The collaboration between MB&F and Eddy Jaquet, a master engraver from Neuchâtel and the creator of the subtle hand inscriptions that can be seen on Legacy Machines, has resulted in a series of eight unique pieces, each inspired by a novel by Jules Verne. Scenes and key moments from the stories of each novel - from the most famous "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" to the lesser-known "The Adventures of Captain Hatteras" - are illustrated thanks to engravings made directly on the dial, which is crafted in 18-carat white gold. To allow Jaquet to exercise his creativity and engraving skills to the full, the bezel was redesigned to be thinner and the dimensions of the case were reworked to make room for the larger dial. A new crystal for the dial also had to be made, with a less pronounced curve of the dome to accommodate the larger diameter. Each of the eight LM Split Escapement 'Eddy Jaquet' Limited Edition watches is fitted with an 18-carat red gold case. Instead of the more commonly used technique of uniformly applying a dark coating, which is then partially removed to create the desired contrast, Jaquet opted for a more challenging and aesthetically pleasing method: using an electroplating jeweller's pen, he applied a solution containing ions of a dark rhodium alloy to each dial combined with other metals several times, managing to create a wide range of grey tones and thus offer different textures and levels of light. The movement of the Legacy Machine Split Escapement, a hand-wound mechanical movement with 296 components and a 72-hour power reserve, is equipped with a 'split escapement', with a balance wheel suspended above the dial, and an anchor and escape wheel below the movement.
