Montblanc 1858 Collection: A Tribute to Heritage
Montblanc 1858 Collection
To demonstrate its 157 years of history, the luxury Maison Montblanc returns to the prestigious Minerva manufacture, an integral part of the Montblanc watchmaking manufacture originally founded in Villeret in the Saint-Imier valley in 1858, and reinterprets the chronograph it launched in the 1930s through the unveiling of the Montblanc 1858 collection
Highly admired in the watchmaking industry, the renowned Minerva manufacture is considered as one of the great specialists in developing chronographs and sports counters that can measure tiny fractions of time with chronometric precision. The 13.20 calibre – launched at the start of the 1920s – is one of the emblematic creations of Villeret, and has become one of the foremost mechanical chronograph movements specially developed for wristwatches.
The mechanical counter, accurate to a hundredth of second, which was unveiled in 1936, is also of note. This passion for accurately measuring time, combined with perfect mastery of the various watchmaking frequencies and its ability to make its own balance wheels and balance springs, enabled Minerva to demonstrate its expertise in the field of timekeeping for demanding professionals.
Montblanc is proud of this heritage and is now continuing to develop new high-quality calibres, made using the same traditional methods that Montblanc has always been keen to respect. In keeping with this tradition, the world pays witness to Montblanc’s reinterpretation of the monopusher chronograph developed by the Minerva manufacture during the 1930s. Unveiled at the Salon Internacional de Alta Relojeria (SIAR) 2015 in Mexico City, the new Montblanc 1858 collection captures the spirit of technical advancement that marked the vintage period by integrating key historical design features.
The dials of the watches in the Montblanc 1858 collection still bear the historic logo of Montblanc that was used at that time, and on which not only the numerals but also the hands are luminescent, identical in every way to those of the model that served as inspiration. The winding crown that incorporates the chronograph push-piece is also reminiscent of that of the fluted facets on period timepieces. On the whole, the décor of the vintage character that is easy to read at night helps to underpin the spirit of adventure of the creations in the Montblanc 1858 collection.
The Montblanc 1858 collection features two models: The Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter and the Montblanc 1858 Small Second Special Edition.
Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter
Taking a closer look at the Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter, it appears with a massive 44 mm-diameter case made from 18-karat red gold that features a design with rounded forms inspired by those of the chronograph from 1930. Just like the original model for pilots, the horns are fine and curved. All these typical lines and curves of that time mean that the middle, a mere 13.15 mm deep, can follow the natural curves of the forearm and rest comfortably on any wrist. In the same spirit, the lug has been widened to 20 mm to ensure that the overall design respects the original proportions. To further highlight the historic character of this limited-edition timekeeper, the bevelled winding crown that includes the single push-piece of the chronograph has been kept, as has the fine round bezel, so that the dial has as large a visible surface as possible.
Its large, exceptionally clear bicompax dial has large Arabic numerals and “cathedral” hands coated with Super-LumiNova®*. With this non-radioactive material that remains luminescent for a long time means that the timepiece can be used both night and day. The entire display is laid out around two counters, the first of which continually displays the seconds (at 9 o’clock) with the second showing the minutes that have elapsed once the chronograph complication has been started. The dial background painted in deep black, on which the historic Montblanc emblem has been drawn, also shows a traced rail track, to which has been added a tachymetric scale for measuring speed in terms of a timed kilometre. The great simplicity with which this piece has been designed reveals the spirit of adventure of the original model, which for the new model has been further enhanced.
Inspired by the original chronograph movement, the 17.29 calibre, designed by Minerva in 1929, this timepiece produces power from the pocket watch-sized MB M16.29 hand-wound mechanism that is visible through the transparent sapphire case back. Through the transparent case back, it is also possible to see the iconic engraved “V” chronograph bridge, which has been protected by Minerva since 1912.
All the components, including the cock of the large screw-regulated balance wheel for fine adjustment referred to as the “swan’s neck”, have a Geneva ribbing finish and edges with a large number of re-entrant angles hand-bevelled in the finest tradition of Haute Horlogerie. The horizontal coupling in this classic construction is combined with a lever that holds the chronograph’s hammers, and is finished off with a little arrow, the visual signature of Minerva. This resolutely classic mechanism, assembled, adjusted and finished by hand in the Villeret Manufacture while respecting the highest standards in the profession, comprises 252 components, has a depth of 6.30 mm and oscillates at 18,000 vibrations per hour, a traditional frequency reminiscent of heart-beats that allows an autonomy of 50 hours. Available in only 100 pieces, the Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter comes in black alligator-skin strap with 18 K red gold pin buckle.
Montblanc 1858 Small Second Special Edition
Meanwhile, the other highlight of the collection is the Montblanc 1858 Small Second Special Edition. This watch features a fine bezel to maximise the clarity of the dial, both at night and during the day. It does this at night thanks to large Arabic numerals and “cathedral” hands coated with beige-painted Super-LumiNova®*, a non-radioactive material that remains luminescent for a long time. To further underline the retro design with the aged appearance of the luminescent paint, the seconds are shown in a little subdial at 6 o’clock, as was customary for this kind of instrument in the 1930s.
The timepiece sees the MB 23.03 manually wound calibre, with its large diameter of 37.2 mm, recalls the beauty of the pocket-watch movements. This movement, with 17 jewels and 46 hours of power reserve once the barrel has been fully wound, has a balance that oscillates at 21,600 vibrations an hour. The visible finishes that can be seen through the transparent case back, such as the blued screws, keep with the spirit of those developed in the 1930s.
Coming in a black alligator-skin strap with ecru saddle stitching, fastened at the wrist with a stainless steel pin buckle, this model comes in limited edition of 858 pieces, paying tribute to the birthday of Minerva in 1858.
