Interviews

With Jerome Lambert, Montblanc continues to do wonders

Montblanc timepiece collection

 

True to the ethos that kept it successful for over a century – the consistent principles of design, style, quality and workmanship – as well as its traditions of lasting value and exquisite craftsmanship, Montblanc, with the leadership of Jerome Lambert, remains an icon of excellence, and carries on its legacy that marks advancement in the modern cultural life

Since its establishment in 1906, Montblanc has produced continuously phenomenal pieces that cement its status in the world of luxury craftsmanship. Its most recent announcement of new novelties has been witnessed at a gathering of the world’s finest watchmakers that showcased the essence of Haute Horlogerie to the aficionados in Asia, the Watches & Wonders 2015 that took place at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre from the 30th of September to the 3rd of October, 2015.

Montblanc timepiece collection

Meanwhile, the exclusive interview of “Day & Night” magazine with Montblanc’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jerome Lambert testifies the unstoppable quest for delivering quality products that last.

Meisterstück Heritage Spirit Date Automatic
An addition to the Heritage Spirit collection that was launched last year in homage to the spirit of the legendary Meisterstück fountain pen of 1924, this watch with 39mm diameter exudes elegance in 18-karat red gold and slightly domed form and fine guilloché-work.

The surface is further embellished with fine faceted hour-markers of different sizes, and a plain aperture at 3 o’clock. For the hours and minutes, Montblanc opted for Dauphine hands, recognisable by their slender form.

At the heart of this timepiece is the self-winding mechanical calibre MB 24.09. The case sports a polished narrow convex bezel, a horizontally satin-finished middle and subtly curved horns, with a slightly convex sapphire crystal. The complete watch, harmonious in its overall aspect, is worn on a black alligator-skin strap closed by a traditional ardillon buckle.

Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Dual Time Vasco Da Gama Limited Edition

This elegant 41 mm in diameter watch features a case back in stainless steel and an 18 karat red gold-finish bezel. It houses a highly functional complication which enables it to simultaneously display a second time zone (local time) alongside the time in the wearer’s home time zone.

The model is driven by the in-house MB 29.19 automatic calibre with a Dual Time complication viewed through a transparent case back displaying a drawing of the São Gabriel, Vasco da Gama’s floating flagship, together with his signature.

This timepiece houses a silvery-white dial with a sunburst pattern bearing eleven facetted indexes in red gold-plated appliqué. Its slightly cambered shape features a miniature map of the world, which, through its three-dimensional effect. This watch is limited to 238 pieces.

Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Dual Time Vasco Da Gama Limited Edition

Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie ExoTourbillion VDG Diamond LE25

The timepiece comes in 44 mm diameter white gold case that is polished and satin-finished, and fitted with a bezel adorned with 76 diamonds. It features eye-catching oscillations of the balance-wheel. Amid this star-spangled firmament, a diamond with a patented cut in the shape of the Montblanc emblem shines at 12 o’clock. In the centre of the dial, the display with the date hand is adorned with a blue “flinqué” guilloché wave pattern.

The pane of sapphire crystal inset into the back of the case is adorned with a sketch of the São Gabriel, together with the signature of the explorer. The series is strictly limited to 25 pieces.

Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie ExoTourbillion VDG Diamond LE25

 

Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Annuel Vasco da Gama Diamonds

In this watch, the calendar displays are governed by an Annual Calendar complication. This mechanism automatically controls the number of days to be displayed according to the length of the current month (30 or 31 days), but nevertheless requires a manual setting in the case of the month of February.

The unique moonphase indicator is embedded in a depiction of the starry firmament in the Southern Hemisphere. Operated by an independent gear-train, this original display is set separately from the annual calendar complication. To display the phases of the moon, the beautiful blue-lacquered constellation holds an aperture for a golden turning disc.

Featuring a silvery-white dial with a delicate sunburst pattern and appliqué indexes, it is fitted with a 40 mm-diameter case crafted in 18 karat red gold, enhanced by a bezel set with 72 brilliant-cut diamonds.

Launched in a limited edition of 90 pieces, it flaunts a sapphire crystal caseback decorated with a sketch of the historic sailing vessel and the intrepid discoverer’s signature.

Montblanc Heritage Spirit Perpetual Calendar Sapphire

This ultra-elegant watch model displays in a highly legible manner all the information pertaining to the perpetual calendar complication, enhanced by a unique moonphase indication. Made of 18 karat red gold, it showcases the mechanical splendour of its perpetual calendar grand complication movement through a transparent dial of smoky sapphire crystal.

With a diameter of 39 mm, it boasts the components of the perpetual calendar function, particularly the month and leap-year cams, the moonphase wheels, and also the levers and jumpers of the various different correctors that fix the position of the slender blued hands in their respective sub-dials.

This particularly functional perpetual calendar grand complication timepiece is integrated to a self-winding calibre MB 29.15, which can be admired through the screwed sapphire crystal case-back.

Montblanc Heritage Spirit Perpetual Calendar Sapphire

Montblanc Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique NightSky Geosphères

This new timepiece unites a cylindrical tourbillon and a uniquely functional world-time indication, and makes first-ever appearance in 18 karat white gold.

It is an eye-catcher with the 47 mm case and the large sophisticated dial. Its power is provided by the hand-wound calibre MB M68.40 that allows a triple time zone. It features a continually running and independently adjustable display for the home time, presented on a three-dimensional twelve-hour compass rose at “6 o’clock”. It comes with a pair of globes depicting the World´s 24 time zones in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, along with the passage of the days and nights.

This revolutionary wristwatch is strictly limited to eighteen pieces.

Montblanc Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique NightSky Geosphères

Montblanc writes history with Jerome Lambert

The exclusive interview of “Day & Night” magazine with Jerome Lambert, the Montblanc CEO, reveals the future of the brand that has over a century of rich legacy.

What improvements have you implemented in the development of Montblanc’s leather collections?

There had been a number of changes since I joined in 2013. We created a separate business unit for the leather goods, and hired a brand new marketing team. We moved the design and marketing team to France. In a span of a year, I have introduced 300 references with more variety, colours and materials that would appeal to our target professional and business traveller clientele.

How do you see the future of writing instruments?

It is absolutely interesting to note, that contrary to popular thinking, the business in writing instruments proves to have a very good potential. I can liken this situation with the return of high jewellery in the luxury segments. There has been a point in time when only the royalties understand the essence of high jewellery. However, looking at it now, it has come back into a strong luxury segment once again.

Montblanc writing pen

What were the challenges that you faced in developing the new e-Strap segment?

It is a very interesting unit. I find it very interesting when I see the amount of effort that has been put into the new initiatives. It is an amazing journey for Montblanc because the work does not stop in product development. It continues further to training people and to bringing it to the wrists of the clients. We are comfortable with our large network of retailers but the best way to explain the product to customers is through our well-informed and highly trained staff – and that is one of the important elements in working around this new segment.

Will the maison go into the business of making smart watches?

The Montblanc philosophy works around creating products that are lifetime companions. Since the smart watches are provided with maximum two years of life span, I believe that it is not aligned with Montblanc’s ethos. Yet, we are enhancing our products with the use of smart technology. We use e-refill for our writing instruments. We have e-tags for our travel accessories.

While you launched one Montblanc timepiece collection to another, don’t you think Montblanc is moving too fast in this category?

I believe it is not a question of being quick or not but a concern about whether the company can sustain it or not. Are the products becoming more aspirational? Is the quality being met? Is what we’ve promised done? So far, I would say, that we are quite on track in having done what we said, and having said what we have done.

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