LM FlyingT: Inspired by the Feminine Influences.
From a distance, even the most daring and unpredictable lives follow patterns and cycles. This is a universal fact about being human that no human being can deny. Max Büsser and MB&F find that inspiration strikes every seven years. The Legacy Machine collection came into being during MB&F's seventh year; the first M.A.D.Gallery opened in Geneva at this time, ushering in the era of MB&F co-creations.
Launched in 2019, the Legacy Machine FlyingT is the first of MB&F's three-dimensional horological works inspired by women. It was introduced in the 14th year of MB&F, marking a new frontier in horological investigation and an extension of creative possibilities for the founder and the firm.
The hallmarks of a round diamond-set timepiece are a gold or platinum case, narrow, elongated lugs, and a bezel that is sharply cambered. From the bezel rises a tall, extravagantly convex sapphire crystal dome. Various finishes adorn the delicately curved dial plate that lies beneath the dome: guilloché, bright jewels, liquid black with layers of stretched lacquer, or dazzling white diamonds.
The cinematic flying tourbillon heart of the LM FlyingT engine, which beats at a tranquil pace of 2.5Hz (18,000vph), is framed by an asymmetric ventricular aperture in the dial plate. The tourbillon, a dynamic column that stops short of the sapphire crystal dome's apex, extends far over the engine. Fastened to the upper tourbillon cage is a solitary, enormous diamond, which, when it spins in unison with the flying tourbillon, gives out the dazzling fire of the finest diamonds.
A further allusion to the numerical motif present throughout LM FlyingT can be seen at 7 o'clock on a dial crafted from black or white lacquer (or gemstone) that shows the time with two graceful serpentine hands. As an intimate message that emphasises the personal character of LM FlyingT, the dial is slanted at a 50° angle so that only the user can see the time.
The automated winding rotor, which gives LM FlyingT four days of power reserve, resembles a three-dimensional red gold sun with sculpted rays when viewed from the opposite side.
The design of the Legacy Machine FlyingT is replete with associations drawn from the feminine and maternal influences in Maximilian Büsser’s life. Says Büsser, “I wanted LM FlyingT to reflect the personality and qualities of the women of my family, particularly my mother. It had to combine supreme elegance with tremendous vitality. The column-like structure of the flying tourbillon was very important to me, as I felt very strongly that women form the pillar of humanity. At the same time, there is another layer of meaning coming in from the sun-shaped rotor, which incorporates the element of life-giving, a source of sustenance which we gravitate towards and around.”
Three different versions of the Legacy Machine FlyingT, all adorned with diamonds and set in white gold, were initially unveiled in 2019. Subsequently, two exclusive versions were released in platinum and 18K red gold; these versions omitted diamonds but showcased guilloché dial plates.
Since 2020, the FlyingT collection has also hosted a special gemstone dial every year, with editions in Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Tiger Eye, and ‘Cœur de Rubis’ (anyolite). An elegant LM FlyingT Onyx variant, set in 18k yellow gold and featuring a deep black gemstone, will join the collection in 2024.
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