch could be just right.

It will therefore come as absolutely no surprise to anyone reading this article that I have put my money where my mouth is and placed an order for the LM1 EVO Ti. I look forward to updating you on my experience a few months into ownership in the Collectors Talk section of Watchonista and letting you know whether that decision was indeed just right for me!

In the meantime, congratulations to anyone else who has also placed an order. For more information, please visit the official MB&F website.