MONTBLANC – 1858 Minerva The Unveiled Chronograph Yellow Gold Edition

 

MONTBLANC – 1858 The Unveiled Minerva Monopusher Chronograph 43mm Yellow Gold Limited Edition 2026

An expansive view of mechanical excellence 

Minerva’s reversed movement timepiece is presented in a rich brown colourway and full-gold construction.

First introduced in 2023, Minerva The Unveiled Chronograph unveils the stunning complexity and meticulous hand-finishing of the movement on the front side of the watch. This full view is facilitated by the reverse-mounted movement, which exposes the bridges, levers and gears, as well as by the open-worked sapphire dial, which virtually disappears from view, and five apertures built into the mid-case.  

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Because the movement is built onto pillars, the lower plates are naturally illuminated through the mid-case apertures, which allows the eye to explore the intricate architecture of this calibre. To create even greater visual contrast, Minerva unveils a new limited edition version of the timepiece where the rear-mounted plates, as well as the signature V-shaped bridge up top, are coated in a rich brown colour, further matched by the brown semi-matte alligator strap. This reimagined colourway of the watch comes in a limitation 30 pieces. With monopusher functionality and full-gold construction, Minerva The Unveiled Chronograph extends Minerva’s long tradition of manufacturing mechanically and visually sophisticated chronographs cherished by discerning collectors. 

A classic configuration reversed  

Developing a reversed chronograph movement which places all chronograph and time-telling functions in their traditional locations, as well as having them spin clockwise, was a feat of modern watchmaking. The result is a fascinating view into the works, but also a familiar and legible layout.

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 The open-worked sapphire dial has been reduced to an outer ring, which secures the luminescent yellow gold hour markers, and three open rings across the horizontal axis. At 9 o’clock is the continually running small seconds hand in yellow gold with a small arrow tip. 

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Within the central ring, the cathedral hour hand, syringe minute hand (both luminescent) and chronograph seconds-hand are mounted on the main arbor, which extends up through the top-mounted V-shaped bridge in brown. At the 3 o’clock position is the chronograph’s 30-minute totaliser, its hand in the shape of Minerva’s arrow. 

A solid gold case

The 43mm case is constructed in solid 18K yellow gold, and feature’s Minerva’s signature fluted bezel, which, along with the classically styled handset, harkens back to chronographs of the 1930s. Chamfered lugs reach downward to the brown-coloured alligator strap, while brushed and polished surfaces meet to form precision contours that spell out the subtle curvature of the lugs.

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Especially unique here are the five apertures in the mid-case, which allow lateral views into the pillar-mounted movement, an angle from which one rarely gets to examine a movement.The caseback is in solid 18K yellow gold and displays a special laser engraving of the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland, where it has stood since 1858.

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The RFV logo with Minerva’s arrow, one of Minerva’s signatures, is also included here. Standing for Robert Frères Villeret, the logo had been used on watch cases and movements up into the early 20^th century.

The chronographe calibre - in-house reverse  

Crafted entirely in-house, the patented Calibre M17.26 is composed of 291 individual parts, and it uses 26 jewels to assure frictionless operation of the critical pivot joints in the chronograph. The monopusher functionality requires only that the user press the same button in the center of the crown to start, stop and reset the stopwatch. Precision is attained via a free-sprung balance wheel with an array of finely tuned regulating weights mounted to an in-house hairspring. Power reserve is 50 hours on a full wind, and the movement beats at traditional 18,000vph (2.5Hz).

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The Calibre M17.26 features meticulous hand-finishing, especially on the bevel edges of the plates and bridges, a traditional hallmark of high-end Swiss watchmaking. The top-mounted V-shaped bridge, here coated in the watch’s brown colourway, is a highlight of this architecture, and it proudly carries the Minerva name.  

Packaging

Minerva The Unveiled Chronograph Limited Edition 30 is presented in a box featuring a secret opening system that makes for a clean appearance as well as an engaging experience for the owner. 

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The box’s elegant natural walnut-veneer is topped with a stainless steel plate with a special engraving of the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland, in addition to the RFV logo with Minerva’s arrow. The location of Villeret is also expressed on the latch, which includes an engraving of the village’s coat of arms.

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About Minerva

Founded in 1858 in the Swiss Jura valley of Villeret, the Manufacture Minerva has been in continuous operation for almost 165 years. Specialising in chronographs and sports counters, Minerva’s precision has received numerous world distinctions over the years. What sets Minerva movements apart is that each movement is assembled from start to finish by the same watchmaker. There are also a number of important details that you will only find in a Minerva movement: an incredible level of finishing, with bridges and baseplates in traditional German silver; a Minerva arrow that pays tribute to the Roman Goddess who is always depicted with her arrow-tipped staff in hand; an unusual “V”-shaped bridge inspired from the view of the mountains seen from the watchmakers’ window in Villeret; in-house hairsprings; and a special snail finishing.

