MONTBLANC – 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow Edition

 

MONTBLANC – 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow Limited Edition - 2022

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 The Return of the Red Arrow

Throughout history, the human desire for exploration has led to new discoveries. From the first prehistoric men and women who ventured over the next hill or mountain, to the sailors who braved the high seas, the daredevils who learned to fly, and the mountaineers who set their own challenges. This spirit of adventure and exploration has always been at the heart of Montblanc with the creation of diverse timekeeping instruments to accompany the fearless on their adventures.

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The 1920s and 30s were the formative decades of aviation with rapidly advancing technology and the start of both civilian and military flights. 

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A reliable timekeeper was an essential piece of a pilot’s equipment and a Swiss manufacture in Villeret, called Minerva at the time, was at the forefront of producing professional stopwatches and chronographs for navigation and tracking time in the air.

Historical moments from Montblanc

In 1927, the Minerva Manufacture in Villeret was among the very first manufactures to make a fluted bezel and an internal countdown rotating bezel. This was followed in 1939 by its first wrist watch chronograph with an external rotating bezel and a reset function.

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Over the years, Minerva became a leading specialist in professional watches for measuring elapsed time with high precision, using accurate in-house movements such as the Calibre 19.09 or the Calibre 13.20. 

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The manufacture is noted for having created both pocket watches and wristwatches with fluted bezels for both officers and non-commissioned officers with black dials and luminescent numerals and hands.

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In 1927, Minerva was already a leader in the field of pilots’ watches with the introduction of a stopwatch with an internal rotating bezel for countdown timing. This followed, in 1939, by a chronograph wristwatch featuring an external rotating bezel. Today, two of these rare external rotating bezel models are part of Montblanc’s treasured museum collection and are the inspiration behind this new 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow LE88.

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The key elements from the past include a fluted bezel, this time in 18K white gold – for easy use with pilots’ gloves – and the Maison’s signature red arrow that allowed a quick and easy reading of elapsed time. The red arrow is a nod to the Roman Goddess Minerva, the goddess of craftsmanship, who carried a spear with an arrow at its tip.

How it works

The combination of the fluted bi-directional bezel and the red arrow can be used in numerous ways. Firstly, it is possible to track elapsed time by aligning the red arrow with the seconds, minute, or hour hand. 

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This allows the wearer to see how much time has passed. Secondly, it is possible to set a countdown timer by rotating the bezel so that the red arrow is positioned at a specific time in the future, for example, 15 minutes after the minute hand. The time has elapsed when the minute hand reaches the red arrow marker.

A look at the dial

A jet-black dial is enhanced with beige Super-LumiNova hands and Arabic numerals glowing green in low light.  

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There is also a telemeter scale that runs around the outside of the dial – a typical feature of these legendary chronographs – as well as a tachymeter (base 1000) in the centre of the dial in a colimaçon snail shape. 

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A 30-minute chronograph counter is located at three o’clock, a small second counter is positioned at nine o’clock, and the chronograph seconds are indicated by a central hand.

Calibre MB M13.21

The design of the original Minerva aviation watches was a direct result of the needs of early-day pilots for supreme legibility. The Montblanc 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow LE88 reproduces this legible style with its black dial and luminescent details. The timepiece comes in a 42mm stainless steel case with a special engraving on the case back and is completed by a black alligator leather strap with beige stitching.

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This limited edition of 88 pieces is a beautiful reminder of the courageous men and women who took to the skies in the early days of aviation. Their courage and passion for exploration are transmitted through time with this vintage-inspired timepiece that brings the best of the past into the present.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Model: Montblanc 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition 88

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 Ident. 129614

Movement
Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M13.21
Hand-finished and manually wound movement
Monopusher Chronograph with column wheel and horizontal coupling
Diameter = 29.50mm; height = 6.40mm
Number of components: 239
Number of rubies: 22
Power reserve: Approx. 60 hours
Balance: Balance with screws, diameter = 11.40mm
Frequency: 18,000 A/h (2.5 Hz)
Hairspring: With Phillips terminal curve
Plate: Rhodium plated German Silver with circular graining on both sides, hand-chamfered edges, Rhodium plated German Silver bridges with Geneva Stripes, circular graining on both sides, hand-chamfered edges
Going-train: Gold-plated, 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
Case
42mm stainless steel
Satinated and polished finishing
Bezel: Fluted bidirectional 18K white gold satinated and polished
Crystal: Scratch-resistant, domed box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: 3 bar (30 m)
Crown: Fluted crown, stainless steel with Montblanc emblem engraved; Satinated and polished finishing
Case back
Steel brushed finishing
Sapphire crystal caseback
Graphics MONTBLANC-WATER RESISTANT 3 bar-SWISS MADE-N°01/88- 1858-LIMITED EDITION-STAINLESS STEEL-7584-FTWWWWW
Dial
Black-coloured opaline dial with Arabic numerals indexes 1 to 12
Telemeter and tachymeter scale, seconds counter and minute chronograph counter
Beige Super-LumiNova on indexes with green emission
Inscriptions of Montblanc-Swiss Made-Minerva Arrow
Hands
Brass silvered hour and minute with beige Super-LumiNova with green emission, chronograph minute and seconds in brass polished silver
Strap
Semi-mat black coloured alligator leather strap with beige coloured stitching and black lining
Polished stainless steel double deployant buckle

