The All-New MB&F LM Perpetual in… Palladium?
No, this isn’t an Avengers feature, MB&F has come out swinging with a pretty wild material for its newest version of the Legacy Machine. The new LM Perpetual in Palladium will feature a case made out of PD 950 - a much rarer material than the other metals from which we’ve seen the Legacy Machine… errr… Machined.
THE BASICS:
Brand: MB&F
Model: Legacy Machine in Palladium
Case Material: Palladium
Case Size: 44mm x 17.5mm
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Crystal: Sapphire Crystal
Movement: MB&F Machine Perpetual
Movement Specs: Manual Wind, 2.4Hz, 581 parts, 72-Hours Power Reserve
Strap Options: Brown Alligator Leather Strap
THE JUICE:
The Machine Legacy in Palladium’s main gig is, obviously, it’s Palladium case. Palladium as a material is a tad more silver-y than platinum, and much more durable than Gold. It’s also a lot more rare (and expensive) - in some reports, it’s 15x rarer than platinum and… well, let’s just say A LOT more rare than gold. This isn’t the first time the brand has utilized Palladium - 2019 saw the release of the LM101, which brought the material to the forefront of many enthusiasts attention.
The alternating polished and brushed case of the LM Perpetual is also fitted with more ergonomic pushers - a feat considering how much more difficult the material is to craft. This presents a bit more of an athletic look to the model than the previous versions rounded pushers.
The dial of the LM Perpetual is truly a site to behold. Openworked, to display a marvelous movement, the perpetual calendar truly accentuates its best features without getting lost in the mechanical marvel of a 581piece movement. Set against a blue “aquamarine” dial plate (a lot of people are simply going to say it’s grey, but according to the brand the light dictates it’s hue) is 3 subdials that appear to hover above the rest of the dial - something that traditional Perpetual Calendars wouldn’t be able to technically achieve without significant modifications to the overall mechanism. These dials display the calendar aspects of the watch like day, month, and date.
At 4 o’ Clock, the power reserve indicator blends seamlessly into the dial, and at 7 o’ clock a leap year indicator. The Legacy Machine’s staple central balance wheel is flanked by a V-shaped bridge that fastens the it one place and provides a clean break to all the complications displayed.
Overall, with the amount of openwork features on a movement of this many parts, it amazes me how clean the dial is. Truly remarkable, and something I’d expect nothing less of from the brand.
Flipping the watch over you’ll find the rest of the movement. With much of the mechanism displayed on the dial, you’d expect not much from the back. Not the case. Different from previous Legacy Machines, the Palladium features contrasting dark tones. The superbly decorated twin-barrel movement displays the escapement, bridge plates, Golden gears, and jewels. Finishes include Geneva Striping, beveled and polished edges, as well as blues screws and contrasting treatments - truly a gorgeous movement.
Look, it’s another Machine Legacy - this time in Palladium with some contrasting finishes and some sportier pushers. An iteration has been released in different materials and dial configurations since MB&F started. We’ve had Platinum. We’ve had every kind of Gold I can think of. We’ve had Titanium. Now we have Palladium. The reality is, the MB&F Machine Legacy Collection is simply some of the absolute best looking watches ever made - And I’m not upset, nor should anyone be upset, that MB&F continues to do what works.
How much is the MB&F Legacy Machine in Palladium?
The watch will be limited to 25 pieces, due to the rarity of the Palladium material for the case, and carry a price tag of $206,000 USD.
You can read more about this model on the brands website.