Both Montblanc and Minerva are dedicated to pushing the limits of aesthetic and technical excellence. They are connected by fine craftsmanship, they are connected by mountains and valleys. They are connected by a quest for perfection.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Chronograph Yellow Gold LE 30

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Ident: MB136352 -Yellow Gold 

Movement
Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M17.26
Type of movement New Manufacture hand-finished manually wound movement
Monopusher Chronograph
Reversed movement with regulating organ, going train, bridges and plate visible through watch’s dial
Complication 

Reversed movement with regulating organ, going-train, bridges and plate visible through watch’s dial
Chronograph  Monopusher chronograph with column wheel and horizontal coupling
Dimensions Diameter = 38.40mm; height = 7.70mm
Number of components  291
Number of rubies  26 jewels
Power Reserve  Approx. 50 hours
Balance  Balance with screws, diameter = 14.50mm
Frequency  18 000 A/h (2,5Hz)
Hairspring  With Philips curve
Plate Brown-plated German silver
Bridges Brown-plated German silver
Going-train  Yellow gold-coloured, circular grained, chamfered
Diamond hubs on both sides
Displays 
Hour and minute from the center
Small seconds at 9 o’clock
Chronograph’s elapsed-seconds hand from the dial’s center
30-elapsed minute counter at 3 o’clock

Habillage

Case 
Yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) with sapphire openings on the middle
Satinated and polished finishing
Bezel 18k Yellow gold fluted bezel

Crystal Domed glass box with anti-reflective coating 

Back Yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) with historic Minerva Manufacture special engraving

Dimensions Diameter = 43mm

Height: 14.78 mm
Water Resistance 3 bar (30 m)
Crown Fluted in yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) with Minerva emblem in relief
Pusher  Monopusher chronograph integrated into the crown.

Dial  
Skeleton dial 

Skeleton sapphire dial with white luminescent Super-LumiNova^® indexes
Historical Minerva logo

Seconds counter and minute chronograph counter
Hands: Yellow gold-coated hour and minute hands with white luminescent Super-LumiNova^®
Yellow gold-coated seconds hand
Yellow gold-coated chronograph minute hand with white arrow
White chronograph seconds hand
Wristband  

Brown sfumato alligator leather strap
Buckle: Semi-matte finish and Yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) triple-folding clasp with fine adjustment system

Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test

(* Super-LumiNova® is not a trademark owned by Montblanc)

 🔰Limited Edition: 30 pieces 

🔴 Price:   € 55,000 / CHF 71,000 / $81,500 USD 💰

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MONTBLANC – Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Chateau de Versailles Edition

 

MONTBLANC – Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles Edition 2026

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Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles: Celebrating France's Most Legendary Masquerade Ball “Le Secret du Bal des Ifs”

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The new limited edition timepiece combines traditional high horology, marquetry, hand-engraving and champlevé enamel with cutting-edge 3D-modelling and laser-etching to create Montblanc's most opulently crafted watch to date.

The Party of a Century

In 1745, King Louis XV of France hosted the wedding of his son, the Dauphin Louis, to the Infanta Maria Theresa Raphael of Spain. Held at the Palace of Versailles, the marriage ceremony itself is hardly remembered today, but the masquerade ball hosting an estimated 1500 costumed guests in the gilded Hall of Mirrors (galerie des Glaces) is still remembered as one of the most spectacular and historically important parties in recorded history.

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One of the many gossipy tidbits of the all-night party is that of Louis XV himself passing shoulder-to-shoulder through the packed ballroom with his entourage, each dressed as rather enormous, sculpted yew tree. The event was soon dubbed The Yew Tree Ball (Le Bal des Ifs) by the ever-gossipy French press. Why would a king don such a costume and risk exposure among the throng? To flirt, of course, with the bewitching Madame d'Etiolles, an upwardly mobile Parisian beauty who would soon become the official court mistress of the king, taking the revered title Marquise de Pompadour.

Inside The Hall of Mirrors

Among the 2300 rooms at the Palace of Versailles, the Hall of Mirrors is not only the most grand, but also the most opulent. 

  Commissioned by Louis the XIV, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and finally completed in 1684, the 73-meter room boasts columns of marble that reach up nearly 10.4 meters from the parquet oak floor to create 17 grand arches inset with 357 mirrors that reflect the exterior gardens and, when hosting festivities, the mirrors reflect 8 enormous crystal chandeliers (as well as 12 smaller ones), each lit with hundreds of candles. 

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 To this day, the Hall of Mirrors serves its intended purpose of dazzling its guests and asserting the undeniable supremacy of The House of Bourbon, as the Louis dynasty was known.