Limited Edition: 88 pieces


Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500

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

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MONTBLANC – 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph LE

 

MONTBLANC – 1858 Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Editions 2022

 Unveiling the Secrets of a Historic Minerva Chronograph

The Montblanc Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph turns the movement over to reveal all its beauty.

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When it comes to complicated watch movements, the chronograph is without a doubt one of the most mesmerizing with all its intricately linked components that come into play to display elapsed time. And when that movement is based on the historic Minerva MB 16.29 monopusher chronograph calibre, the magic is off the charts!

Reversing the Calibre

But there is more to this story. The new Montblanc Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Editions not only feature this iconic hand-wound MB 16.29 movement with all its meticulous hand-finishing, but the movement has been flipped over to display all the incredible mechanical action on the dial side of the watch. At first glance, the viewer may think it is a skeletonized movement, but a closer look reveals that this historic chronograph movement is on full display, in all its glory, on the dial side of the watch.

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In 165 years of Minerva history, this has never been done before. It is surprising when you think of how many watch lovers remove their chronographs to admire the movement through the case back. Well, now they don’t have to!

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Turning a movement over sounds simple, but it is a technical feat as the direction of the hands also has to be reversed. The MB 16.29 calibre was one of the only movements in Montblanc’s stable of chronographs where this could be achieved and reversing the time required the addition of 21 components, making this more than an aesthetic feature, but a truly technical one too. 

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And just for fun, the Maison has turned the last digit of the reference number upside down to represent this change, so MB 16.29 becomes MB 16.26👆.

When the Movement Becomes the Dial

Looking through the sapphire crystal into the depths of the movement, the viewer can immediately perceive the incredible level of finishing on the sanded German silver movement. 

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A keen eye will detect the Maison’s special snailed diamantage coquille motif and polishing, which includes the inner angles of the components, a feat in itself.

Signature Minerva Movement Design

In keeping with all Montblanc’s highly complicated movements, the iconic Minerva arrow and the Maison’s “V”-shaped bridge are also on display. The Minerva arrow is a tribute to the Roman Goddess who is always depicted with her arrow-tipped staff in hand, and the unusual “V”-shaped bridge comes from the view of the mountains seen from the watchmakers’ window in Villeret, a sight that has been a constant since the founding of the workshop in 1858.

No Distractions

Particular attention has been paid to the indications so that they don’t distract from the movement with an open-worked 30-minute chronograph counter, an open-worked small seconds display, and elegant hands and indexes that have been enhanced with Super-LumiNova® for enhanced legibility.

Double Novelty

In addition to the upside-down chronograph movement, the Montblanc Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Editions include a fluted bezel inspired from a Minerva design that dates back to 1927. This strong design element frames the movement and further accentuates all the horological expertise that makes these timepieces so special.

Two Limited Editions

There are two limited editions of 18 and 58 pieces, in Lime Gold and stainless steel respectively. Both come in a case side of 43mm and are fitted with a fluted bezel, the sign of an exceptional Montblanc timepiece.

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The Lime Gold version displays green hands and numerals and comes on a green alligator leather strap with grey stitching that is in total harmony with this warm-coloured gold. 

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The stainless-steel edition features a white gold fluted bezel, adding an extra level of finesse to the model, and comes with a blue alligator leather strap with blue stitching. Both models feature an engraved caseback with an image of the Villeret manufacture and the famous “V”-shaped mountains in the background.

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These Montblanc Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Editions unveil the secret of watchmaking past in timepieces that are resolutely contemporary for today’s watch lovers.

