Meteorological science tells us that the meeting of cold and warm currents can cause climatic disasters of all kinds and magnitude. Storms, extreme weather conditions, and even tornadoes can result. So when two very different master watchmakers come together (one is a legendary innovator from the Vallée de Joux , known for the originality of his astonishing complications, the other a renowned perfectionist and acclaimed pillar of traditional watchmaking art based in Môtiers ), sparks are very likely to fly.
Rising from a blue guilloche sea, the spherical rotating mass shows itself in all its complexity with gears, pinions and cages. Somehow, this chaotic movement gives off a certain order. The time can be read on a lacquered dial with an enamel and angled finish, demonstrating that even the most violent whirlwinds of watchmaking can be harnessed to the logic of hours and minutes.
Maximilian Büsser , founder of MB&F , says: “One of the many things that makes me incredibly happy is that thanks to this model we have been able to bring together two personalities in the industry for whom I have immense respect, who are extremely talented, with two completely different styles and personalities and who have never had the opportunity to work together before.”
Certain opportunities, when seized, can revolutionize the future of an entire industry. The only instruction MB&F gave Eric Coudray at the start of the project was to “create the craziest and most cinematic three-axis tourbillon ever .” Given carte blanche to unleash his creative genius, Coudray created something completely new in his experience: a mechanism that goes beyond the tourbillon, MB&F 's new patented “ TriAx . ”
The new “ TriAx ” mechanism in the Legacy Machine Thunderdome impressively fulfills the brief given by MB&F to Coudray. The triple-axis rotating escapement has a minimalist structure, capable of transgressing all conventions, both traditional and modern. Instead of the rational (and cumbersome) system of associating one cage with each rotating axis, TriAx defies logic with a three-axis, two-cage configuration, clearly showcasing the unprecedented swirl of the Thunderdome ’s beating heart.
In a second burst of audacity, Coudray , whose name is synonymous with forward-thinking 21st-century watchmaking, has developed the LM Thunderdome 's TriAx mechanism to shatter commonly held notions of horological escapements. Controlling the rate at which energy escapes from the barrel is an unusual Potter escapement, which uses a fixed escape wheel rather than the movable escape wheels used in virtually all modern rotating escapements. In this type of mechanism, the fixed wheel of the Potter escapement, named after 19th-century watchmaker and inventor Albert H. Potter , allows for a higher rotational speed.
Putting a fixed escape wheel inside a three-axis rotating mechanism is something truly innovative, but in the LM Thunderdome it is possible, and for good reason: the high-speed rotation consumes a huge amount of energy, with the innermost structure completing a full rotation in 8 seconds, the intermediate cage rotating once every 12 seconds, and the outermost one completing a full rotation every 20 seconds.
Another advantage of the Potter escapement is that it leaves more space for the balance wheel and its hairspring. This allows for a better view of another completely new invention: the LM Thunderdome 's balance wheel takes on a hemispherical shape, surrounding the helical hairspring to create a regulating organ whose structure is unprecedented in watchmaking, neither modern nor traditional.
Even for a seasoned watch connoisseur accustomed to the multi-axis tourbillons of the last 15 years, since this type of mechanism was introduced to the watchmaking world, Legacy Machine Thunderdome is a true revelation. Not only is it faster, with components rotating at dizzying speeds, but it is also larger, thanks to the offset axis of the outermost carriage that increases the overall movement of the balance wheel and is visible like never before. The pronounced arched shape of the sapphire crystal dome allows Eric Coudray's work to dominate the main dial, revealing all its beauty from any angle.
As hard as it is to tear your gaze away from the spectacular dial, the movement behind the LM Thunderdome is equally rewarding. While the manual-winding triple-barrel movement was designed by Eric Coudray , the aesthetics are entirely the work of Kari Voutilainen.
After hours of working together, the two watchmakers succeeded in imbuing the agile dynamism of the Coudray movement with elegantly classic forms. Bridges with softly rounded shapes, sharp hand-chamfered internal angles and mirrored curves instill a profound, imperturbable calm, stabilizing the turbulent vortex on the opposite side. For the first time on an MB&F creation , Kari Voutilainen has applied his patented finish to the pinions. This technique gives the circular surface a meandering shimmer, capturing and reflecting light in sigmoid waves. It is a closely guarded manufacturing secret in Voutilainen 's workshops , requiring years of experience and special tools to achieve.
The LM Thunderdome is being launched in two limited editions: 33 pieces in 950 platinum with a light blue guilloché dial, and 10 pieces (pictured below) in tantalum to commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Hour Glass , a retail group in the Asia-Pacific region. Five pieces will feature a dark blue guilloché dial, and five will feature an aventurine marquetry dial (pictured below, left). The price will be over €300.000, including taxes.