A Wristwatch to Capture It All

Montblanc celebrates the grandeur of Versailles and its most storied ball in the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles. Every detail of this watch takes its aesthetic cue from Versailles, and the dial recreates the Hall of Mirrors on the night of The Yew Tree Ball. This decorative feat involves traditional enameling, micro-painting and inlaying of marble and oak. Less traditional, though equally exquisite, are the use of sophisticated 3D-modelling and laser-etching into both sapphire and brass.

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 Precision timing is achieved with Montblanc's patented Exo Tourbillon mechanism, a complication developed in-house over three years at the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland and first released in 2010.

An Inspired Dial

One of the most lasting impressions of the Palace of Versailles is that, despite housing over 2300 rooms and having been built up across generations, its style is essentially Baroque. 

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 As one moves through the palace, one finds true harmony from the grandest architectural gesture to the smallest detail. In a similar gesture, the dial of the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles brings together a surprising number of decorative motifs using a variety of artistic methods and materials while achieving aesthetic harmony.

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The main dial recreates The Yew Tree Ball, using as its inspiration the etching "Decoration for a Masked Ball at Versailles" by Charles Nicolas Cochin I. First printed in 1746 to memorialise the evening, prints of this work now reside in collections ranging from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art to London's British Museum.

The Dial Base

The base of the dial is constructed from white gold 750/1000 (18 karats), which is then covered with black enamel and topped with gold paillons before being baked in the oven. This enamel and gold treatment gives the effect of the candle-lit chandeliers being reflected in the windows, creating an eye-catching depth to the dial. 

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The archways are created from two types of stone: the milky white Cacholong, a variety of opal, and Sarrancolin marble sourced from the same quarry in France's Hautes-Pyrénées region used for the marble in the original Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. For the floor, solid oak is cut and inlaid on the dial to recreate the parquet pattern.

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Every material found on the dial base will vary naturally, making each Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles slightly different.

Chandeliers and Costumed Guests Etched in Sapphire

Many of the existing prints of Cochin's etching of The Yew Tree Ball were only partially filled in, and some examples leave ghostly outlines of the guests in the hall. 

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 To capture the ethereal quality of these etchings, as well as the sense of secrecy and gossip surrounding Louis XV's disguised appearance, Montblanc's artisans have turned to etching the chandeliers and costumed guests into sapphire plates that rest on top of the main dial. Specifically, you can make out the yew-tree costumes on the left side of the dial, where the mystery of which one hides Louis XV remains.

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Etching sapphire is a modern technique deployed onto a modern material, and yet the sapphire etchings blend seamlessly into the traditional marquetry of the main dial, adding visual depth while capturing the qualities of Cochin's prints. Hand-painting of the cables holding the chandeliers brings a touch of marquetry, and yet another layer of depth.

The Time-Telling Dial

Inspired by clocks and pocket watches from the era of Louis XIV, the time-telling dial sits at 12-o'clock as the grand visual feature of the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles. This dial directly ties the watch to the grand traditions of haute horlogerie in vogue with Europe's elites during the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Champlevé enamel is a technique used in a metal piece in which hollows are carved and then filled with enamel. The piece is then baked in an oven until the enamel fuses.

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 The technique forms the luminous white backdrop of the time-telling dial, while blue enamel paint is used for the Roman numerals and pure gold powder is painted on in order to create the sun's extended rays in the center. Over this dial, a laser-machined 3N-gold supporting ring is laid, creating a decorative framing structure that mimics the polished brass detailing in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The section framing the tourbillon recreates stained-glass motifs, including the fleur-de-lys, as found throughout the Royal Chapel of Versailles.

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 The hands of the time-telling dial are styled like those found on Baroque clocks of the era. However, because the scale of a wristwatch is so reduced, traditional milling techniques are replaced by today's laser cutting. The precise detail of this highly decorative yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) handset invites the viewer to peer through a loupe magnifier to admire the finest details.

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Even more impressive, perhaps, is the brass Apollo head that acts as a cap to the central arbor on which the hands are mounted. This figure mimics the Apollonian sun at the center of the large clock above the king's chambers at the Marble Court at Versailles. Curiously, this clock was originally not fitted with a mechanical device because it marked the time of the death of kings, first Louis XIV and then Louis XV. However, it would later be fitted with a working mechanism.

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To create this fascinating visage, Montblanc's designer created a three-dimensional digital scan of the Apollo sun on the door of the Salon de Venus at Versailles. Using multiple camera angles, a complex digital file containing over 1.5 million data points then had to be reduced to a manageable file to direct the laser-etching machines.

The Hand-Engraved Solid Gold Case Tells a Story

A further heightened expression of haute horlogerie arrives with the yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) case of the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles.

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A hand-engraved laurel wreath—long associated with Apollo in ancient Greece and still used around the world today to symbolise victory—adorns the bezel. Montblanc's hand-engravers have also set a different, yet still relevant, narrative into the intricate caseband engraving. 

