MB&F Introduces the Limited LMX Paris Edition Watch

High-end independent watchmaking may be all the rage these days, but it was just finding its footing at the turn of the millennium. MB&F, arguably one of the leaders of the indies today, entered the then-nascent watch corner in 2005 and founder Maximilian Büsser needed retail support to make his vision come to life. Laurent Picciotto, the OG champion of independent haute horlogerie and founder of the legendary retailer Chronopassion, stepped up in a big way for MB&F as one of only six retail partners willing to pre-order (and partially pay for) the first Horological Machine No.1. Then, in 2022, Picciotto doubled down on his support by opening one of the world’s first MB&F LABs on rue Saint-Honoré in Paris. Now, MB&F is marking the occasion as any respectable watchmaker would — by launching a limited-edition timepiece. Read on for all the details about the freshly released MB&F LMX Paris Edition, limited to 15 pieces.

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The Purple LMX by MB&F

The LMX debuted in 2021 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Legacy Machine, hence the Roman numeral “X.”  The Paris Edition is the fourth version to join the LMX lineup, joining the red gold and black, titanium and green (the 2021 GPHG winner of the ‘Men’s Complication’ category), and steel and brass models.

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As with any MB&F creation, there’s plenty to take in here. But one of the first things that will draw your eye closer to the Paris Edition is its jazzy purple color. Commenting on the hue, Picciotto said, “If I were to give a name to the LMX Paris Edition, I would undoubtedly call it the ‘LMX Deep Purple’ in reference to the famous 1968 rock group – this piece is definitely rock ’n’ roll!”

That purple sunray dial plate sits inside a 44 x 21.4 mm 18k white gold case, shielded by a dramatic sapphire crystal dome that sits high on the wrist. The purple colorway and white gold dial are what’s new with the LMX Paris Edition — everything else remains the same as the other three LMX watches.

The Movement

Peering into the snow globe-like crystal, we see the pair of white lacquered inclined dials with hour and minute hands that serve to indicate two independent time zones. The MB&F battle-axe-engraved crown at 2 o’clock sets the dial on the right (and winds the movement) while the globe-engraved crown at 10 o’clock controls the time on the dial on the left. While the LMX shares the same fundamentals as the Legacy Machine N°1 — such as the independent dual time zones — the newer iteration offers up plenty of its own twists too, like the vertical inclination of said dials.

Another foundational design piece taken from the original Legacy Machine is the flying balance wheel; however, it’s been revamped in the LMX into a massive 13.4mm balance wheel that soars high above the center of the baseplate, beneath an imposing polished V-shaped bridge that’s been hand-finished to curvy perfection on the upper surface. Beating at 18,000bph, it truly is something spectacular to see in the metal. What’s more, the oversized balance wheel is furnished with inertia blocks instead of the customary typical screwed architecture for improved regulation.

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MB&F took several components, such as the gear train, that are traditionally hidden in the back and placed them on the from the LMX for all to see. There’s a trio of large wheels; one next to each of the winding crowns that move when setting the time on the corresponding dial and another at 6 o’clock, which is the shared gear for the seconds. There’s also a battle-axe-shaped escapement bridge, because, why not? The finishing of these gears, complete with hand-polished bridges and sublime gold chatons, almost makes you forget that these are mechanically functional components and not just decorative embellishments. Side note, the jewels nestled inside the chatons complement the dial tone nicely.

Perhaps one of the most impressive parts of the front of the LMX (although there are plenty), is the vertical power reserve. This, again, was an idea originally conceived on the LM1, but like almost everything else, LMX’s version is on steroids. Not only is the vertical power reserve three-dimensional but it also rotates on itself. The reason it rotates is so that the wearer can switch between two modes — one side displays an indicator to count down seven days of power reserve, characterized by numbers 1 to 7, while the other features letters to step in as a day indicator.

Through the sapphire display caseback, we can see the three mainspring barrels responsible for the LMX Paris Editions’s seven-day power reserve (a significant increase from the first LM’s 45 hours). The manual winding movement (with 367 components) is beautifully hand-finished, featuring Côtes de Genève and other traditional finishings.

Cost and Availability

The LMX Paris Edition watch is paired with a grey hand-stitched alligator strap with purple lining and to match the case, a white gold folding buckle. A celebration of both 18 years of friendship between Laurent Picciotto and Max Büsser and the meaningful partnership between Chronopassion and MB&F, the purple LMX Paris Edition is as rock ‘n’ roll as Laurent proclaims it is.

Limited to only 15 pieces, the LMX Paris Edition watch will be exclusively available at the Parisian MB&F LAB on Rue Saint-Honoré and priced at EUR 122,000.

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