It may be a ‘Special Edition’, but SE stands for ‘Split Escapement’: a non-conformist construction first developed by Stephen McDonnell for the LM Perpetual. This dissociated escapement allows the flying balance, a distinctive feature of the Legacy Machine range, to exist in its purest form: it floats alone above the dial, while the rest of the escapement – anchor and escape wheel – is located on the opposite side, at the back of the movement. Connecting these two parts is an escapement shaft measuring almost 12mm, probably the longest ever designed; a real challenge to machine and assemble. In its day, the LM Perpetual featured so many other innovations that this dissociated escapement didn’t really get the attention it deserved; with the LMSE, it becomes the focal point.
Beneath the LMSE’s flying balance are three dials: time, power reserve (72 hours) and date. But not a standard date! A date that is above all practical, responding to an unavoidable reality: collectors wear a lot of watches, and when they wear a watch with a date… they rarely set the date! It’s simply too tedious to do so when you know that the watch will only be worn for a few days, before you choose another one… The LMSE lets you set the date quickly and easily with a push-button right next to the dial – in just a few clicks, it’s done. What’s more, date manipulation is risk-free: the button is automatically deactivated around midnight, when you need to avoid making adjustments that could damage the movement.
Finally, to sublimate the flying balance and its three dials, a sparkling scene of frosted metal. The face of the LMSE – in fact the movement’s main plate – is grained, a traditional finish produced entirely by hand. The irregular surface is then plated in 4 different colors: blue, dark gray, rose gold or yellow gold. Each edition is limited to just 18 pieces and associated with a different movement finish. The cases are in 18-carat white gold.
Yes, the LMSE contains a split escapement, which is technically very difficult to achieve. Yes, the date function has been designed to be practical and risk-free. And the grained finish is, of course, done by hand, with all due care and attention. A beautiful machine
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