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In this engraving, we find a recreation of a painting by François Lemoyne from the Salon de la Paix at Versailles in which Louis XV is offering an olive branch to all of Europe, while above him Minerva —the namesake of Montblanc's historical manufacture and the Roman goddess of arts, war and justice—instructs Mercury to keep closed the Gates of Janus, a reference to the practice during the Roman Empire of closing the gates of the Janus temple during times of peace, a symbol of stable boundaries. This painting casts Louis XV as a Roman Emperor, something very much in vogue as Neoclassicism asserted itself throughout Europe during the Enlightenment.

The Exo Tourbillon Movement, Calibre MB M16.68

First released in 2010, Montblanc’s Exo Tourbillon is a patented mechanism that took three years to develop, bringing novel watchmaking ideas to the tourbillon.

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  "Exo" is Greek for "outside," and in this instance the term refers to the balance wheel residing above the tourbillon cage. This unique solution not only minimises the diameter of the tourbillon cage and rotating escapement, but it also allows the balance wheel to be large enough to house 18 adjustment screws (regulating weights), which in turn adds mass to the unit.

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 Remarkably, the balance wheel mechanism is anchored by a single-arm bridge. To align and secure a single-arm bridge to the tolerances required of this mechanism is a testament to the savoir-faire of Montblanc's master watchmakers. 

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Monochrome-watches©

Aesthetically speaking, the beautifully engraved and gold-coated stainless steel single-arm bridge arcs in perfect unison with the domed shape of the time-telling dial, helping to create visual harmony between the two sub-dials.

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 Beyond a technical improvement, the unique configuration of the Exo Tourbillon puts the balance wheel slightly above the dial, displaying the beating heart of the watch in a mesmerising fashion. Meanwhile, because this is a one-minute tourbillon in which the mechanism revolves once every sixty seconds, the tourbillon also acts as a running-second indicator.

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Monochrome-watches©

The movement's bridges and gear train, largely visible through the transparent caseback, are finished by hand, including decorative work such as Côtes de Genève striping, circular graining, mirror-polishing, and top-grade anglage with precise inner-angle beveling, largely regarded the most difficult aspect of movement finishing.

A Musical Box in the Style of Louis XIV and Louis XV

The box for the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles was constructed by the Parisian luxury table-maker, Elie Bleu, in operation since 1976. 

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The music box inside is by Switzerland's Reuge, which has specialised in luxury music boxes and mechanical songbirds since 1865. The music played by the coffret was presented at Versailles to celebrate the wedding of the Dauphin Louis and his bride on that storied night in February of 1745. Specifically, the music is by Jean-Philippe Rameau with lyrics originally written by none other than Voltaire.

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Thanks to an external trigger on the side of the box, the music will play and the watch will turn in place as if dancing at the great masquerade ball. This spectacle takes place upon a real oak miniature parquet floor surrounded by real marble arches mimicking those of the Hall of Mirrors. On the outer walnut face of the box, the scene of The Yew Tree Ball from Cochin's famous engraving is laser-etched to exacting precision, a signature Montblanc treatment. 

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles Limited Edition

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 Reference:  MB134295

Case
    Material: 18-carat yellow gold
    Diameter: 44.8 mm
    Thickness: 15.52 mm
    Glass: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
    18-carat crown with Montblanc-cut diamond (approx.💎 0.11 carat)
    Water-resistant to 30 meters
DIAL 
    Dial in white gold 750/1000 (18 karats) depicting the scene of the Yew Tree Ball in the Hall of Mirrors, composed of yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) and marquetry of Sarrancolin marble, Cacholong stone, champlevé enamel, and oak
    Laser-engraved sapphire plate depicting the characters and chandeliers.
    Yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karats) skeletonised hour and minute hands, inspired by 17th-century clocks
    Fixed applique depicting the head of Apollo, emblem of the Sun King chosen by Louis XIV
MOVEMENT
    Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M16.68
    Manual winding mechanism, patented one-minute Suspended Exo Tourbillon
    Diameter: 38.30 mm
    Thickness: 6.45 mm
    Number of parts: 218
    Number of jewels: 19
    Power reserve of approx. 50 hours
    Balance: Screw balance, diameter = 14.5 mm; moment of inertia = 59 mgcm²
    Frequency: 18'000 vph (2.5 Hz)
    Hairspring: Hairspring with Phillips terminal curve
Functions
    Hours, minutes
    Seconds via tourbillon
Strap 
    Gray interchangeable calf leather strap with alligator print and gold-colored stitching, semi-matte finish, 18-carat yellow gold triple-folding clasp

🔰Edition - ✅ Only ❱❱❱ 8 pieces
🔴Price:  On Request💰Guide price  €230.000💰

#MontblancHighArtistry #MontblancXChâteauDeVersailles #InspireWriting #chateaudeversailles #palaceofversailles

 
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