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 Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph LE 18

• Ident: 129622 - 18 K Lime Gold 
• Ident: 129613 - stainless steel
  

Movement
Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M16.26
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 Hour, minute, seconds, Monopusher Chronograph with column wheel and horizontal coupling
Dimensions Diameter = 37.50mm; height = 7.05mm
Number of components 273
Number of Jewels 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 Rhodium plated German Silver with circular graining on both sides, hand-chamfered edges, Rhodium plated German Silver bridges with Geneva Stripes, circular graining on both sides, hand-chamfered edges
Going-train Gold-plated, circular grained, chamfered, diamond hubs on both sides
Displays Hour, minute and Chronograph’s elapsed-seconds hand from the dial’s center, 30-elapsed minute counter at 3 o’clock, small seconds at 9 ’clock

Habillage

Case  

• 18 K Lime Gold
• Stainless steel

Satinated and polished finishing
Bezel Lime Gold / stainless steel fixed fluted bezel, satinated and polished
Crystal Domed glass box with anti-reflective coating

• Back Plain Lime Gold caseback with Minerva Montblanc Manufacture engraved
• Back Plain stainless steel caseback with Minerva Montblanc Manufacture engraved

Dimensions Diameter = 43mm
Water Resistance 3 bar (30 m)
Crown Fluted monopusher crown, Lime Gold with Montblanc emblem engraved, satinated and polished finishing

Dial  
Skeleton dial

• Numerals Arabic indexes in green Super-LumiNova® with green emission
• Numerals Arabic indexes in green Super-LumiNova® with blue emission

Inscriptions of Minuterie-Montblanc-MB M16.26-Swiss Made
Seconds counter and minute chronograph counter
Hands White Super-LumiNova® with green emission on silvered brass cathedral hour and minute hands, green Arrow-shaped seconds hand
Arrow-shaped brass Chronograph minute hand, Arrow-shaped brass small seconds hand
Wristband  

• Green Alligator strap with ecru stitching
• Green lining alligator small scales with Lime Gold pin buckle

• Blue Alligator strap with ecru stitching
• Blue lining alligator small scales with stainless steel pin buckle

Limited Edition: 18 pieces - 18 K Lime Gold 
Limited Edition: 58 pieces - Stainless steel

Price:  Lime Gold   $48,000 USD and Stainless steel  $33,500 USD

 

Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500

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

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Richemont Group - closes stores in russia

 

Richemont Group joins Ukrainian relief efforts & closes stores in russia

The Richemont Group, the parent holding company that owns Cartier, A. Lange & Söhne, Baume & Mercier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Vacheron Constantin and Van Cleef & Arpels, announced today that it stands with all those affected by the war in Ukraine. 

The Group pledged support for the safety of its employees in the country. Richemont pledged funds to Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) to help Ukrainian victims. Richemont further adds that it has stopped operations in Ukraine and suspended commercial activities in Russia, with the following statement:

    Richemont's deepest compassion and thoughts go out to our colleagues, their families and friends affected by the tragic situation in Ukraine.

    With the care and wellbeing of our colleagues top of mind, we are in close contact with our people on the ground and ensuring they receive all the financial, logistic and moral support they need.

    Richemont has initiated a significant donation to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). This donation will help provide emergency response activities, basic aid items, and medical supplies and support to people in need in the region. Several of our Maisons and businesses are also supporting humanitarian efforts with additional donations and contributions.

    Given the current global context, it is with regret that we stopped our operations in Ukraine on 24 February and suspended our commercial activities in Russia on 3 March.

    We will continue to monitor developments and adapt our measures accordingly.

Media contacts

Richemont Press Office +41 22 721 3507

 pressoffice@cfrinfo.net

Teneo +44 20 7260 2700

 richemont@teneo.com

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MONTBLANC – Star Legacy Metamorphosis Edition

MONTBLANC – Star Legacy Metamorphosis Exo Tourbillon White Gold 50 mm Limited Edition 2021

First introduced in 2010, the patented Exo Tourbillon complication is a key pillar of the Montblanc watch collection. The idea was to position the large balance wheel, beating at the traditional low frequency of 18’000 oscillations, outside of the tourbillon’s rotating cage. This offered a spectacular view of the tourbillon in motion while improving the precision of the timepiece.

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During the Watches and Wonders digital exhibition, Montblanc unveiled its Metamorphosis and patented Exo Tourbillon in a new blue colour scheme. These key innovations marked a new chapter in the Montblanc fine watchmaking universe at the time of their release, becoming key watch pillars over the years and inspiring the development of future movements used in the Maison’s core collection.

Star Legacy Metamorphosis Limited Edition 8

The Montblanc Star Legacy Metamorphosis Limited Edition 8 in a sparkling blue colour literally transforms itself by revealing two different faces. It boasts a number of fine watchmaking complications, driven by the hand-crafted Manufacture calibre MB M67.60.

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The new Montblanc Star Legacy Metamorphosis Limited Edition 8 in blue combines the patented Exo Tourbillon, held in place by a sapphire crystal bridge, together with a new three-dimensional realistic moon display. This innovative timepiece is comprised of 718 components and was developed and produced entirely by Montblanc’s engineers and master watchmakers, and literally transforms itself by revealing two different faces.

