Legacy Machine 101 ‘Frost’
Frost. Brrrrr! For many, the word "frost" conjures forth images of breath-condensing cold and
bright, early-morning winter sunshine scintillating off frost-covered lawns. That natural frost
sparkles vivaciously due to light reflecting off the microscopically uneven ice crystals –
exactly like the LM101 Frost sparkles due to light reflecting off its microscopically uneven
frosted surface.
First presented in 2014, Legacy Machine 101 embodies and accentuates what is essential in
a wristwatch: the balance wheel, which is responsible for regulating precision; how much
power remains in the mainspring, which indicates when it needs to be next wound; and of
course, the time. With the new ‘Frost’ limited editions, those essential LM101 elements now
contrast magnificently against the effervescent backdrop of the frosted gold dial − which
paradoxically is not really a dial at all, but the top plate of the movement. Additional contrast
is provided by Frost's highly polished bezel and lugs, which make the matte surface of the
frosted dial really pop.
Abraham-Louis Breguet is credited with inventing the “frosted” finish (“finition grenée” in
French) in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At the time, frosting protected dials and
movements from oxidation – more common in Breguet's day – and added subdued vivacity
to movement plates. Traditional frosting methods involved dangerous acids which have been
largely replaced by the environmentally (and medically) safer method of carefully
compressing the surface with a wire brush. However, this is a much more difficult process to
master and obtain a uniform, non-polished surface. Very few artisans today create true
frosted finishes: the majority of surfaces that look frosted have in fact been bead blasted,
which does not quite have the same visual impact.
Visually, LM101 Frost is dominated by the monumental suspended balance wheel, now
rhodium plated so that it stands out even more. Two pristine-white subdials hover just above
the fine frosted movement top plate: contrasting blued-gold hands display hours and minutes
at the top right, while the 45-hour power reserve indicator is displayed below.
LM101 Frost's highly domed sapphire crystal is virtually invisible, creating the illusion that
you can reach out and touch the prodigious balance wheel hanging mesmerisingly from
elegant twin arches. The arches are milled from a solid block of metal requiring hours of
hand polishing to achieve its mirror-like lustre.
Turning over LM101 Frost, the display back crystal – domed to reduce the thickness of the
caseband and, visually, the height of the watch – reveals the exquisitely hand-finished
movement. Sensually curved plates and bridges, hand polished bevels, gold chatons and
countersunk blued screws pay homage to the style found in historic pocket watches and
testify to the respect accorded to historical legitimacy.
While award-winning independent watchmaker Kari Voutilainen took responsibility for the
movement's fine finishing and fidelity to the horological past, its architecture and construction
were developed in-house by MB&F.
Legacy Machine 101 Frost is available in two limited editions: 18 pieces in yellow gold and
33 pieces in red gold.
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33
LM101 Frost – in detail
Dial and Indications:
The animated suspended balance has always visually dominated LM101 and the frosted
movement top plate amplifies this even more. Set off by the frosted finish, the blued-gold
hands and pristine white dials for the time (hours and minutes) and power reserve indications
are both aesthetically appealing and highly legible.
The dials are gently domed with a translucent, high-gloss lustre created using a laque tendue
process in which multiple layers of lacquer are applied and heated, causing them to stretch
over the surface of the dials. To ensure aesthetic purity of the dials, a sophisticated fixation
underneath removes the necessity of visually obtrusive attachment screws. A fine golden
perimeter circumscribing each dial elegantly reinforces their timeless classicism.
Frosted finish:
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, frosting was created by treating the components
with a special acid mixture and then heating on an open flame (what could possibly go
wrong). The result was a silvery-white effect looking similar to frost, which protected the
surfaces from oxidation; this was important when watches and clocks were not water
resistant at all.
As watchmakers became more attentive to the potential hazards associated with working
with powerful acids, alternative methods were explored, the most effective – in terms of the
quality of finish – being to very carefully brush the surface with a wire brush. However, it is
extremely difficult to obtain a uniform result because just slightly too much pressure or
brushing for too long can quickly ruin the desired matte surface with uneven polish.
Today there are very few craftsmen with the skills and experience necessary for creating a
traditional frosted finish, and they closely guard their secrets. Modern traditional brushed
frosting actually burnishes the surface (compresses the metal without removing material),
creating a finish so hard that it is impossible to hand engrave.
Engine:
Presented for the first time in 2014, the LM101 movement is an entirely new calibre
conceived and developed in-house by MB&F.
The balance wheel and spring are at the very heart of any mechanical watch movement and
their isochronal (equal intervals of time) oscillations regulate the movement's precision.
MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser has long been fascinated by the large slowly oscillating
balance wheels of antique pocket watches (2.5 Hz/18,000 vph compared with the much
faster 4 Hz/ 28,800 vph more common today). So it was no surprise that this was his starting
point.
