KMII[Montblanc Moderator]
29857
Montblanc launches three new models in the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim and 4810 Dual Time lines
Jun 23, 2017,12:30 PM
Montblanc has had quite an active year so far, with the relaunch of the TimeWalker line (more here: www.watchprosite.com), the new TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter (more here: www.watchprosite.com), the Montblanc Summit Smartwatch (more here: www.watchprosite.com), and the more recently released Unicef co-operation watches from the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum range (more here: www.watchprosite.com). In May, three new additions to the 4810 line followed, namely the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim in a white gold and rose gold variety and the 4810 Dual Time in stainless steel. All three pieces are of a more formal variety and should address the practical needs of the frequent travellers (4810 Dual Time) or the more romantic sensibilities of its customers (4810 ExoTourbillon Slim).
Starting with the practical, here is a brief overview of the 4810 Dual Time.
Montblanc 4810 Dual Time
The 4810 Dual Time is the first Montblanc dual time watch in the 4810 line, featuring its in-house dual time complication. The home time indication is done through a skeletonised, heat blued regatta hand, and is so well differentiated from the rose gold plated and superluminova filled hour and minute hands. While dressier pieces do not regualrly feature lume, I find it to be a useful addition, if applied tastefully, like here.
Futhermore the watch comes with a 24h subdial at 12, which shows the home time in a 24h format, as well as featuring a day / night indication and is linked to the main home time hand, a small seconds subdial at 6 o'clock and the date at 3 o'clock.
From: Montblanc
The watch carries over the 4810 design codes, such as the form of the stainless steel case (42mm in this application), the silvery / white guilloche dial with the exploding Montblanc logo design or the red gold plated roman numerals for the even hours and hour indices for the odd ones. The odd hour indeces also come with lume dots at their outer ends for better legibility in low light conditions. Outside of this is a minute ring, featuring 10 minute markers, the full hour one being done in red, as a highlight.
From: Montblanc
Montbanc 4810 Dual Time Verdict
The dual time is a very useful addition to the 4810 line. It carries over the relatively classic design codes of the collection - these can be said to be typically Montblanc in the meantime - and adds a very useful complication for the frequent traveller in the form of the dual time. Once the home time is set, the second time zone - as expected - is easy and convenient in that it does not stop the movement but only advances the local time hour hand.
The combination of a stainless steel case with the red gold indices is likely a feature for those who try to fit a watch with as many outfits as possible (not a typical PuristS trait, I guess) and the overall design is likely to work with most outfits, too - even if it is on the more formal side. The 50m water resistance will ensure a reasonable level of robustness, even if I cannot see anyone actually taking a croc strap watch swimming. Still, with the very broad strap choice offered by the Montblanc and the easy change mechanism they use, the watch would at least offer the option (you will at least not suffer any heart-in-mouth moments if caught in a rain shower, or if travelling to humid environments).
The lug design is also helpful in masking the size somewhat and I could easily imagine that quite some of the wearers will not be the original owners but their better halves.
All in all, a very useful and practical addition to the line.
Montblanc 4810 Dual Time - Specifications Ref. 114857
Movement Calibre MB 29.19 with Manufacture complication
Type of movement Mechanical
movement with automatic winding mechanism, second timezone and day & night
display
Number of rubies 34
Power reserve Approx. 42 hours
Balance Flat hoop
Frequency 28,800 A/h (4 Hz)
Hairspring Flat
Displays Hours and minutes from the center
Small
seconds at 6 o’clock
Second timezone from the center, as well as at 12 o’clock with a 24
hour time display and a day & night display
Date at 3 o’clock
Habillage
Case Stainless steel case
Crystal Scratch-resistant, domed sapphire crystal
with antireflective coating
Back Stainless steel with inset pane of sapphire
crystal
Dimensions Diameter=42 mm; height=12.04 mm
Watertightness 5 bar
Crown Stainless steel with inlaid Montblanc
emblem
Dial Silvery-white dial, with a guilloche
exploding Montblanc logo, red gold roman numerals and hour indices, red gold
regatta hour and minute hands with superluminova, skeletonized heat blued steel
regatta hand for the second timezone,
Wristband
Black alligator-skin
strap with stainless steel triple folding clasp
From: Montblanc
Montblanc 4810 ExoTourbillon SlimMaking the transition from the practical, everyday watch to something more romantic - the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim. An earlier version of the watch has already been covered by amanico (here:
www.watchprosite.com
) and the current two models are additional variations.
These now come in a white gold version with an aventurine dial and a red gold version with a guilloche dial and a diamond set bezel.
