You launched the first Legacy Machine in 2011. At the time, did you predict this watch would still be an icon for the brand 10 years on?
I had absolutely no idea. When I created LM1, I had no plans to create LM2 or any of the other models that came later. It was supposed to be a one-time experiment. How can we create an innovative timepiece that’ll also become a classic? Like most life-changing decisions, the Legacy Machine was based on a gut feeling. It wasn’t really thought through.
Which is your favourite Legacy Machine?
I have two: the LM Perpetual because of Stephen McDonnell’s genius movement; and the LM FlyingT because it was my first love letter at MB&F.
See also: Introducing MB&F Legacy Machine FlyingT
What was the biggest challenge when designing the first Legacy Machine?
Ensuring that the enormous flying balance wheel, which measures 14mm in diameter, regulated correctly. This was a steep learning curve.
Why are watch collaborations important to MB&F?
Our ideas are usually groundbreaking for the industry, and we need innovative engineers and watchmakers to transform them into reality. When I started the Legacy Machine project, MB&F was only three years old and couldn’t benefit from a large team of cutting-edge research and development engineers.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
I would love to work with Beat Haldimann. He’s one of the world’s unsung heroes and greatest horological minds.
