Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar Review

small-luxury-world provides an in-depth, hands-on review of the Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar, featuring a pre-production model. This article delves into the technical aspects and personal impressions of this grand complication, accompanied by numerous live photographs. It offers a critical examination of Montblanc's entry into the competitive perpetual calendar market.

The Heritage Perpetual Calendar - hands-on with one of the first pre-production models, facts, personal impressions and lots of live pictures taken by me.

Introduction

A perpetual calendar is a grand complication and a dream of most watch collectors - eternal functionality is quite tempting. Also it is a must have as a brand serious about watchmaking; at least one has to be available in the collection today.

Historical sidenote : Patek Philippe is the pioneer when it comes to wristwatches with perpetual calendar. About twenty five years later Audemars Piguet joined (ca. 1950). 1962 Patek Philippe introduced the first wrist watch with PC and automatic movement. 1985 IWC surprised with the very innovative “Da Vinci” …

In general PC´s represent the art of watchmaking at the highest level and on top they offer a lot of (practical) functionality, not to speak about “romance” when it comes with a moon phase. The main feature of any PC is, until the 28^th of February 2100 no change is needed to display the correct date - no matter if the year has 356 or 366 days. To fulfill the switching operations a complex mechanism is needed under the dial. There is more than one technical solution available, but quite often it is a module on top of the movement. The latter is also what we have here.

Information

Movement :

Type of movement Mechanical Calibre MB 29.15, with automatic winding, perpetual calendar and moon-phase display

Number of rubies 25

Power reserve Ca. 42 Std.

Balance Flat hoop

Hairspring Flat

Frequency 28,800 A/h (4 Hz)

Displays Hours, minutes, two hands to indicate the month and the leap-year cycle at “12 o’clock”, one hand to show the day of the week at “9 o’clock”, one hand to display the date at “3 o’clock”, the moon’s phases appear in a window at “6 o’clock”

Features :

Case 18 karat rose gold (5N); polished bezel, horizontally satin-finished middle piece

Dimensions Diameter=39 mm, height=10.24 mm

Water tightness to 3 bar

Crystal Scratch-resistant, cambered and antireflective sapphire crystal

Back 18 karat rose gold (5N) with inset pane of sapphire crystal

Crown 18 karat rose gold (5N), with Montblanc’s emblem in raised relief

Dial Silvery white and slightly cambered dial with sunburst pattern, facetted hour indices and Roman numeral “XII” as gold-plated appliqués, gold-plated hour-hand and minute-hand in dauphine shape, perpetual calendar with small blued steel hands, moon’s phases appear in a window bordered by a scale for the moon’s age at “6 o’clock”

Wristband Black alligator-skin strap with large reptilian scales, pronged buckle made of 18 karat rose gold (5N)

Side note : it is also available in steel with rose gold details

Personal impressions

Aesthetics , history, movement and price
have to be right – nothing more, nothing less.

Let´s see if Montblanc managed to deliver something outstanding, based on the criteria above.

Aesthetics – timeless design is the first what comes to my mind. Time is shown by faceted hands in the classical dauphine shape, which sweep over cambered, silver-white dials that have been tastefully embellished with sunburst patterns. The hour circle combines polished faceted appliqués in three different lengths and an eye-catching applied Roman numeral “XII”. The classical shape of the elegant 39mm-diameter case is accentuated by various finishings on the surfaces, for example, horizontal satin finishing on the middle piece. The crown is adorned with Montblanc’s emblem in polished, raised relief against a matte sand-blasted background.

The displays of the Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar are harmoniously arranged on the dial: the date is shown at “3 o’clock”, the day of the week at “9 o’clock”, and the month at “12 o’clock”. On the inner scale of the month display, the leap-year cycle is shown by a blue triangle and a leap year is indicated by a red “4”. The moon’s phases are emulated in a window at “6 o’clock”; the moon’s age is indicated in days at this window’s upper edge.

To make it short, we have very traditional and well done watchmaking here.

History – the PC here is a member of the (new) Heritage Collection and it is called heritage for a good reason.

Montblanc has a lot of history when it comes to extraordinary craftsmanship, traditional techniques, high-quality materials, perfect aesthetics and outstanding functionality. Still they are not known for watches, at least not for that long. To “start” with strong products and the impressive knowledge base of Minerva in the back, is very promising to say the least.

Movement - the movement (MB 29.15) is a Sellita base (unique movement developed and reserved for Montblanc's use exclusively) with a Dubois Depraz module.

Each movement has to pass a 500 hour Quality Certification process at the manufacture in Le Locle.

(For more regarding the 500h QC process, please click here: montblanc.watchprosite.com )

(For more regarding the module for the perpetual calendar, please click here: montblanc.watchprosite.com )

A movement not in-house as a base and a module on top represents the classical Swiss watchmaking and only in the last few years that has changed - if at all. The module used you will find in much more expensive watches from very reputable houses as well, but with a very different price tag at the end. To adjust the calendar, pushers on the side of the case are a common solution for perpetuals and there is no surprise here.

Technically I have no doubts that you get something serious for the money and only the “ultimate” finishing is missing when you look at the backside of the watch.

Price – perpetuals are no bargains in general, but if you are looking for a new one that doesn´t break the bank there is no need to look further. I won´t give you figures here, but it is a challenge for the watch industry and not only in the steel version.

Live pictures

All I would like to say here is that I had the watch on my wrist, at several occasions and at very different locations. I tried to cover it appropriate for you. Hope you will like the pictures as much as I appreciated to take them.

Here we go, have a look and judge by your own:

It was not only me who was tempted to look at it quite often (or even too often when driving a car or so … ).

Yes, my wife was tempted as well. In general she has a weakness for watches with a classical chronograph indication and they have to be in white metal, but here something changed her mind. She loved the moon phase indication and the way it was shown. She found out that she has at least one ring that matches the rose gold case. At the end I had to take pictures, for her – believe it or not.

Let me share those pictures as well, if you don´t mind.

Once more it works just perfect, a watch for men on a female wrist. Sexy, isn´t it?!

Final Conclusion

After spending some time with the rose gold version, because of the kindness of the Montblanc team, I have to admit it was a real pleasure. Personally a perpetual calendar is not the most addictive complication in my books, but this one changed my mind somehow. Why? Simply because it was easy to handle (even the adjustment of the indications) and just so nice to look at - especially the moon phase indication in different light settings was a feast for the eyes. The details of the case and the dial are very well done and match with some of the best from the industry. The classical size is just perfect for my wrist and the weight was good as well – not too light, not too heavy. A watch that feels good on my wrist and makes me smile is more than welcome, even when it is not perfect in any case and not for everybody. Nonetheless - aesthetics, history, movement and price, when you look at all of them in detail it is hard to beat in the current market.

Be warned before you try one on your wrist, it is addictive and the fact that it is (relatively) affordable makes it even more dangerous …

Thanks to the team from Montblanc!

Oliver