Two Centuries of Chronograph History- Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec
Chronograph Anniversary Edition 1821 – 2011: A homage to the inventor of
the chronograph
2011 will be a special year for the chronograph,
which celebrates two centuries of chronograph history where the Nicolas
Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition, a strictly limited collection
of 190 watches in eighteen carat red gold, 90 watches in eighteen carat
white gold and 25 watches in 950 platinum will be launched.
Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition - Rose Gold Version
The Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition will be a tribute
to Nicolas Rieussec, the inventor of the first chronograph and
“time-writing” device. In 2008, Montblanc first paid homage to the
inventor of the device by dedicating its innovative Montblanc Nicolas
Rieussec Chronograph to the ingenious watchmaker.
The Rieussec chronograph is the first chronograph where time display
does not interact with the chronograph function, enhancing legibility of
both indications and endowing a strong, unique look. As on the original
chronograph from 1821, the chronograph hands do not rotate above the
dials; instead, remaining motionless while the seconds-disk and
minutes-disk turn underneath them.
With this, Montblanc created a new face to the chronograph combining tradition with innovation.
Typically Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec
Unmistakably the most eye-catching feature of the new Anniversary
Edition is its subtle and pure, yet classique guilloche pattern which
distinguishes every Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph. An
hours-circle displays the ordinary time of day: this subdial is
off-centred toward the “12 o’clock” position of the main dial and held
firmly in place by blued screws.
The unique “smiling” V-shaped bridge holds the ruby counter-bearings for
the two chronographdisks: the subdial at the left can tally up to sixty
elapsed seconds, while the disk at the right can count a maximum of
thirty elapsed minutes. Below the hour-hand and minute-hand turns a
finely skeletonized date-disk. The aperture in the dial beneath the
date-disk offers a view into the depths of the mechanisms of this new
chronograph and reveals components of the disk coupling and the
periphery of the dial is adorned with a finely grained guilloche pattern
known as “grain de seigle.”
A Chronograph Manufacture Movement
The MB R110 calibre assembled from 263 individual parts unites all the
important features of the history of the chronograph. These include
classical column-wheel control, as well as a modern and nearly
friction-free vertical coupling which prevents wear when the chronograph
function is allowed to run for a lengthy period of time. The
rapid-reset mechanism with indicators that can be reset clockwise or
counter-clockwise without affecting the position of the minutehand is
extremely practical for travellers who journey from one time zone to
another.
The hand-wound Montblanc manufacture movement has two barrels which
together amass a 72-hour power reserve with an impressive sapphire
crystal back. To enhance precision and assure the stability of the
watch’s rate, the balance has a moment of inertia of 12 mg/cm2 and
oscillates at a pace of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour (4 Hz).
The History of the Chronograph
Born in Paris in 1781, Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec established a
watchmaking business on the Île de la Cité and was appointed watchmaker
to the royal court in 1817. At a horserace in 1821, he unveiled a new
segment in watchmaking – a movement that powered two enamel dials,
positioned above this one and calibrated with scales for the seconds and
the minutes. This was the first time in the history of horology that an
instrument could measure precise short time intervals. The running
times of the individual horses and the time differences were literally
written on the dials, and for the first time ever, the timekeeper could
reliably capture the running times of all participants in the race
without having to take his eyes off the sporting event to glance at his
watch whenever one of the horses crossed the finish line.
The directors of the Parisian racetrack were so enthusiastic about
Rieussec’s chronograph that they made it their official time-measuring
device. The French patent office was similarly impressed and accordingly
granted a patent on the invention of the first genuinely practical
chronograph to Nicolas Rieussec on 9th of March in1822.
Two Centuries of Chronograph History- Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition 1821 – 2011: A homage to the inventor of the chronograph 2011 will be a special year for the chronograph, which celebrates two centuries of chronograph histor...
Soon, in Singapore we get to see this watch as you said, "Have a look". But also some of the 200 year history of chronographs with exhibits from the MIH (horology museum at la Chaux de Fond). Then, we may have some opinion of the watch. Regards, MTF