New Release
Ornatus-Mundi's report from SIHH 2014 highlights Montblanc's significant shift towards serious watchmaking, moving beyond lifestyle branding. The author details the brand's renewed focus on horological substance, showcasing key collections and the strategic decisions driving this evolution.
The talk of the show was not only the booth, it was the Heritage Collection and in specific the Perpetual Calendar. More on this later. The collection exemplifies the traditional characteristics of fine Swiss matchmaking - in every detail. The time is shown by facetted hands of classic dauphine shape on bombé, silvery white dials finished with a soleil motif. The chapter ring comprises polished applique markers of three different lengths, also facetted in shape. The surface finishes, like the ho
With the debut of the TimeWalker Collection in 2004, Montblanc launched a new family of watches and simultaneously defined a new design vocabulary. The Extreme Chronograph ´s DLC (regular and special edition; the two watches above on the left) features include architectonic lines, 43-millimetre case, narrow bezel and elegantly skeletonised horns, plus a large, planar dial with Arabic numerals in a distinctive, clearly contoured typography and characteristic lancet-shaped hands. This innovative l
The Twin Moonphase is the latest member of this classic MB collection and has a diameter of 42mm: One moon – two hemispheres The timepiece is driven by the automatic Montblanc calibre MB 29.13 and houses a new type of complication that is used exclusively by Montblanc and gives the watch its name: a moon-phase display that shows the moon’s phases in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres and the age of the moon in days: On the first view it seems to be counter-intuitive to have separate disp
The next watch has evolved into a veritable classic in MB's stable: the Nicolas Rieussec Collection . Inspired by its namesake’s first patented chronograph from 1821 it features a meanwhile iconic chronograph display in the bottom art of the dial, with two rotating disk read through fixed hands. The collection has been developed in the last years with considerable force. This year we were shown only one new version, but it is a very charming one, intelligently done - the Montblanc “Homage to Nic
Finally, we consider the topmost collection of Montblanc - Villeret 1858 . Some have declared it dead after the appearance of a veritable Minerva movement in the new Heritage collection, but we have seen (more as a preview) a loud sign of new life: the Villeret Chronographe Rattrapante Tourbillon : As mentioned, a preview only, and we were asked not to shoot the movement (that's a real pity, trust us!). Thus, we just would tease you with some images of the dial... Very powerful contrast in textu
We already started with something good and now we would like to finish with something even better. Montblanc seemed to be stronger than ever before and so far we only have seen a small part of what is coming … in the next month(s) and years. It is not that difficult to see who are the main competitors and for sure it will be interesting – also for customers & connoisseurs. It appears to us that the brand is vastly moving forward - away from the budding yard in horology school, towards a matu
This thread is active on the Montblanc forum with 32 replies. Share your knowledge with fellow collectors.
Join the Discussion →
