For this series of articles, we take a look at watch pairs. We select an elegant dress watch and a sports watch. Two watches that would complete each other and make sure that its wearer can pick one of them for any occasion.
Today, we have selected the:
MB&F Legacy Machine LM101 and the Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time
These two timepieces – at some point you don’t talk about watches anymore – are from two highly respected watch manufactures. Both operate independently, but one is an established manufacture from 1839 while the other only started in 2005. Both manufactures have loyal fans of haute horlogerie and are able to create timepieces with exceptional craftsmanship. We are talking about Patek Philippe and MB&F.
The independent brand MB&F was founded by Maximilian Büsser, who previously worked for Jaeger-LeCoultre and Harry Winston. MB&F stands for Max Büsser & Friends. The ‘Friends’ are the people who join him on his horological journeys and help to create something extra-ordinary. Patek Philippe has a long history and is today owned by the Stern family (for some generations). As extra-ordinary the MB&F timepieces are, so traditional are those from Patek Philippe. For this article though, we have selected watches that are quite the opposite of the regular collections of these manufactures.
The Nautilus was the enfant terrible of Patek Philippe when it was introduced in 1976. A stainless steel luxury sports timepiece among mainly classic gold dress watches. The Nautilus reference 5990 is one of the evolutions of that first Nautilus from 1976. The MB&F LM101 (LM stands for Legacy Machine) are based on a very interesting thought: how a timepiece would be if it was created 100 years ago by MB&F. Normally, the MB&F timepieces are out-of-this-world designs, organic shapes or watches that look like space ships. The LM collection is actually something that looks like a ‘watch’. A very wearable timepiece, compared to some of their more extra-ordinary designs.
Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5990
There isn’t much introduction needed for the Patek Philippe Nautilus. This “40 year old” is relatively young for the centuries old brand from Geneva. The enfant terrible matured and is available in several different models today. One of them is the reference 5990, also known as the Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph. This Nautilus 5990 is unmistakably a descendent of the very first Nautilus 3700, designed by Gérald Genta. The design code has been respected and Patek Philippe decided to add a bit of punch to it, by using a chronograph and GMT function. As a result, the dial is a bit busier than the original design and the case received two pushers for the chronograph function.
The chronograph has a 60-minute counter on the lower half of the dial and a central chronograph seconds hand. On the upper half of the dial you will find a pointer date. An extra hour hand indicates home time and for both home and local time, there are these square day/night indicators.
Even though this Nautilus 5990 would be the sportier timepiece of the two in this article, it is still not recommended to use it during extreme sports. It is a fine piece of haute horlogerie with an amazing finish on case and bracelet. There are surfaces with brushed finish as well as surfaces (and facets) with a polished finish, and all of that in the finest quality.
MB&F Legacy Machine 101
The Legacy Machine 101 is a very modest (40mm) design compared to the Horological Machines collection by MB&F. It is also a bit more modest than the first Legacy Machine (No.1) that MB&F introduced. What makes this watch a true tribute to watchmaking is the fact that the heart of the movement is visible at the center of the dial, instead of being tucked away somewhere deep inside the watch case. The flying balance-wheel dominates the design of the MB&F LM101. Attached to beautiful curved bridges, the flying balance-wheel can be admired from almost any angle due to the domed sapphire crystal. Underneath, two stunning white sub dials indicate hours and minutes as well as the 45 hours of power reserve.
The ‘Friends’ of Maximilian Büsser differ per project, and in the case of this LM101, it is the much appraised and respected watchmaker Kari Voutilainen who is responsible for the movement (or ‘engine’ as MB&F calls it). The display back reveals the beautifully designed movement, with curved plates and bridges. This movement is – again – a tribute to the watchmaking heritage of 100 years ago and has been designed in the style of some historical pocket watch movements.
The MB&F LM101 is a timepiece that is very far away from the Nautilus 5990, yet they could be perfect watch pairs for those amongst us who are fortunate enough. Both timepieces are conversation makers and can be considered piece of art, in their own unique ways. The MB&F LM101 can almost be seen as something bespoke and the Nautilus as an iconic luxury sports watch, both always get their well-deserved respect by many watch collectors and enthusiasts.
Read more
Legendary Watch Brands: Patek Philippe
Independent Watchmaking – Modern, Rebellious And Slightly Crazy Part I