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The globe is surrounded by a 24-hour scale and a day/night indication. At 12 o‘clock, the dial reveals the beauty of Montblanc‘s patented one-minute Exo Tourbillon, representing the sun at 12 o‘clock in the Northern Hemisphere. At six o‘clock, there is an astronomical moonphase complication showing the Moon’s exact position in the sky as viewed from Earth.

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The transformation between the two faces is highly complex and involves more than 320 individual components, all of them meticulously crafted by hand, and which move at the same time. In addition to this, the Exo Tourbillon construction contains over 100 components alone and the whole timepiece is composed of no less than 718 components, all traditionally hand-crafted at the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret.

The mechanism is activated by a sliding lever on the side of the case (similar to that of a minute repeater mechanism) that is connected to a dial. It is comprised of a fixed part and moveable shutters, which can be opened and closed depending on the desired face.

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When the shutters are closed, the watch’s face displays a worldtime function at six o’clock in the form of a turning, domed Northern-Hemisphere globe surrounded by a 24-hour scale and a day/night indication. At 12 o’clock, the rhodium-coated balance wheel with blued hairspring and 18 screws, beats at the traditional frequency of 18,000 oscillations per hour.

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When its shutters are opened, the dial reveals the beauty of Montblanc’s patented one-minute Exo Tourbillon, held in place by a sapphire crystal bridge, and representing the sun at 12 o’clock. This was feasible thanks to the construction of the complication, which allows the balance wheel to be positioned outside of the cage and below the shutters.

A jumping date disc appears around the Exo Tourbillon. At six o’clock, a realistic, three-dimensional moon with its exact position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, turns constantly around the globe in a gyroscopic way, exactly as it would make its journey around the Earth. The moon is presented against a backdrop of aventurine that shimmers like a starry night sky. The astronomical moonphase complication is highly precise and only needs to be adjusted by one day every 122 years.

Click, to see the large size. ▶ BIG FOTOIn addition, all the functions powered by the high-end mechanism continue working irrespective of the chosen face. The hours, minutes, seconds, worldtime and moon phases remain active independently of the watch face.

The Montblanc  Star Legacy Metamorphosis Limited Edition 8 is water resistant to 30 metres and is certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500. It is fitted with a new matching blue Sfumato alligator leather strap coming from the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence, Italy and equipped with a triple folding clasp.

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TECHINCAL SPECIFICATIONS

MONTBLANC – Star Legacy Metamorphosis Limited Edition 8

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 Ident. 117861

Movement:

Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M67.60

Mechanical movement with manual winding mechanism, patented one-minute Exo Tourbillon, worldtime and realistic moonphase indication
Diameter = 45 mm; height = 12.87 mm
Number of components: 718
Number of rubies: 61
Power Reserve: Approx. 50 hours
Balance: Balance wheel, diameter = 14.5 mm; moment of inertia = 59 mgcm²
Frequency: 18,800 A/h (2.5 Hz)
Hairspring: Blued, with Phillips terminal curve
Plate: Rhodium-coated with circular graining
Bridges: Rhodium-coated with “Côtes de Genève”
Going train: Special toothing for more efficient power transmission

Displays:

Off-centre hour- and minute-hands, small seconds at 12 o’clock,
Closed face: worldtime with Northern Hemisphere globe surrounded by a 24-hour scale and day/night indication
Open face: one-minute patented Exo Tourbillon, Northern Hemisphere globe surrounded by the sky on an aventurine disc showing the stars and the realistic moon phases, date display at 12 o’clock

Habillage

Case

18 K white gold, polished case

Crystal: Scratch-resistant, domed sapphire crystal with antireflective coating

Back: 18 K white gold with inset pane of sapphire crystal

Dimensions: Diameter = 50 mm ; Height = 18.90 mm

Crown: 18 K white gold with mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem

Watertightness: 3 bar (30 m)

Dial:

Blue base with hand-made “grain d’orge” guilloché pattern in places, rhodium-coated Arabic numerals,
18 K white gold hour- and minute-hands, stainless steel second hand, filet sauté guilloché around the dial,
hand-engraved and hand-painted three-dimensional northern hemisphere globe showing the continents and oceans, aventurine disc representing the sky with the moon and stars

Wristband:

Blue Sfumato alligator leather coming from the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence with 18 K white gold triple folding clasp

Edition - Only of ✅ 8 pieces

Certified by the Montblanc Performance Test 500
(* SuperLuminova® is not a trademark owned by Montblanc)

Retail price  250’000 Euros

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