Wow, that’s so cool !!
This is what immediately came to mind, without thinking twice, as soon as I saw the new MB&F LM Split Escapement EVO this morning.
I believe that many of you have thought the same, especially Maximilian Büsser & Friends brand lovers, for the watch just presented at the Geneva Watch Days 2022 by one of the hottest independent brands in the world at the moment.
This new model, initially created as a limited edition for the 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates, is today presented in two new editions demonstrating that EVO is becoming a full-fledged collection.
The origin of the LM Split Escapement
The starting year for the journey through the development of the LM Split Escapement is 2015 with the LM Perpetual. This Perpetual Calendar, designed and conceived by the Northern Irish master watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, had to meet two criteria: it had to be infallible and in the center of the dial it had to feature MB&F’s distinctive flying balance wheel.
McDonnell immediately identified a problem: there was no more space for the escapement as the balance wheel was usually located on the front of the watch together with the escapement. However, with the perpetual calendar of the LM Perpetual, a much more complex Machine, there was no space for both.
McDonnell’s solution was to create the longest balance wheel shaft in the world by leaving the large balance wheel alone and moving the remaining parts of the escapement to the opposite side of the movement, almost 12mm below. Hence the name “Split Escapement”.
Unfortunately, there were so many innovations within this watch that McDonnell’s innovative solution went unnoticed.
Precisely for this reason, in 2017, MB&F decided to create the LM Split Escapement (LM SE) to highlight McDonnell’s brilliant idea.
The origin of the LM Split Escapement EVO
The evolution that took place compared to the LM Split Escapement by adding the name EVO was in 2020 with the development of a new case.
Initially appearing with the LM Perpetual EVO, the new case was conceived for a more active lifestyle by guaranteeing water resistance of 80 meters, a screw-down crown, an integrated rubber strap and a design without a bezel. Inside the case, the movement is suspended thanks to an innovative “FlexRing” system, monobloc and shock-absorbing, with protection against impacts along the vertical and lateral axes that can occur in everyday life.
After the LM Perpetual EVO, the EVO case made its way into the Legacy Machine collection by recently appearing on the LM Sequential EVO, the first MB&F chronograph.
Even earlier, with great discretion, this case also appeared on the LM Split Escapement EVO, silently presented on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the United Arab Emirates in a total of 10 pieces.
However, in addition to the EVO case, the edition dedicated to the Golden Jubilee presented a novelty that radically changed the design of the LM Split Escapement: the entire mechanism had been rotated clockwise by 30 degrees, with the crown at 4:30 instead of 2 o’clock, completely changing the symmetry of the watch and giving it a completely new character.
The two new editions of the LM Split Escapement EVO
Presented at the Geneva Watch Days 2022, these two new versions of the LM Split Escapement feature two different dials.
The first LM Split Escapement EVO, in grade 5 titanium, features an ice blue plate, slate gray dial and open counters.
An echo of the contrast between the active and contemporary nature of the EVO collection and the traditional finish of the movement is given by the special darkening treatment on the side of the caliber in contrast with the wheels, the rhodium-plated barrels and the rose gold details.
The second version of the new LM Split Escapement EVO, also in grade 5 titanium, represents the first of a series of limited editions that will be reserved exclusively for MB&F LAB.
This second edition just presented is destined exclusively for the MB&F LAB of Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, managed by Westime, a renowned American watch retailer.
This new edition of 25 pieces is presented in the colors of Westime, blue and black, with an extraordinary black plate, metallic blue dial and open counters.
The case of the new LM Split Escapement EVO
Made of grade 5 titanium, it has dimensions of 44 x 17.5 mm and is made with a total of 52 components.
Water resistance is guaranteed up to 8 ATM (80 meters) thanks to the screwed crown at 4 o’clock.
At 11 o’clock next to the dial, however, the date button stands out for a quick adjustment of the same.
Completing the case design is a sapphire crystal on the top and back with anti-reflective treatment on both sides.
The caliber of the new LM Split Escapement EVO
Through the transparent caseback you can admire the manual winding movement with double spring barrels developed by Stephen McDonnell for MB&F, with split escapement, balance wheel suspended above the dial and going further down, the movement.
The 14mm balance wheel was custom made with traditional adjustment screws visible on the top of the movement. Equipped with the FlexRing annular shock absorber, mounted between the case and the movement, this expert guarantees protection against impacts along the vertical and lateral axes. The power reserve is guaranteed for 72 hours.
The functions of the new LM Split Escapement EVO
In addition to the indication of hours and minutes, in the counter positioned on the upper right quadrant, there are two other counters indicating the date (counter at the top left) and the power reserve (counter at the bottom of the dial).
Price and availability
The model is available in two different versions, each accompanied by an integrated rubber strap with titanium folding clasp. The variant with a gray dial is priced at EUR 75,000 (plus tax). The blue dial version, limited to 25 pieces, will also be sold for EUR 75,000 (plus tax).
For more information and insights about the world of MB&F, I invite you to visit their official website.
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