INTRODUCING: MB&F LM2 Palladium celebrates its 10-year anniversary
Borna Bošnjak- A decade after its first release, the MB&F LM2 is back in a special palladium case
- Symmetrically opposed balance wheels connected by a planetary differential
- Movement developed by Jean-François Mojon of Chronode and finished by Kari Voutilainen
By this point, it should be no surprise that whatever comes out of the fun factory in the Geneva headquarters of MB&F is astonishing in its design, finishing and technical accomplishment. While today’s hero isn’t a new creation, but rather a celebration of a previous one, it doesn’t make it any less impressive. Hailing from 2013, the MB&F LM2 was released to much fanfare, complete with its dual balance wheels connected to a single going train by the way of a planetary differential. A decade later, the brand celebrates its anniversary with a brand new case for the MB&F LM2 Palladium, inviting some familiar friends to help in its creation.
Thus far, the LM2 has sported red gold, white gold, platinum and titanium cases, all with their own distinctively coloured dials. The LM2 Palladium not only adds a new material to the mix, but also introduces a soft aquamarine dial. Calling it the dial, however, is somewhat deceiving, as it is actually the immaculately finished top plate of the movement, while the actual dial tasked for timekeeping is relegated to the top portion of the case, finished in what MB&F calls a “stretched lacquer”. At certain angles, it doesn’t seem like they’re stretching the truth, either, as the opaline surface really does remind me of a droplet, domed in surface due to surface tension.
The LM2 Palladium is, much like its predecessors, largely symmetrical in its dial layout. Opposing the subdial at 12 is the large planetary differential and its mirror-polished bridge, flanked on either side by flying balance wheels suspended high above the dial by organically curved and polished bridges. This set-up occupies a fair bit of real estate, so it’s no wonder that the palladium case measures in at 44mm in diameter and a whopping 19mm in height. To be fair to MB&F, however, that is 1mm less than the original LM2, so some props there.
Turned over, we’re treated to the rest of the wonderfully finished movement. Conceptualised by MB&F and executed by Jean-François Mojon of Chronode, the NAC anthracite surfaces are graced with Geneva striping, mirror-polished bevels and bridges, complete with internal bevelled angles. This high degree of finishing is commonplace with Kari Voutilainen’s creations, so it’s no wonder he often makes up the “Friends” part of Max Busser’s brand. Mechanically, the LM2 exploits the natural phenomenon of resonance by placing the two large balance wheels next to each other, causing them to synchronise in beat and deliver an average of the two. There have been few made, and most of the watches making use of resonance use two separate going trains. Even fewer are those movements that couple the two balance wheels via a planetary differential, originating in the 1930s and exercised by Philippe Dufour in his 1996 Duality – the first wristwatch to feature this complication. Rather than one balance playing catch-up with the other, introducing stresses to achieve an average beat rate, the two beat independently of each other, averaged by the centrally positioned differential.
MB&F LM2 Palladium pricing and availability:
The MB&F Legacy Machine 2 Palladium is available now as a limited edition of 18 pieces, directly from MB&F’s M.A.D. Gallery web shop. Price: US$172,000 / CHF 158,000 / €165,000 (taxes excluded).
| Brand | MB&F |
| Model | LM2 Palladium |
| Case Dimensions | 44mm (D) x 19mm (T) |
| Case Material | Palladium |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Dial | White lacquer for the sub-dial, sunray-brushed aquamarine exposed movement top plate |
| Crystal(s) | Domed sapphire and flat sapphire caseback |
| Strap | Black, brown or blue hand-stitched alligator strap with tang buckle matching the case |
| Movement | Exclusively designed for MB&F by Jean-François Mojon at Chronode, finished by Kari Voutilainen |
| Power Reserve | 45 hours |
| Functions | Dual balance wheels, planeary differential, single running train, hours, minutes |
| Availability | Now, limited to 18 pieces |
| Price | US$172,000 / CHF 158,000 / €165,000 (taxes excluded). |