Loading...Baselworld sometimes gives the opportunity to see watches at a time before they go public. It is usually just a first glance. Anyhow, I can share with you original pictures of this new timepiece which I have taken during the fair. This is another creative timepiece made by MB&F based on the LM1, one of the few dual time or GMT timepieces which allow to set the time completely independently. So now I can finally share my pictures I took.
What happens when you give one of our most classic timepieces – Legacy Machine No.1 – to one of the watchmaking world’s most creative and unconventional designers?
Announcing the LM1 SILBERSTEIN: a story of friendship and creativity in three chapters.
Chapter One takes us back to 2009, when we asked renowned French designer Alain Silberstein to reinterpret our Horological Machine No.2. The result was the HM2.2 ‘Blackbox’, which paved the way for many other artistic collaborations, giving birth to our ‘Performance Art’ collection. Fast-forward a few years later, to Baselworld 2012: Alain compliments Max Büsser on our just-released LM1 – but he simply cannot resist making a few suggestions 😉 … Seizing this opportunity for a new collaboration, they kick off the LM1 Silberstein project. Final chapter – present day: the LM1 is totally transformed by Alain Silberstein, who turns our homage to traditional watchmaking into a colourful, metaphysical time metaphor.
The LM1 Silberstein’s dual subdials are now concave, like small satellite dishes: they are designed to capture “eternal time” from the surrounding universe. Eternal time is converted into civilian time by the flying balance wheel – now suspended by an almost invisible bridge in sapphire crystal, which took two years to perfect given the incredibly tight tolerances required. Watch enthusiasts will recognise the tribute to Alain Silberstein, who was the very first to create a case in sapphire crystal several years ago. Last but not least, the power reserve of the frosted-finish movement is indicated by a signature Silberstein sculpture: yellow sphere, red cube and blue pyramid.
The LM1 Silberstein is available in grade 5 titanium, black PVD titanium or 18K red gold – each a limited edition of only 12 pieces.
This watch has another cool feature. Inscribed between the lugs you see a french saying:
“Le vrai bonheur est d’avoir sa passion pour metier” with ultracool “super superdomed glas”…
In translation this means that “true happiness is to have your passion as a job”. When you think about how much passion goes into watches and into collecting watches, and into creating and working with watches, then this saying becomes ever more important and true.
The movement was conceived by Kari Voutilainen and Jean Francois Mojon. Both are known to be some of the best watchmakers in Switzerland you can possibly find.
In my excitement to see watches that are not yet ready to be shown, I forgot to shoot a wristshot of the rosegold version.
But this gives you an idea about size on the wrist. I have a big wrist. And this is a big contemporary 44mm cased timepiece which sits very well on your wrist. Even on a smaller wrist.
