An ice-encrusted jewelry Legacy Machine.
There's a good reason why MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser included the word "friends" in the name of his own brand. He definitely has a talent for surrounding himself with outstanding masters, and one of the things they appreciate is him giving them the opportunity to bring their most imaginative ideas to life.
A new version of the Legacy Machine FlyingT has been created for MB&F by Emmanuel Tarpin. The 30-year-old haute joaillerie artist has already built a mind-blowing career and earned a name for himself as a rising star on the high-end jewelry scene.
After graduating from Geneva’s Haute École d'Arts Appliqués school in 2014, he received an offer from an attractive employer and moved to Paris for three years to create jewelry at Van Cleef & Arpels.
It wasn't long before Tarpin got itchy feet and decided to go it alone. He relocated to New York in 2017 and brought his jewelry to Christie's. This saw the first pair of earrings from his independent brand sell for USD 25,000 right off the bat.
Tarpin had become so renowned by 2019 that jewelry house de Grisogono invited him to be the first in a series of guest designers as their Artist in Residence. And now in the year 2022, he's created two versions of the Legacy Machine FlyingT for MB&F.
The watches are winter-inspired "Ice" and "Blizzard" editions, each of which is limited to eight pieces. They're decorated differently in terms of how the diamond elements rise up towards the domed glass.
The "Ice" edition features diamond-set stalagmites, each varying in shape and size, while brilliant-cut diamonds pile up a snowdrift of snowflakes on the "Blizzard" edition.
The "icy" composition has been thought-out in detail: a blue Paraiba tourmaline rises up in the center of the dial's flying tourbillon, replacing the diamond. Blue lapis lazuli serves as the dial plate with the balance wheel turned blue as well.
A warm tone is added by the sun-shaped rotor in red gold. The winding barrel is positioned between the regulating organ and the rotor, which ensures a power reserve of 100 hours.