Introducing MB&F Brings Back The LM Sequential Chronograph, Now With Flyback

In 2022, MB&F won the Aiguille d'Or at GHPG for the brand's first-ever chronograph, the LM Sequential EVO. Among top watchmakers, it's a well-known fact that creating a novel chronograph of any kind is incredibly challenging. But with the imagination of Stephen McDonnell at the helm designing the movement of the LM Sequential EVO, the brand took novel to a new level. Now it's back, with a flyback function.

We covered the LM Sequential EVO extensively when it came out. The watch had five pushers, two independent yet integrated chronographs, and a sporty orange and black or just plain black look. The chronographs could be run separately, simultaneously, or have their functions inverted (starting one and instantly stopping the other) with the pusher at nine o'clock. It was incredible.

The new LM Sequential has taken on the aesthetics of the more traditional Legacy Machine (non-EVO) line, which means dressier touches like white lacquered domed subdials, a tilted and domed white lacquer time-indicating dial at 6 o'clock, and a sky blue mainplate. The case is as large as expected for MB&F, 44mm by 18.2mm of platinum, with five pushers. The lower pushers on the case at five o'clock and seven o'clock now read "flyback," showing off the updated movement mechanism as envisioned again by Stephen McDonnell. 

In other ways, the watch is largely the same as the past model – never bad for one of the best watches in the world. The manually wound movement works at 3Hz frequency with a three-day power reserve thanks to the double mainspring (a power reserve indicator is shown at the rear). It's got all the touches of hand finishing and darkened NAC-finished bridges that you want if you're shelling out big bucks for a major watch like this. The new LM Sequential Flyback is limited to 33 andpriced at $218,000.

Last fall, James Stacey and I sat with rapt attention as Stephen McDonnell put on the best watch talk we had ever seen (which you can read about and watch here). Leave it to the very particular kind of genius of McDonnell to take what GPHG called the best watch of the year in 2022 and make it better. I would have figured it would be impossible to make any major improvement. Well, the new LM Sequential Flyback is better in every marked horological way, minus one. The original LM Sequential EVO was housed in a 44mm zirconium EVO case with a shock-absorbing dampener and 80m of water resistance. 

To ensure the functioning of the two independent chronographs integrated in the one movement, McDonnell had to contend with the power demand and friction in the movement. The watch uses patented jewelled vertical clutches to reduce friction and stop the flyback from blocking the return-to-zero, plus a jeweled roller for improved precision and energy efficiency.

In some ways, it's hard for me to see this new LM Sequential Flyback as less sporty than the EVO despite the aesthetic changes, especially on the dial side. The tilted white lacquered time display and white lacquered rings for the chronograph counters combined with the sky blue dial plate certainly soften it up a bit. But the wildly complex display on the front, five chronograph pushers, and giant gears and wheels at the back still make this watch look anything but dressy. Not that it's a bad thing. This is still one incredible watch in sport or dress mode. 

Brand: MB&F
Model: LM Sequential Flyback

Diameter: 44mm
Thickness: 18.2mm
Case Material: Platinum
Dial Color: Sky Blue dial plate
Indexes: White lacquered tilted hours and minutes sub-dial at six o'clock with blued hand, four white lacquered domed chronograph rings with blued hands, 60-second white lacquered rings at nine and three o'clock, 30-min elapsed times at 11 and one o'clock
Lume: None
Water Resistance: 30m
Strap/Bracelet: Alligator leather strap with white gold folding buckle

Caliber: In-house movement conceived by Stephen McDonnell for MB&F
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, dual flyback chronographs, power reserve at rear, 60-second and 30-minute counters
Power Reserve: 72 hours
Winding: Manual winding with two barrels
Frequency: 3Hz
Jewels: 63
Chronometer Certified: None
Additional Details: 619 components

Price: $218,000
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: 33 pieces

For more, click here.