Tennis player Gaël Monfils spotted wearing a MB&F

A wrist shot circulating from Gaël Monfils's inner circle reveals the French tennis ace wearing what is unquestionably one of the most technically and visually complex wristwatches produced in the past decade: the MB&F Legacy Machine Thunderdome in white gold, paired with a dark navy alligator strap and a silver-linked bracelet on the opposing wrist — a characteristically bold layering choice from one of the ATP Tour's most expressive personalities.

The LM Thunderdome, launched in 2020, represents the apex of MB&F's Legacy Machine collection. At its core sits a triple-axis tourbillon — the first of its kind in a wristwatch at this price tier — developed in partnership with two of Switzerland's most celebrated movement ateliers: Kari Voutilainen and Giulio Papi's APRP. The three tourbillon cages rotate on axes inclined at 30°, 20°, and perpendicular planes respectively, completing their cycles in 8 seconds, 18 seconds, and 30 seconds. The 44mm white gold case houses the full mechanism beneath a domed sapphire crystal, while the suspended sub-dial displaying hours and minutes in Roman numerals — a nod to the LM DNA — floats visibly at six o'clock.

What makes this reference a collector's landmark is the infinity-mirror dial: concentric rings of sapphire and LED illumination create a tunnel effect of seemingly infinite depth, a deliberate theatrical flourish that contrasts with the restrained white lacquered time display. It is simultaneously maximalist and refined — exactly the creative tension MB&F founder Maximilian Büsser has pursued since the brand's founding in 2005.

Monfils, ranked among tennis's most creative players, has built a parallel identity as a serious watch collector. His affinity for technically extreme, design-forward pieces is well-documented, and the Thunderdome is perhaps the single most logical addition to any collection that prizes mechanical theatre over conservative dresswear.

The LM Thunderdome was produced in a limited run of 33 pieces across platinum and white gold variants. On the secondary market, demand has held firm well above retail, with white gold examples trading between $280,000 and $330,000 depending on condition and provenance — making this one of the most coveted MB&F references in existence.