The mechanism was a piece of superb craftsmanship that should have lasted for a million years, but it had never been meant to withstand the heavy shock of being dropped, as it must have been.
The mechanism was  a work of superb craftsmanship.
mnli hypothesis: The mechanism was  a work of superb craftsmanship. premise: The mechanism was a piece of superb craftsmanship that should have lasted for a million years, but it had never been meant to withstand the heavy shock of being dropped, as it must have been.