Common to both is the MB29.24 (and MB29.21) movement - an in-house one minute tourbillon with a micro-rotor automatic winding mechanism. The Exo - i.e. outside - simply means that the balance is mounted outside of the tourbillon cage. The advantages of this arrangement are twofold - first of all the weight of the tourbillon cage is not burdening the balance wheel and secondly the light weight of the cage helps with isochronism. And the 18 screws of the balance wheel - 4 adjustable and 14 fixed - also give the movement a classical appearance.
At 48h the power reserve is reasonable, even if not fully 'weekend off the wrist' proof. Overall one has to say that Montblanc managed to design a well balanced, fairly thin tourbillon movement (4,5mm). The only potential downside being the quite large mainplate hiding most of the movement from the wearer / observer.
The movement also features a second stop, for precise time setting. The 29.21 version in the red gold model additionally displays the crown position (winding / setting) on the dial side.
From: Montblanc
Red gold model
As reported recently, many watch manfuacturers (re-)introduced diamonds as a visible feature of male watches. Montblanc is no exception here, offering the red gold model of the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim with a diamond set bezel (68 diamonds with a total weight of 1,326 carat). In addition, the roman XII hour marker is also set with 18 diamonds.
The red gold case comes with a satinated finish and features straight lugs on the top - they are gently rounded on the bottom for a better fit on the wrist. Like on the 4810 Dual Time, the upper part o the dial is a silvery white guilloche with an exploding Montblanc logo design, while the lower part is finished with vertical Geneva Stripes, surrounding the tourbillon.
The watch also comes with rose gold plated and lume filled regatta hour and minute hands and a minute ring with the 60 being red.
White gold model
While diamonds are still not a universal choice, it will be much harder to argue (for most of us) against the white gold, aventurine dial version. The dial is definitely one of the highlights, giving a perfect impression of a star studded sky, and as a result imbuing the watch with something inherently romantic - in my humble opinion at least. The lower part of the dial is similar to the red gold version, in that it is formed by vertical Geneva stripes surrounding the tourbillon.
Unlike the red gold version, the roman numeral XII, the regatta hands and the tourbillon bridge are rhodium plated and the hands are skeletonised and lume free in this variant. The case is satin finished and the lug design the same.
From: Montblanc
Montblanc 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim Verdict
The two new, additional versions of the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim definitely expand the range, even if they will by far lack the spread and volume of the Dual Time. The red gold model has the more classical, Montblanc specific dial but will probably still remain an acquired taste in some areas, where men remain cagey about displaying diamonds on their watches. At the same time the slim case - at just over 10mm height - and the lug design may appeal to female wearers, in spite of its relatively large 42mm diameter. Even if you are bold enough to pull it off, it is likely to remain the less common choice.
The white gold model with the aventurine dial I can see having the broader appeal. The slim design and wearable case, combined with the more subdued material and the mesmerising blue aventurine dial are likely to draw in quite a few. The model successfully bridges the gap between the lower range regular Montblanc offerings and the top of the range Villeret collection and is a good stepping stone from the one to the other. The only question that remains for me is if Montblanc is likely to offer an aventurine dial in other models of its collection, too...
Montblanc 4810 ExoTourbillon
Slim - Specs (for the white gold model) Ref. 116525
Movement Montblanc
Manufacture Calibre MB 29.24
Type of movement Mechanical
movement with automatic winding mechanism, 1 minute ExoTourbillon with a
seconds stop and a micro-rotor
Dimensions Diameter=30,6
mm; Height=4,5 mm
Number of parts 202
Number of rubies 29
Power reserve Approx. 48 hours
Balance Flat hoop
Frequency 21,600 A/h (3 Hz)
Hairspring Flat
Mainplate Rhodium plated
with Geneva Stripes
Bridges Rhodium plated
with Geneva Stripes
Displays Hours and minutes from the center
Patented
1 Minute Tourbillon at 6 o’clock, with a rhodium plated tourbillon bridge
Habillage
Case 18k white gold case, with a satin brushed
middle section
Crystal Scratch-resistant, domed sapphire crystal
with antireflective coating
Back 18k white gold with inset pane of sapphire
crystal
Dimensions Diameter=42 mm; height=10.14 mm
Watertightness 5 bar
Crown 18k white gold with inlaid mother of pearl Montblanc
emblem
Dial Upper part from blue aventurine, lower part
with vertical Geneva Stripes, rhodium-plated roman XII and rhodium-plated hour
and minute regatta hands
Wristband
Black alligator-skin
strap with 18k white gold pin clasp