Lot Essay
The Legacy Machine 1 Xia Hang
Illustrating MB&F’s commitment to collaborative watchmaking and the production of watches as sculptural works of art for the wrist, the LM1 Xia Hang was conceived as a ‘Performance Art’ piece and a treat for the eyes. This special Legacy Machine 1 was made as a limited edition in collaboration between MB&F and the talented young Chinese artist Xia Hang. The present example of this exclusive edition is presented in superb condition and is accompanied by the full set including the original fitted box.
Inspired by 19th century pocket watches, Legacy Machine 1 has three distinct characteristics; a unique flying balance wheel; independent dual time zones and most intriguing of all, a vertical power reserve indicator. It is with this vertical power reserve indicator, a first for watchmaking, that Xia Hang has performed his artistic alchemy: the power reserve arm has been replaced by a miniature, highly-polished articulated creature, one of Xia Hang’s so-called ‘comma men’. These miniature masterpieces are reductions of the artist’s full-size sculptures. When the power is low, the comma man bends his back and slumps down. Upon winding, the little figure lifts his head and straightens his back to show that the power reserve is restored. The dual time zones where the hours and the minutes are displayed on each of the two sub dials can be set completely independently of each other with the two crowns.
Legacy Machine 1
With its completely independent time zones and 14mm ‘flying’ balance wheel, as well as a one of a kind vertical power reserve indicator, the Legacy Machine 1 is three dimensional in a way that only Jean-Francois, Kari Voutilainen and MB&F could possibly accomplish. Legacy Machine No. 1 was the first Machine in an entirely new line of watches from MB&F crafted with respect to the traditional core values of watchmaking. It was also the company’s first watch to be housed in a circular case. The LM1 was awarded the Public Prize (voted for by horology fans) and the Best Men’s Watch Prize (voted for by the jury) at the 2012 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, it is best described as “the sublimation of classical excellence and traditional watchmaking”.
Xia Hang
Xia Hang was born in 1978 in Shenyang, China. He began painting at just 10 years old. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts before going on to do a Master of Fine Arts within the sculpture department of China’s Central Academy of Fine Arts.
It was during his studies that Hang created a cluster of comma-shaped men in mirror-polished stainless steel. These sculptures became the blueprint for what would become his signature, alien-like sculptures. Xia Hang said “Commas do exist in Chinese writing, for me, my ‘comma man’ represents a chubby little boy.”
Illustrating MB&F’s commitment to collaborative watchmaking and the production of watches as sculptural works of art for the wrist, the LM1 Xia Hang was conceived as a ‘Performance Art’ piece and a treat for the eyes. This special Legacy Machine 1 was made as a limited edition in collaboration between MB&F and the talented young Chinese artist Xia Hang. The present example of this exclusive edition is presented in superb condition and is accompanied by the full set including the original fitted box.
Inspired by 19th century pocket watches, Legacy Machine 1 has three distinct characteristics; a unique flying balance wheel; independent dual time zones and most intriguing of all, a vertical power reserve indicator. It is with this vertical power reserve indicator, a first for watchmaking, that Xia Hang has performed his artistic alchemy: the power reserve arm has been replaced by a miniature, highly-polished articulated creature, one of Xia Hang’s so-called ‘comma men’. These miniature masterpieces are reductions of the artist’s full-size sculptures. When the power is low, the comma man bends his back and slumps down. Upon winding, the little figure lifts his head and straightens his back to show that the power reserve is restored. The dual time zones where the hours and the minutes are displayed on each of the two sub dials can be set completely independently of each other with the two crowns.
Legacy Machine 1
With its completely independent time zones and 14mm ‘flying’ balance wheel, as well as a one of a kind vertical power reserve indicator, the Legacy Machine 1 is three dimensional in a way that only Jean-Francois, Kari Voutilainen and MB&F could possibly accomplish. Legacy Machine No. 1 was the first Machine in an entirely new line of watches from MB&F crafted with respect to the traditional core values of watchmaking. It was also the company’s first watch to be housed in a circular case. The LM1 was awarded the Public Prize (voted for by horology fans) and the Best Men’s Watch Prize (voted for by the jury) at the 2012 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, it is best described as “the sublimation of classical excellence and traditional watchmaking”.
Xia Hang
Xia Hang was born in 1978 in Shenyang, China. He began painting at just 10 years old. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts before going on to do a Master of Fine Arts within the sculpture department of China’s Central Academy of Fine Arts.
It was during his studies that Hang created a cluster of comma-shaped men in mirror-polished stainless steel. These sculptures became the blueprint for what would become his signature, alien-like sculptures. Xia Hang said “Commas do exist in Chinese writing, for me, my ‘comma man’ represents a chubby little boy.”