MB&F turns the LM Perpetual toward color in 2026 with three Chromatic editions, each framed by a hand-set ring of 48 baguette-cut stones. White gold meets blue sapphires or purple sapphires, sourced from Madagascar and Sri Lanka. Red gold pairs with rubies from Mozambique. The geometry of the case stays trim despite the gemstones, thanks to careful work by long-time Friend STG Creation in Geneva.
Details are tuned to the bezels and metals: PVD-treated hands in blue or purple for the sapphire versions, and 5N PVD hands echoing the red gold of the ruby model. Each reference is limited to 8 pieces, which feels about right for a watch that prefers conversation to spectacle.
Beneath the color sits the familiar LM Perpetual architecture, conceived with Stephen McDonnell. It is a fully integrated 581-component calibre – no module, no base movement – governed by a mechanical processor that defaults to 28 days and adds precisely what each month requires. No fast-forwarding through phantom dates. Pushers automatically deactivate during the date change, and a dedicated quickset adjusts the leap year without the usual scroll through months.
The display is open and honest. The balance is suspended above the dial and linked to the escapement on the back by what is likely to be the world’s longest balance staff. Subdials appear to float on hidden studs – possible here because the traditional grand lever is absent. Readout is clear: hours and minutes at 12, day at 3, power reserve at 4, month at 6, retrograde leap year at 7, date at 9.
First launched in 2015 and awarded the GPHG Best Calendar Watch in 2016, the LM Perpetual was built to solve the known failings of the complication. These Chromatic editions keep that purpose intact. The gemstones are a frame, not a diversion, around a movement that still privileges function over flourish. A little light on the bezel, a lot of thought beneath it.
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