What was surprising though is just how radically he re-interpreted tradition by relocating the
balance wheel from its more usual position hidden at the back of the movement to
majestically floating not just the above movement, but high above the dial. While the location
of LM101's oscillator may be considered avant-garde, ‘tradition’ is upheld by the large 14mm
diameter balance wheel, featuring regulating screws specifically developed for MB&F,
balance spring with Breguet overcoil and mobile stud holder.
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33
Fine Finishing and Historical Legitimacy:
While the movement was developed entirely in-house, acclaimed master watchmaker Kari
Voutilainen assumed responsibility for ensuring the movement's historical accuracy of the
bridge design, as well as defining and supervising the fine finishing.
The frost pattern on top of the movement plate (dial side) subtly catches the eye at certain
angles without distracting attention from the white dials of the time and power reserve
indications. But it is in the style and finish of the bridges and plates visible through the display
on the back of the movement where Kari Voutilainen has excelled in providing exquisite
historical fidelity; this is demonstrated by both the shape of the elegantly curved bridges and
the traditionally wide space between the bridges and between the perimeter of the bridges
and the case.
Over-sized ruby jewels set in highly-polished countersunk gold chatons provide striking
visual counterpoints to the curved bridges. While providing historical links with the large
jewels seen in high-grade antique pocket watch movements, the ruby bearings have a
practical application in reducing wear/increasing longevity by accommodating large diameter
pinions and holding more lubricating oil.
In addition to 18k red gold, the LM101 Frost case is available in 18k yellow gold, a first for
MB&F – and a further tribute to traditional watchmaking.
Inspiration and Realisation:
Maximilian Büsser has had a long affinity with pocket watches of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Virtually all horological complications we see today were not only imagined in that period,
they were developed using just paper and pen (no sophisticated computer programs).
Components were produced to extremely high precision using – by today’s standards – fairly
primitive machines (no electricity) and finely finished, assembled and regulated to an
incredibly high quality that we still strive to match today. Their generous size compared with
modern wristwatches allowed for uncluttered movement architectures with beautifully shaped
bridges and plates.
MB&F's Legacy Machines were conceived when Maximilian Büsser started fantasising:
"What would have happened if I had been born in 1867 instead of 1967? In the early 1900s
the first wristwatches appear and I would want to create three-dimensional machines for the
wrist. There are no Grendizers, Star Wars or fighter jets for my inspiration but I do have
pocket watches, the Eiffel Tower and Jules Verne. So what might my early 20th century
machines look like? They had to be round (tradition) and three-dimensional (MB&F
Machine): Legacy Machines are the answer."
While Legacy Machine No.1 (LM1) was the first in this new collection, LM101 and LM101
Frost take the traditional theme even further by offering a more classically sized 40mm case
compared to 44mm for LM1.
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33
LM101 Frost – Technical Specifications
LM101 Frost is a limited edition of 33 pieces in red gold and 18 pieces in yellow gold.
Engine:
Three-dimensional movement developed in-house by MB&F
Movement aesthetics and finish specifications: Kari Voutilainen
Manual winding with single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: 45 hours
Balance wheel: Bespoke 14mm balance wheel with four traditional regulating screws floating
above the movement and dials
Balance spring: traditional Breguet curve terminating in mobile stud holder
Balance frequency: 18,000 bph / 2.5 Hz
Number of components: 229 components
Number of jewels: 23
Chatons: gold chatons with polished countersinks
Fine finishing: frosted mainplate, superlative hand finishing throughout respecting 19th
century style; internal bevel angles highlighting hand craft; polished bevels; hand-made
engravings
Functions:
Hours, minutes and power reserve indicator.
Large suspended balance wheel over dial
Case:
Available in 18k red gold (33 pieces) or 18k yellow gold (18 pieces)
Dimensions: 40 mm wide x 16 mm high
Number of components: 35
Sapphire crystals:
High domed sapphire crystal on top and box sapphire crystal on back with anti-reflective
coating on both sides.
Strap & Buckle:
Dark or light brown hand-stitched alligator strap with gold tang buckle to match case.
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33
'Friends' responsible for LM101 Frost
Concept: Maximilian Büsser / MB&F
Product design: Eric Giroud / Through the Looking Glass
Technical and production management: Serge Kriknoff / MB&F
Movement design and finish specifications: Kari Voutilainen
R&D: Guillaume Thévenin and Ruben Martinez / MB&F
Wheels: Jean-François Mojon / Chronode
Balance wheel bridge: Benjamin Signoud / AMECAP
Balance wheel: Yann Le Martret / µdec
Plates and bridges: Rodrigue Baume / Damatec
Hand-engraving of movement: Sylvain Bettex / Glypto and Eddy Jaquet
Hand-finishing of movement components: Jacques-Adrien Rochat / C-L Rochat
Frosted finishing: José Labarga / Labarga S.A.
