foversta
[PuristSPro Moderator]
20814
Hands on review of the Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second limited edition
It is always surprising to discover watches from very well known brands
just when they become available at the boutiques. When I say
"discover", I use the original meaning of the verb that is to say - learn of their existence. That's what just happened to me a few days ago with Montblanc
while visiting its boutique corner at the Galeries Lafayette. Actually, I
had the wish to try again the Heritage Spirit Terrarum Orbis (one of my
fav watches of the SIHH 2015) when a watch that was completely unknown
to me caught my eye. It is the logo that intrigued me. The famous star
with six rounded contours was replaced by the historic logo, which instantly gave a little originality to the watch.
1858 Manual Small Second
To be honest with you, if the word Mont Blanc (in two parts) was not
written on the dial, I would have been unable to guess its brand. The
watch belongs to the 1858 line that celebrates the date of the creation
of the Minerva Manufacture in Villeret. This line, to my knowledge, is
not part of any collection of the catalog and also stands out clearly
from the aesthetic point of view. It is composed of 3 similar watches
(plus a pink gold chronograph using a Villeret caliber) whose main
features are a black dial, luminescent "cathedral" hands and numerals, a
small second hand at 6 o'clock and a steel case with a 44mm diameter.
The
watch I photographed is from a limited series of 858 pieces. It is
distinguished by the "off white with patina" rendering of the
luminescent material and the use of an alligator leather strap; the
other two watches are equipped with either a Milanese mesh bracelet or a
calfskin strap. The combination between the cathedral hands and the
luminescent numerals immediately make us think about the pilot's watches
of the first half of the twentieth century which have been an almost
inexhaustible source of inspiration for many brands, either well-known
(Zenith, Longines, Alpina and others) or obscure (Altanus for
example). As such, the Montblanc 1858 differs little from its equivalents because this style exercise leaves relatively little room to maneuver.
The room to maneuver is also very limited regarding the movement, since I found
without any surprise (and with pleasure) the Unitas 6498 caliber which
has at least the virtue of being adapted to the case diameter. The
finishing of the movement is basic and it is a pity that Montblanc merely did the minimum (Geneva stripes, blued screws) to pay homage to
the Minerva Manufacture. On the other hand, the rendering of the
movement, which generously fills the case is consistent with the spirit
of the watch.
The steel case is nicely finished and I appreciated the work on the
lugs which brings a touch of fluidity to the whole design. Similarly,
the crown is pleasant to handle and its size remains reasonable which is
an excellent point for manual winding watch. If the black dial decreases
the perceived diameter of the watch, the latter remains impressive on
the wrist. But after all, it was the sought objective with such
inspiration.
This Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second therefore
gave me a mixed feeling. It surprises me by the special place it
occupies in the Montblanc catalog. Designed and assembled with a lot of
care, it does not suffer any major criticism. However, it faces an
extremely fierce competition in this niche because its price which
exceeds 3,000 euros is not competitive for this type of watch powered
by an Unitas caliber. Montblanc has led me to believe it could be much more
efficient on this specific price point in recent years. I regret that
Montblanc didn't take the opportunity to propose a more ambitious watch
with, for example, an officer case or with a movement with more
rewarding decoration.
Thanks to the team Montblanc team of the Galeries Lafayette.
Pros:
+ A consistent watch done with care
+ The case finishes
+ The little touch of originality provided by the logo
+ The "patina" rendering of the numerals and luminous hands of this limited series
Cons:
- The basic decoration of the movement
- The price makes the watch uncompetitive compared to equivalent pieces from the competition, which is surprising from Montblanc.
Fx
Hands on review of the Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second limited edition
Lovely looking watch but...
Actually with a Minerva 48 movement, you would not have the same price!
Would the movement be so much more expensive to manufacture?
Thank for the great review, as always Fx.
Can you tell us more about the new historic logo?
Water resistance of the 1858 manual small seconds
A classic Minerva design
Montblanc HQ has not gotten back to me on the logo yet Dean
Any word yet, Robin
No response from MB HQ yet on my email
The Montblanc logo on the 1858 collection
Perfect, that is awesome!
