Reconnecting Through Nature With New Montblanc Timepieces In Khaki Green
Press Release – SIHH 2019
Reconnecting Through Nature With New Montblanc Timepieces In Khaki Green
Precise, legible and robust for use in extreme conditions, the legendary professional Minerva watches from the 1920s and 1930s were conceived for military use and exploration. Inspired by these historic timepieces, the Montblanc 1858 pays tribute to the Minerva Manufacture’s extraordinary heritage.
In an elegant pairing of green and bronze, three new editions capture the spirit of the great outdoors. Hiking through forests, across elds or up to the highest peaks, the Montblanc 1858 Automatic, Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph and Montblanc 1858 Geosphere are trusted companions for fearless adventurers and explorers.
The Spirit of Montblanc Exploration
The Montblanc 1858 finds its inspiration in the world of mountain exploration, with the introduction of a new khaki-green colour that enhances the connection to nature. A reinterpretation of the Minerva pocket watches and chronographs from the 1920s and 1930s, the new Montblanc 1858 timepieces capture the spirit of the past in a modern way combining a vintage- looking bronze case enriched with aluminium that evolves over time and innovative, highly functional in-house complications. Trusted companions for outdoor adventures, these timepieces are designed for modern-day explorers who set their own challenges, express their own personal style, live authentic lifestyles and nd harmony with nature to reach new heights in life.
The Connection to Nature
The polished and satin-finished bronze cases feature slim bevelled horns while the case back is crafted from titanium featuring a bronze colour coating. The case back is also engraved with the emblematic Mont Blanc mountain, a compass and two crossed ice pick-axes, as a nod to the spirit of mountain exploration. Other details include uted crowns that recall those on period timepieces and robust, domed, sapphire crystal glass boxes that highlight the vintage look of each watch.
For legibility and design, the khaki-green dials contrast with historical luminescent cathedral-shaped hands with a “cloisonné” design that have been slightly domed for one of the nest nishes. Other details include beige SuperLumiNova*-coated Arabic numerals, a railway minutes track and the original Montblanc logo from the 1930s era with its historical font and emblem of the Mont Blanc Mountain.
*Super-LumiNova is a trademark which does not belong to Montblanc
Providing a contemporary look, the watches are equipped with high-quality woven “NATO” straps. These straps are handcrafted in France at a traditional weaving manufacture that has been in production for over 150 years. Thanks to this artisanal know-how, the “NATO” straps are re ned, robust, durable and very comfortable on the wrist.
In order to guarantee the performance of the product line, all the Montblanc 1858 models undergo over 500 hours of simulated wear, with speci c testing and controls under extreme conditions. The Automatic, Chronograph and Geosphere models are also water-resistant to 100 metres ensuring performance in all environments.
This year marks the arrival of four new 1858 editions: Two new 1858 Automatic models, a 1858 Chronograph and a 1858 Geosphere. The two new 1858 Automatic models come in a choice of a full-bronze 40mm case (previous versions had a steel case and a bronze bezel) paired with a khaki-green dial, or a steel case with a black dial. The new 1858 Chronograph comes in a 42mm full bronze case with khaki-green dial, providing an ideal backdrop for the bi-compax counters. And last, but not least, the 1858 Geosphere, which is dedicated to the world’s Seven Summit mountaineering challenge, the holy grail of mountaineering adventures, is now also available in this new bronze/khaki colour scheme.
Fine Watchmaking with Character
Centuries of collected knowledge, decades of experience, years of development and hundreds of hours of dedicated labour – they all culminate in a Montblanc timepiece coming to life. With their skills and knowledge handed down through generations, the watchmakers at the Montblanc Manufactures in Villeret and Le Locle put their pride, passion and soul into each timepiece. Villeret’s watchmaking tradition began almost 160 years ago, when in 1858 Charles-Yvan Robert founded a watch workshop in a small village in the Saint-Imier valley. Under the name Minerva, the company gained worldwide recognition for its precise chronometry and became a leading specialist in the fabrication of professional watches. Capable of measuring time accurately to 1/100th of a second in 1916, its mechanical stopwatches were fundamental to the evolution of modern-day motor racing.
As the former home of Minerva, the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret upholds the manufacture’s legacy of expertise. Here, Montblanc’s Movement & Innovation Excellence Centre continues to enrich ne Swiss watchmaking with ground-breaking innovations. This watchmaking expertise gained from high complications is also applied to the creation of highly functional small complications. In the Manufacture’s ateliers, all the movements’ components are carefully crafted and decorated by hand using traditional methods. The watchmakers chamfer every edge, polish even the tiniest wheel and adorn plates and bridges with the traditional circular graining and “Côtes de Genève” stripes. Their great dexterity and skill are also indispensable in crafting delicate balance springs, an accomplishment only very few watch manufactures manage. Manifesting in a superior level of craftsmanship and timelessly elegant design codes, the Montblanc Manufactures’s horological knowledge is deeply embedded in all Montblanc timepieces, handing the passion for ne watchmaking on from grand complication timepieces to re ned three-hand watches.