Movement assemblage: Didier Dumas, Georges Veisy, Anne Guiter and Emmanuel Maitre /
MB&F
In-house machining: Alain Lemarchand / MB&F
After-Sales service: Florian Courbat / MB&F
Quality Control: Cyril Fallet / MB&F
Case : Fabien Chapatte and Riccardo Pescante / Les Artisans Boitiers
Buckle: Erbas S.A.
Hands: Pierre Chillier, Isabelle Chillier and Félix Celetta / Fiedler
Sapphire crystals: Martin Stettler / Stettler
Strap: Olivier Purnot / Camille Fournet
Presentation box: Olivier Berthon / ATS Développement
Production logistics: David Lamy and Isabel Ortega / MB&F
Marketing & Communication: Charris Yadigaroglou, Virginie Meylan and Juliette Duru /
MB&F
M.A.D.Gallery: Hervé Estienne / MB&F
Sales: Luis André, Patricia Duvillard and Philip Ogle / MB&F
Graphic design: Damien Seydoux / MB&F, Adrien Schulz and Gilles Bondallaz / Z+Z
Product photography: Maarten van der Ende
Portrait photography: Régis Golay / Federal
Website: Stéphane Balet and Victor Rodriguez / Sumo Interactive
Texts: Ian Skellern and Steven Rogers / Underthedial
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33
MB&F - The Genesis of a Concept Laboratory
The projects that gave Maximilian Büsser the most pleasure and personal satisfaction during
his 15 years managing prestigious watch brands were those working with talented
independent watchmakers. An idea for his own personal utopia emerged: that of creating a
company dedicated solely to designing and crafting small series of radical concept watches
in collaboration with talented professionals he both respected and enjoyed working with. The
entrepreneur in Büsser brought the idea to reality.
MB&F is not a watch brand. It is an artistic and micro-engineering concept laboratory in
which collectives of independent horological professionals are assembled each year to
design and craft radical Horological Machines. Respecting tradition without being shackled
by it enables MB&F to act as a catalyst in fusing traditional, high-quality watchmaking with
cutting-edge technology and avant-garde three-dimensional sculpture.
In 2007, MB&F unveiled their first Horological Machine, its sculptured, three-dimensional
case and beautifully finished Engine setting the standard for the idiosyncratic Machines that
followed – Machines that tell the time, rather than Machines to tell the time. In 2011, MB&F
launched their round-cased Legacy Machine collection. These more classical pieces pay
tribute to 19th century watchmaking excellence by reinterpreting complications from the great
horological innovators to create contemporary objets d'art. Since then, MB&F alternate
between launching an exciting new Horological Machine and an historically-inspired Legacy
Machine.
In 2015 MB&F celebrates its 10th anniversary: 10 years and 10 calibres!
Biography– Maximilian Büsser
Maximilian Büsser was born in Milan, Italy, before moving at an early age to Lausanne,
Switzerland where he spent his youth. Growing up in a multi-cultural environment and family
– his father was a Swiss diplomat who met his mother, an Indian national, in Mumbai – led
Büsser to develop a cross-cultural, broad-based approach to life and to business.
In July 2005, at the age of 38, Büsser created the world’s first horological concept brand:
MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends), in which he is now partnered with Serge Kriknoff.
Büsser's dream with MB&F is to have his own brand dedicated to developing radical
horological concepts by working in small, hyper-creative groups composed of people he
enjoys working with.
Entrepreneurship is Maximilian Büsser's forte. In 1998, when only 31, he was appointed
Managing Director of Harry Winston Rare Timepieces in Geneva. During his seven years
there Büsser developed the company into a fully-fledged and well-respected haute horlogerie
brand by developing the strategy, products, marketing and worldwide distribution, whilst
integrating design, R&D and manufacturing in house. The results were a 900% increase in
turnover and the positioning of Harry Winston as one of the leaders in this very competitive
segment.
Maximilian Büsser’s love for high-end horology was nurtured by his first employer, JaegerLeCoultre. During his seven years in the senior management team during the 1990s, JLC
strongly increased its profile and multiplied its turnover tenfold. Büsser’s responsibilities at
Jaeger-LeCoultre ranged from Product Management & Development to Sales & Marketing
for Europe.
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33
Büsser graduated in 1991 with a Masters in Microtechnology Engineering from the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne.
For further information, please contact:
Charris Yadigaroglou, MB&F SA, Rue Verdaine 11, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland
Email: cy@mbandf.com Tel.: +41 22 508 10 33