MB&F LM1 EVO: The Legacy Machine No.1 Returns, Built for Every Day
Fifteen years after the original Legacy Machine No.1 changed the course of MB&F, the LM1 is back. The new LM1 EVO is the brand’s fifth EVO model, keeping everything that made the 2011 original special while making it a watch you can actually wear every day.
The idea behind the Legacy Machine
The first LM1 asked a simple question: what would Max Busser have designed if he had been born a century earlier? The answer was a round, classically inspired watch with a balance wheel floating above the dial, a sharp turn from the angular Horological Machines that made MB&F’s name. The LM1 EVO brings that idea into 2026.
What is new
- Smaller case: 42mm wide (down from 44mm), 16.8mm thick and 52mm lug to lug.
- Built for real life: 80m water resistance, two screw-down crowns and MB&F’s patented FlexRing shock absorber.
- Longer power reserve: 60 hours, 15 more than the original.
- Improved regulation: the 14mm flying balance now uses a Straumann double hairspring.
- Easy strap changes: rubber strap with a tool-free quick release and a folding buckle.
The movement
The hand-wound movement was developed by MB&F with Jean-François Mojon, finished to the specifications of Kari Voutilainen and executed by Charles-Louis Rochat. It beats at 18,000 vph (2.5Hz) and shows two independent time zones plus a power reserve indicator.
Versions and prices
- Grade 5 titanium with rhodium dial plate: USD 109,000 (CHF 82,000), not limited.
- 18K 5N+ rose gold with green dial plate: USD 137,000 (CHF 102,000), limited to 33 pieces.
Why collectors care
The LM1 is one of the most important watches MB&F has made, and the market knows it. The 2009 “Longhorn” LM1 prototype sold for over CHF 277,000 at auction in 2021. With only 33 rose gold pieces, expect strong demand from collectors who missed the original.
Want help securing an LM1 EVO or another independent piece? Our team can help with sourcing.
Sources: WatchesbySJX; Time+Tide; Hodinkee. Images: MB&F.
