Montblanc is the latest brand to join the watchmaking gold rush, the return to gold cases made of customized alloys. The case of the new 1858 Split Seconds Chronograph Limited Edition 18 is made of lime gold, a mix of gold, silver and iron that is proprietary to Montblanc. Exotic case materials have been a theme for the 1858 Split Seconds Chrono. It debuted in 2019 with a bronze case, followed last year by a titanium version.
The lime gold edition was limited to 18 pieces, and don’t expect a reissue any time soon. It will not be remade in its current form. However, the green gold is likely to make a showing on future special editions. “It would be nonsense to invest in creating a new gold alloy for only 18 pieces,” says Laurent Lecamp, manager of Montblanc’s watch division. “Of course, when we use it again, it won’t be the same design. It will be something unique and limited.”
The “1858” is a reference to the founding date of the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland. Montblanc acquired the elite, boutique workshop in 2006 and now refers to it as the Institut Minerva de Recherche en Haute Horlogerie. It is known for its beautifully hand finished movements and its chronograph pocket and wristwatches, many of which were used by the military. Minerva timed the 1936 Olympics. The 1858 collection debuted in 2015 as a venue for paying homage to Minerva’s designs and calibers. Lecamp is keen on continuing to reinforce the Minerva profile and expertise within the company.
The result of merging the two marques within one company is a broader offering, from entry level luxury to top level luxury, he says. “It’s all luxury, but Minerva adds another level,” says Lecamp. “When you climb Mount Everest, first you go to 1,000 feet, then 2,000 … and eventually 6,000. One stage at a time. So with Montblanc, you can start with a nice entry level watch, and you can climb toward Minerva at the summit. It’s all at the same level in one way, because our top watchmakers and craftspeople are sharing knowledge and savoir faire. It’s all the same company.”
The new Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition 148 is another example of a piece that occupies the summit. It is named for the ancient Greek mathematician who invented the Golden Section, the divine proportions that represent beauty and harmony. The formula was used to calculate the position of bridges and the shape of components in the movement, caliber MB M14.08. It is based on an original Minerva movement, caliber 48, created in the 1940s by Andrey Frey, owner and watch engineer of Minerva at the time.
Why the perfect proportions? “I’ll go back to a Mount Everest metaphor,” says Lecamp. “Why climb it? Because it’s there. Frey decided to create the perfect movement based on the golden ratio. Two years ago, we decided to improve upon perfection by evolving the movement, using the same perfect proportions but increasing the power reserve (from 50 hours to 80 hours). We had to build new tools to do the calculations,” he says. The 39mm white gold case, with its curved and faceted horns, are another nod to vintage Minerva designs. It is priced at $20,200.
Also coming out this year in the 1858 collection is the Geosphere Limited Edition, an ode to adventurers. The graduated beige-to-brown dial, bronze case and ceramic bezel echo the colors of a desert landscape. It is a nod to Italian adventurer Reinhold Messner’s solo trek of 2,000 kilometers across the Gobi Desert. Two rotating north/south hemisphere globes double as day/night and 24-hour indicators – and look really cool at night when lit up with green Super-LumiNova. But the real spectacle is on the caseback: it bears a 3D, colored engraving of the desert’s famous Flaming Cliffs, which glow red and orange at sunset (and are also notable because specimens of Velociraptors have been found there). The 42mm case is a gorgeous bronze. It is priced at $6,500.
