AndrewD
[HoMe Moderator]
12829
Manufacture Minerva …
We all recognise that we pay for the finish of our haute horlogerie pieces and, relatively speaking, the more hand finishing the more we expect to pay. Minerva was always considered a ‘value for money’ brand; not high horology, but good design with finishing where it mattered.
I am interested to know what, if anything, has Manufacture Minerva needed to do to increase the quality of the products in line with Montblanc’s vision and pricing structure? Were the skills already there and does it just take a refocus on the product? For example, do they just decide to spend one week instead on one day finishing a movement, or does it take a lot more than this in terms of staffing, training and expertise?
Just interested to know what changes have been required at the manufacture.
Regards
Andrew
Manufacture
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Manufacture Minerva …
We all recognise that we pay for the finish of our haute horlogerie pieces and, relatively speaking, the more hand finishing the more we expect to pay. Minerva was always considered a ‘value for money’ brand; not high horology, but good design with finish...
Bon092 has a Minerva chronograph from the . . .
. . . period after the company was sold by the Freys to a private investment firm, and before it changed hands again to Richemont . . . I was able to view Minervas from this intermediate period once about four years ago, and was impressed with the level o...
Thanks Art
Yes, Indeed this Cal 13-20 Chrono is really a beauty and was assembled from new and old parts. It still performs flawless and the pushing chrono buttons is feeling as soft as butter. Regards Wim...
Significant changes were made
Hi Andrew, great question! I don't think anyone realized how "defunct" Minerva was during the last days of the 1990's before it changed hands. "Minerva was always considered a ‘value for money’ brand; not high horology, but good design with finishing wher...
Thanks for your detailed answer, Mike.
Very interesting history and progression of the company. It seems to be both an iterative process with jumps in quality when the ‘Italian investment group’ and later Richemont took over as well as continuous improvement under the guidance of M...
Minerva Pythagore
The Minerva Pythagore was never a high end watch, and Minerva never clamed it to be. When I compare the Minerva with my Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Taille, the quality of case, dial and hands are similar! The JLC has a much better movement, but it was ...
deBalzac, my post is in reply to Andrew's request to understand the
transition between the Minerva of the 1990s to now. It is in no way meant to degrade your watch nor those which Minerva produced in the 1990s. I've owned several. They are fine timepieces and I am glad you enjoy yours, I've enjoyed mine and I continue to ...
Minerva
Minerva was an old factory with old and worn production equipment. They needed new capital to upgrade the factory and to develop new models, this was the main reason for the sale to Emilio Gnutti. The Italians turned Minerva to a very expensive, high end ...
Yes, now at least 20x
but the watch market was quite different in 1999, thankfully it is beginning to have some sense again. But this is our passion, our hobby. The other reason why Frey sold was he didn't have the passion to continue his family's business. He had other passio...
Passion
Why are you saying that Jean-Jacques Frey didn't have the passion to continue his family's business? Have you read the interview on Timezone from 1998? Have you read what Jean-Jacques Frey wrote on the Timezone Minerva forum about the sale to Emilio Gnutt...
Livius, you obviously have a lot of passion for Minerva
Peace brother, let's just let old Minerva be where it belongs. Minerva is in a whole new chapter now. I truly believe all Minerva enthusiasts should be happy where the current brand is...the history continues, the manufacture updated, and the past preserv...
Passion II
Yes, I have a passion for Minerva, but I also bought a JLC five years ago. I bought the JLC because I wanted a watch with a high quality movement, something the Minerva didn’t have. For what I paid for the Minerva, I don’t think that the quali...
Excellent post, Mike. And to think...
..that they used to use those old machines as examples of their historical roots. Contrast with the new spotless workbenches.....I know which one impresses me.
Thanks …
Very interesting perspectives on a tumultuous period in Minerva history. You have all given some great information and personal opinions on the changes at Minerva and it is much appreciated. Thankfully the Minerva Forum, despite being closed, is available...