jrwong23 (aka watchthebin)
[Purist]
13960
Montblanc TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Part Two
Previously,
I shared the design code as well as the innovative mix of materials used in the
case construction of this watch in Part One:
In
Part Two, I will share more details on the dial, the strap and the movement of
this watch. Firstly, let’s focus on the dial. When I handled it, the entire
look and feel of the watch gave me an impression of sportiness, performance and
technology. The dial, just like the case, contributes a lot to this impression.
The grainé dial of the TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Limited
Edition 100 accentuates the designers’ focus on aesthetics, performance and
legibility. The time is displayed in an-off-centred black dial at 12 o’clock
with a mix of red and white Arabic numerals that have been enhanced with a
luminescent SuperLumiNova for easy reading at night.
The
lower section of the dial showcases the patented Exotourbillon and features two
semi-circular chronograph counters with their double indication hands at 8
o’clock for the elapsed-seconds, and 4 o’clock for the elapsed-minutes.
The
top part of the dial is embellished with black horizontal stripes, while the
lower part is decorated with vertical satin finishing enhancing the patented
ExoTourbillon mechanism.
During
the Montblanc ‘Black and White’ week in Singapore earlier this year when this
watch was showcased, I recall a guest saying this TimeWalker ExoTourbillion is
a “fierce” looking watch, very sporty and masculine and pairs well with a black
or red themed sports car. I tend to agree with him. To complete the sporty and
tech feel, the black alligator strap paired with this watch has red stitching,
perfectly complementing the colour theme of the entire watch.
Now,
this watch is not just a “sports car” with looks but has an impressive “engine”
to boast of too: the Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB R230.
The
calibre MB R230, combines two of the most important chronometric complications:
a monopusher chronograph to measure the duration of brief intervals and for the
first time in the TimeWalker Collection a patented ExoTourbillon construction
for ultimate performance and precision. To me personally, as a fan of Montblanc
watches, I am happy to see the merger of innovations between the Montblanc
Villeret and Le Locle manufactures. The ExoTourbillon was first created and
patented by Montblanc at their Villeret Manufacture, available exclusively in
their Villeret grand complications collection. The monopusher chronograph found
on the calibre MB R230 is from the same automatic monopusher chronograph
movement from the Nicolas Rieussec collection, which was conceived and
developed in-house at Montblanc’s Le Locle manufacture. Seeing these
complications come together in this TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute
Chronograph, at a more accessible price point than the Villeret ExoTourbillon
(of course that was much better finished with a much larger in-house
manufactured balance wheel) is good news for watch collectors.
The
MB R230 movement is both a traditional and yet, modern and high performance
movement. It combines all the elements of a traditional chronograph with modern
construction techniques giving higher performance than pure play traditionally
crafted chronographs. The movement comprises of a monopusher chronograph with
column wheel, efficient and precise vertical coupling, automatic winding and
two barrels. And for the other complication, i.e. the tourbillon, due to its
reduced size and the fact that it is freed from the weight of the balance, the
cage of the ExoTourbillon requires 30% less energy than a conventional
tourbillon to drive its rotational movement.
I
also appreciate a feature in the movement, which I find a very functional one
for time setting. The ExoTourbillon has
a quick stop-second mechanism, which directly halts the screw balance by means
of a tiny spring, and allows the user to also set the seconds precisely. In
addition, a practical hour setting function allows the user to advance the
hours in hourly increments in the second position of the crown, both forwards
and backwards, enabling faster time setting.
Now
let’s dive deeper into the ExoTourbillon. This tourbillon is patented by
Montblanc and a pride of the Montblanc watch manufactures. The “Exo” in the
name is derived from the Greek word for “external” or “outside” and hence, refers
to the screw balance, which is positioned outside of the tourbillon’s rotating
cage. This original patented architecture allows the cage to be smaller in size
and free of the weight of the balance, saving 30% more energy than a
conventional tourbillon. The fact that the balance is positioned outside of the
rotating cage also means that it isn’t affected by the inertia of the cage,
therefore improving precision.
According to Montblanc’s watchmakers, the benefits of the ExoTourbillon include the following:
1. Weight of Tourbillon disconnected from balance wheel
2. Higher precision: isochronism improved
3. Lighter and smaller Tourbillon cage to save energyThe other technical marvel that I wish to share more about
is the quick stop second feature, a rare feature found in tourbillons. This is
how it works.
The quick stop-second mechanism, directly halts
the screw balance by means of a tiny spring, and allows the user to also set
the seconds precisely thanks to the graduation scale around the ExoTourbillon
as well as the red arrow hand that is displayed on the tourbillon cage. This
mechanism instantly stops the balance from rotating, instead of halting the
tourbillon cage, which can cause the balance to continue swinging and upset the
precision.
A
summary of the functional specifications of the watch are presented below
(information from Montblanc HQ).
A
press picture of this watch I like. Somehow a black background brings out the
spirit of this watch even more.
Finally,
a picture of Mr Jerome Lambert and me in December 2015, when he launched the
watch in Singapore. He was wearing the 1858 Tachymeter chronograph (and got me
poisoned so deeply that evening at the dinner).
Hope
you have enjoyed this two-part post on the Montblanc TimeWalker ExoTourbillon
Minute Chronograph.
Let
me know what you think of this watch.
Cheers
robin
More posts:
Montblanc TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Part Two
Previously, I shared the design code as well as the innovative mix of materials used in the case construction of this watch in Part One: www.watchprosite.com In Part Two, I will share more details on the dial, the strap and the movement of this wa...
Thank you Robin.
You're an excellent writer and advocate for MB. They are fortunate, indeed, to have you as moderator on this site! One detail not mentioned in your reports, or that I've missed, is the thickness of the case. It's 44mm diameter by __ thickness ? As I have ...
The case height is 16.27mm
a rather thick watch M4. This watch has a huge wrist presence when I tried it on. As for MSRP, it is 39,500 Euros according to the info Montblanc gave me. Different markets will have a different price depending on taxes and currencies. It is already deliv...
I agree my friend
Montblanc's offerings especially in high complications at more accessible prices are what excite me the most these days Cheers robin
I really like it Robin. And while "expensive", still very well priced IMO.
There is a lot to this watch. I hope to see one some day. A subtle detail that I adore is the red gasket around the crystal. My Chopard has that and it really adds a lot to the look on this sort of technical watch.
Oh yes the red gasket
Is a lovely detail. Thanks for pointing that out Michael Another Montblanc poison for you? Lol
If Darth Vader was secretly into steampunk...
This is the watch he would wear Very impressive technically, at the same time glad they went for the Timewalker case, as it really adds quality to the line Good combination overall - thanks for your review!
Lol Darth Vadar!
Yes this will fit him indeed! :p Thank you for your kind words my friend Cheers Robin
