Bronze dominates three of Montblanc’s early SIHH 2017 releases as the firm celebrates Minerva military chronographs from the 1930s. These are placed within the retro-styled Montblanc 1858 collection that since its 2015 debut has done very well for the company. Recall that the 1858 collection is named after the year Minerva was founded in Villeret and in 2006 the Richemont Group purchased Minerva to enhance Montblanc’s watch manufacturing capabilities.
One debut, the higher-end Montblanc 1858 Chronometer Tachymeter Limited Edition 100, is cased fully with bronze while the other two, the Montblanc 1858 Automatic Dual Time and a Montblanc 1858 Automatic timepiece, feature, possibly for the first time anywhere, a steel case with a bronze bezel. Bronze complements both the colors of the dials and the antique-style straps
1858 Chronograph Tachymeter Limited Edition 100
This limited edition is housed in a 44mm fully satin bronze case with a bronze-colored titanium case back (to avoid allergies) and polished bezel. Other features include cognac alligator leather straps that, like all the straps in this 1858 Collection, have been crafted at the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence and feature bronze-plated buckles. Inside is manual monopusher chronograph Minerva MB M16.29, with a column-wheel mechanism, horizontal coupling, chronograph bridge in a “V” shape, a large screwed balance wheel with a frequency of 18,000 bph and a power reserve of fifty hours.
Designed in a large pocket watch style, the MB M16.29 has been inspired by the original Minerva 17.29 Caliber designed for pocket watches replica and wristwatches in the 1930s. This new version uses almost the same shape of components as the original 17.29 Caliber, but features different finishes, such as inside angles, Côtes de Genève stripes and circular graining. For the first time, the Caliber MB M16.29 bears red gold-colored components to better match the bronze material
1858 Automatic Dual Time
With a black dial, cathedral-shaped hands and beige SuperLuminova Arabic numerals, this dual-timer echoes the past nicely in a 44mm satin-finished steel case made with a bronze bezel and crown. Caliber MB 29.19 with dual time complication (developed and assembled in-house atop a Sellita base caliber) with a home time indication and a day/night display powers the watch. The user can set the local time hour hand to the new destination time zone without affecting the home time hour hand. The minute hand and the second hand also both continue to run uninterruptedly during this setting process, thus preserving the exact time. A day/night indicator, which is connected to the central home time hand, is visible in a small aperture at 12 o’clock. At six o’clock, a subdial indicates the small seconds and the date, which is linked to the local time. On the dial is a Montblanc logo from the 1930s.
1858 Automatic
Paired in style with the new dual-timer, this 1858 Automatic is also cased in 44mm satin-finished stainless steel with a bronze bezel and crown. Considering it is powered with a plainly finished Swiss-made Sellita automatic movement, Montblanc opted to close the caseback and endow it (and the dual-timer) with an engraving of the Minerva Manufacture in Villeret showing with the Jura Mountains in the background. There is also the Roberts Frères Villeret logo, the historic Minerva logo, the Montblanc name and the arrow from the Goddess Minerva’s spear. The new 1858 Automatic is held to the wrist with an aged, cognac-colored calfskin strap with beige stitching that has been crafted by Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence.
Preliminary prices are only available in Euros so far, with US pricing expected during SIHH in January. Preliminary prices: 1858 Chronometer Tachymeter Limited Edition 100 priced at 27,500 euros (approximately $29,600); 1858 Automatic Dual Time priced at 4,990 euros (approximately $5,371); 1858 Automatic priced at 3,490 euros, or approximately $3,756.