The 2022 MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO was a pretty stand out release from a brand whose watches tend to stand out. Not only was it their first ever chronograph, but also it went on to win the Aiguille d’Or grand prize at that years Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Now, two years later, they’ve released an even more souped up edition in the form of the MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Platinum.
As you may be able to gather from the name of the watch, the difference between the original Sequential and the Sequential Flyback is the addition of a flyback mechanism. Flyback mechanisms allow you to stop, reset and restart a chronograph with a single pusher press, meaning you can immediately start timing a new interval at the exact moment you stop timing the previous one. Historically this has had relevance in aviation where precise timings of multiple intervals is integral to visual navigation. However, it also has broader applications in sports and beyond.
Outside of the new flyback mechanism, the Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Platinum is practically identical to its predecessor on a mechanical level. In fact, the original model was meant to include a flyback but after an extensive prototyping period, it was decided that it would take too long to develop in relation to the time scale they had available. As such, it was left off from the EVO and makes its debut here.
Taking a tour around the dial, which is a beautiful sky blue, you have the hour and minute subdial at 6 o’clock and then four skeleton chronograph subdials that are arranged in two pairs of 30-minute timers and 60-second timers. By having two sets of chronograph functions, it offers a hugely increased range of use cases. For example, you can use the chronos independently to time two separate events, similar to the Cyrus Klepcys Dice.
Or you can use the twinverter function to start one chronograph, stop that one to start the other and then swap back to resume the original one, essentially functioning as a chess clock. Alternatively, you can use the same function but reset each chronograph once you have stopped it in order to time laps in the same manner as a split-seconds chronograph. And now with the flyback mechanism, there are even more ways to use them. If we use aviation as the prime example due to their connected histories, you could use one of the chronographs to time individual sections of the journey while the other tracks the entire flight time.
Zooming out from the mechanics and functions of the watch to look at the aesthetics, the Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback is presented in platinum measuring 44mm x 18.2mm and the blue dial is also a new addition. It’s a much more classical and dress watch style appearance compared to the sporty zirconium and PVD original. You could actually argue that the juxtaposition between the classy case and the immensely technical and detailed display, which only serves to emphasise the overall insanity of the watch. It really is MB&F firing on all cylinders.
There are so many details to get your teeth into that we haven’t even been able to mention the flying balance wheel yet or the exhibition caseback. Or the fact that it’s a manual winding movement with a 72-hour power reserve. On top of that, the MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential Flyback Platinum is a limited edition of 33 pieces making it extremely exclusive and is made even more so by the CHF 188,000 +VAT price tag (approx. £161,500 + VAT).
Price and Specs:
More details at MB&F.
