A pioneer in futuristic and independent watchmaking, MB&F has unveiled the MB&F LMX’ Paris Edition’, dedicated to Laurent Picciotto, the founder of prominent watch retailer Chronopassion. LMX stands for ‘Legacy Machine 10′, as this world-famous wristwatch recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. The MB&F LMX’ Paris Edition’ is an engrossing 18k white gold watch with purple sunray dial inspired by the inimitable Picciotto’s love for motorcycles, electric guitars and the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.

Why does MB&F desire to pay tribute to Picciotto with a watch in his honor? Firstly, Picciotto’s invaluable contributions to educating the public about independent watchmaking, cannot be overstated. Secondly, when Harry Winston CEO Maximilian Büsser parted ways with Harry Winston in 2005 to start his own independent brand, MB&F, Picciotto played a pivotal role in MB&F’s success.

Picciotto was one of just six retailers who believed in Büsser’s vision and took a chance on him. By paying 30% in advance for the Horological Machine No.1 when it was still two years from completion, Picciotto provided Büsser with the capital to survive, and empowered Büsser and Friends who would eventually change the entire landscape of independent watchmaking. Since then, Chronopassion and MB&F have shared in many exuberant successes, and Chronopassion even opened one of the world’s first MB&F LABs in the world, on rue Saint-Honoré, Paris in 2022.

Limited to just 15 pieces, the LMX’ Paris Edition’ has a striking visage. Held up by a V-shaped bridge, the 13.4mm flying balance wheel beats at 18,000vhp. Remember, the first flying balance wheel ever created was debuted in the Legacy Machine. Two dials accentuate this whirling mechanism angled at 50 degrees for two different time zones, and operated by independent crowns at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions. Lest we forget, MB&F was also the first to introduce two totally independent time zones. Wheels above these dials rotate when their time displays are adjusted, and this watch’s immense power reserve is stored within concentric mainspring barrels. There’s also a small second indicator at 6 o’clock, and a hemispherical power reserve and weekday indicator at 12 o’clock. Move the crown to switch between the day display and the power reserve. This special power reserve indicator recalls the first-ever vertical power reserve indicator and first-ever gyrating power reserve indicator that were both invented by MB&F.

MB&F’s vaunted Legacy Machine has been racking up Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Awards in categories like the Public Prize and Best Men’s Watch Prize. The Legacy Machine Flying T won the Best Ladies’ Complication Prize in 2019, and the Legacy Machine Sequential Evo most recently won the most prestigious prize of them all, the GPHG Aiguille d’Or, in 2022.

Themed on 18th and 19th-century watchmaking, the Legacy Machine No 1 was created in 2011 after the MB&F had launched four unforgettable Horological Machines, and immediately clinched two GPHG prizes in 2012. The Legacy Machine has seen a variety of diverse interpretations that were created in collaboration with luminaries across art and horology, such as the LM 1 Silberstein of 2016, the LM101 MB&F x H. Moser of 2020, the 8 unique LM Split Escapement timepieces engraved by master craftsman Eddy Jaquet that same year, and the LM Thunderdome of 2019 that was developed in collaboration with Eric Coudray and Kari Voutilainan and became the world’s fastest triple-axis regulator timepiece.

The Legacy Machine has always been used as a canvas for innovative expression. When Büsser reached out to adroit watchmaker Stephen McDonnell with the assignment of showcasing both the balance wheel and a perpetual calendar on the dial, McDonnell’s solution was to place the anchor and escape wheel on the case back while connecting these to the balance wheel on the topside via a long balance staff. McDonnell’s solution was to engineer the longest balance staff in the world and quite literally split the escapement, resulting in the awe-inspiring LM Split Escapement of 2017. McDonnell would also be responsible for MB&F’s first chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO, which is the first chronograph ever to feature two column-wheel chronographs and a “Twinverter” binary switch, thus enabling multiple timing modes including split-second and lap timer modes.

MB&F celebrated 10 years of the Legacy Machine by unveiling the LMX in 2021, which has two time zones and a three-dimensional power reserve.

Says Picciotto, “If I were to give a name to the LMX Paris Edition, I would undoubtedly call it the ‘LMX Deep Purple’ in reference to the famous 1968 rock group – this piece is definitely rock’ n’ roll!”

Other versions of the LMX include variants in polished 18K 5N+ red gold with black NAC treatment on plates and bridges; polished grade 5 titanium with green CVD treatment on plates and bridges; and in 316L stainless steel with frosted face.

Tech Specs

MB&F LMX ‘Paris Edition’

Movement: Manual winding with three mainspring barrels; 7-day of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, dual time zone, hemispherical power reserve and weekday indicator
Case: 44mm x 21.4mm; 18k white gold; water resistant to 30m
Strap: Gray hand-stitched alligator with purple lining and white gold folding buckle
Price: EUR 122,000 before taxes
Availability: Limited to 15 pieces, available exclusively at Chronopassion in Paris