jrwong23 (aka watchthebin)
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Introduction to the Montblanc New 4810 Collection – Part One
When Montblanc launched the 4810 collection in SIHH 2016, many people mistook this for a totally new collection. Actually, the 4810 group of watches is not new to Montblanc. It was first presented in 2006 as the Star 4810 collection, on the occasion of Montblanc’s 100th anniversary. Since then, Star 4810 has become one of Montblanc’s best-selling watch lines.
In
2016, to mark its 110th anniversary, Montblanc launches a new 4810
collection, building on the success of the original. Montblanc wants to
celebrate the golden age of travel across the Atlantic Ocean with this new 4810
collection, when its founders traveled from Hamburg to New York (a big deal in
those times). The new collection retains all the codes of Montblanc’s
watchmaking; retains many of the design elements of the original Star 4810
collection; AND adds refreshed, sophisticated and modern design.
In
fact, I find the timepieces in this refreshed collection complement modern day
travelers well. Travelers who need finely-made and reliable timepieces during
their business trips. Each time I travel for work or conferences, I love to
bring along a nice timepiece or two but then I worry about bringing expensive
pieces in case I lose or damage them. The 4810 collection’s cost-quality ratio
fits this bill nicely for business travels.
Before
I acquired my Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum (now one of my favorite
business travel watches), I used to have a Star Worldtime watch and I remember
how I love the case design and the guilloche dial. As I look at the new 4810
collection’s design, I see some similarities but also some refreshed design.
See
below for an illustration on the design cues found on the case and dial of the
4810 collection.
The
lugs remain a feature I like on the new 4810 collection as well as the
signature Montblanc “Exploding Star” guilloche on the dial, which
looks like a star spreading out from the center of the dial to the sides of the
dial. There is an element of familiarity with the Star collection in this
regard and I am glad Montblanc retains some of its original design “DNA”
whilst updating the collection with features such as an improved bracelet.
I
like the applied red gold Roman numerals a lot and I think it is consistent
with the Roman numerals found on the very classical Heritage Spirit collection.
Maybe it’s my personal preference but I am happy to see Montblanc starting to
have some common design “DNA” as its collection lines gradually build up their
iconic status (the Heritage Spirit and 1858 collection are two examples I find
growing very quickly in the last two years).
The “Exploding Star” guilloche dial is very recognizable and familiar in many Montblanc watches and I am glad the 4810 collection retains this element.
I
will be attending the launch event of the 4810 collection in Singapore next
week and I will be sharing some live pictures soon. In this collection, we have
the 4810 Chronograph Automatic, 4810 Day-Date, 4810 Automatic Date, 4810 Orbis Terrarum as well as
the flagship 4810
Exo Tourbillon Slim. I
will share some of the product details of these watches in a two part post and
for part one here, let me start with the 4810 Chronograph Automatic.
The 4810 Exo Tourbillon Slim is very elegant and classic and pretty good value for an Exo Tourbillon. The Exploding Star guilloche is also found on the dial of this watch.
A picture of the 4810 Orbis Terrarum I took a few months ago when it was showcased in Singapore.
The
chronograph remains one of the most popular complications today. I believe Montblanc made a good decision to offer this complication in
its new 4810 collection. Montblanc has launched many novelties in the recent
three years but the chronograph remains a very special complication in its
roots due to the Nicolas Rieussec collection which saw Montblanc’s first
in-house movement, a monopusher chronograph. Not to mention Minerva’s strong
reputation in this complication, which Montblanc has inherited and continues to
build upon.
The
4810 Chronograph Automatic combines both classical elegance and modernity from
what I see in the press pictures. I hope to spend more time with this timepiece
in the metal during the upcoming launch and I will share more thoughts on this
watch after that.
The
watch has a bold 43 mm stainless steel case, elegant silvery-white guilloche
dial (there is also a more sporty black dial version) with the classic
Montblanc “exploding
star” pattern, and applied red gold-plated Roman numerals. Powered by the automatic calibre MB 25.07,
with a 46-hour power reserve, this two-pusher chronograph indicates central
hours and minutes, seconds in a subdial at 9 o’clock, date in a subdial at 6 o’clock
with a triangle indicator, chronograph seconds hand in the centre, 30-minute
chronograph counter at 12 o’clock and hour chronograph counter at 6 o’clock.
The sub-dials, guilloche pattern, Roman numerals and the Montblanc logo create
a balanced feeling on the dial, a design symmetry I personally like and find
easy to carry.
The illustration above shows the 4810 Chronograph Automatic with 3 separate references, silver or black dial, bracelet or leather strap.
Stay
tuned for part two where I will be sharing the 4810 Day-Date, 4810 Automatic
Date as well as live pictures of this new collection after I attend the launch
event in Singapore.
For more details on the new Montblanc 4810 collection, please visit Montblanc's website at:
Cheers
robin
Introduction to the Montblanc New 4810 Collection – Part One
When Montblanc launched the 4810 collection in SIHH 2016, many people mistook this for a totally new collection. Actually, the 4810 group of watches is not new to Montblanc. It was first presented in 2006 as the Star 4810 collection, on the occasion of Mo...
The new watches of the 4810 collection are more refined imho
I also explained the differences in the articles I wrote about the Paris presentation and it is obvious that they gain elegance. Thanks Robin! Fx
Indeed my dear Fx
They retained the good parts of the Star collection and refined some other parts to be more refreshed and modern imho
+ 1!
I like the dominantly blue dial better. The new 4810 Orbis Terrarum has a warmer dial with some warmer colors like yellow and green
Yes I love it too !
Although the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum is a good fight for this one
Journey Back in Montblanc Time
Robin, Thanks for the history. Now, I feel OLD because I remember the launch of the Star 4810 collection in 2006 ....aarghhh I think the new collection pieces are more refined and with horological interest apart from just looking good! Montblanc has come ...
Thanks for this interesting read, Robin.
Through years, Montblanc developed some good products. I am not fan of everything, but the Orbis Terrarum is certainly a good watch, with a fair quality /price ratio. The Exotourbillon too, is interesting, with this micro rotor movement. You like it or no...
Villeret for crazy PuristS like us
I am deeply poisoned by the Secondes Retour-a-Zero again my friend.... arghhhh agony! IF you have a choice, will it be the Villeret Retour-a-Zero (which is a fine zero reset complication but looks like a normal 3 hand watch on the dial although a very nic...