The Story of the Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858

Jan 18, 2008,10:26 AM
 

(On January 17, Montblanc hosted a cocktail party at its boutique in the Paragon Shopping Centre here in Singapore to showcase its new haute horlogerie Collection Villeret 1858.)

 

The Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858 is made by what was once the Minerva company. Although the Montblanc brand shares the same name and factory as the firm that once made the $1500 Pythagore wristwatch - an internet favourite with a movement designed according to the principles of the Golden Mean - the Montblanc Minerva watches so different they could well be a whole different brand.  (Click here  to see a review of the Frey-era Minerva Pythagore wristwatch by ei8htohms) 

 

Minerva's transformation began when the Frey family sold Minerva to Emilio Gnutti, an Italian businessman with a chequered past who was once on the Forbes Rich List. Mr Gnutti proceeded to move Minerva upmarket by leaps and bounds, pushing up its quality as well as its price. Recruited for that effort was Demetrio Cabiddu, a master watchmaker formerly of Gerald Genta who was involved in the creation of the automatic Grande Sonnerie with Westminster chime in the early nineties.

 

Early last year, Mr Gnutti sold Minerva to Montblanc and presto, Montblanc, formerly an established pen maker is now an established watchmaker also. This is not the first time Montblanc is buying expertise and production; some years back the company bought Seeger, maker of beautiful lambskin leather goods - “Cashmere in Leather” as it advertised itself - and devoted Seeger to producing Montblanc leather goods.

 

Often enough the story ends here; big brand eats small brand and small brand becomes soulless commercial subsidiary, but fortunately there is more to tell. An extraordinary degree of effort has been invested in the Collection Villeret 1858. The Villeret factory even makes Breguet overcoils in-house; movements are now fitted with overcoils from existing stocks but by next year all hairsprings will be made by hand in-house. And it is worth noting that the hairsprings are enormous - the balance wheel in the large chronograph is a whopping 14.5mm wide!

 

Most striking about the collection is the excellent level of finish. The movements are very elaborate and finely done, including a black-polished column wheel and sharp, bevelled corners on bridges and levers. Montblanc has also achieved a good tactile feel for the chronograph, the pusher action (all of the chronographs are monopusher) is reminiscent of a fine vintage column wheel chronograph.

 

That being said, there were some elements that could be improved, notably the polishing on the barrel which could be better defined. Another comment made was that the anglage was not “deep” enough, in other words the bevelled edge was not wide enough, although I personally thought the anglage was well done. Nonetheless the overall result is impressive and deeply attractive.

 

I applaud Montblanc for its efforts in creating a haute horlogerie range; the brand recognition of Montblanc is so strong - Montblanc is easily one of the largest luxury brands in the world and also the second-largest Richemont brand after Cartier - it could have easily created a watch of lesser quality and still sell lots of them. I am impressed by what Montblanc is doing and I am eager to see what they have in store for the future.

 

- SJX

 
Many thanks to Harry Tan for contributing his wonderful photographs.


This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2008-01-20 11:33:25


More posts: 1858 CollectionCalibresCollection VilleretMontblanc Collection Villeret

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Part I: The cocktail

 
 By: SJX : January 18th, 2008-10:28
...  

Part II: The watches

 
 By: SJX : January 18th, 2008-10:30
The Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858 Grand Chronogrape Authenthique, 47mm diameter Cal. 16-29, diameter of 38.4mm and balance wheel alone is 14.5mm in diameter! Seconde Authentique, diameter 41mm Cal. 62-00; the movement ring is not my cup of tea Chrono...  

It appears that Mont Blanc has a lot more to do to garner interest from this ...

 
 By: Horolographer : January 20th, 2008-02:38
community of collectors judging the complete lack of any replies to your thread JX (also of mine as well further down). Unfortunate that it seems like forummers are more interested in showing off what they are wearing on their wrist this weekend. Maybe Mo... 

Harry, you point out an interesting question >>>

 
 By: amanico : January 20th, 2008-02:47
Not sure that Forummers are busy to show off their Wrist Shots. Rather think that some of us ( I belong to those ) are quite sceptic regarding MontBlanc as a Watch Brand. OK, they bought Minerva, a nice , very nice movment maker, but is it enought to get ... 

Does the brand matter?

 
 By: SJX : January 20th, 2008-07:03
Hi Nicolas, I understand the points you make, but then does brand matter? The Montblanc Minerva watches are evidently of high quality, I have yet to hear anyone say they are badly or insufficiently finished. Therefore the tangible aspects of the watch are... 

Mont Blanc has A LOT of work to do IMO

 
 By: AnthonyTsai : January 20th, 2008-11:06
Mont Blanc cannot expect to gain recognition right away in the already so crowded high priced watch category. The only way for Mont Blanc to garner more interest from the PuristS community or any other watch community out there is to get their watches on ... 

Anthony, have I been proven wrong?

 
 By: Horolographer : January 21st, 2008-06:09
This is one instance I hope I am and happy to be proven wrong. I am glad that eventually there are responses to the thread (I certainly hope its not just because I decided to raise the issue but because people had in fact a genuine interest to discuss abo... 

That is a very good question

 
 By: AnthonyTsai : January 21st, 2008-19:01

My Thoughts ...

 
 By: mycroft : January 20th, 2008-08:05

SJX, a fantastic post, but I cannot leave it like it is: Credit where credit is due!

 
 By: Ornatus-Mundi : January 20th, 2008-08:50
Dear SJX, I would like to comment on a couple of sentences in your excellent review. True, the watches are very beautiful, but suffer from conceptional peculiarities Mycroft so aptly described. 1. The transition of Minerva: You wrote: Minerva's transforma...  

Thanks for the post Magnus

 
 By: SJX : January 20th, 2008-21:30
I agree I should have mentioned Mr Menaldo, that omission is my mistake. As for the second point, I should have been more clear in my post. I did not mean that Montblanc created the line, rather that a lot of effort is obvious in the watch itself, meaning... 

Thanks by beppe menaldo

 
 By: beppe.menaldo : April 8th, 2008-10:11
Dear Sir, i wish to tell you my big thank you, if i dont you know. I spent more than five years of my life to rebulit Minerva in villeret.. All the people, included cabiddu, they have been employed by me. The style of the watches, the type of mouvements, ... 

Time for Contemplation

 
 By: MTF : January 20th, 2008-13:05
...  

Breguet make writing instruments...but if I buy a pen...

 
 By: justpen : January 21st, 2008-06:13
I...I buy a Montblanc. I have three MB writing instruments and I value them dearly...but I think the big problem that MB have in securing a market for their watches is that they are between the wrist and the elbow. (Fanatically speaking...Ma Ma Who Who ?)... 

An Alternate View ...

 
 By: mycroft : January 21st, 2008-07:59

Minerva, one of the latest

 
 By: bon092 : February 3rd, 2008-11:32
Dear Forum Members I was in a lucky position to acquire one of the late post fry Minerva WG chronochraphs with an Cal 13-20 (two button). It is a beautifull piece of art and I must say that this one of my favorite pieces. I hope Montblanc can equal the th... 

Congrats Wim!

 
 By: SJX : February 3rd, 2008-20:12