The Montblanc 1858 Collection: Capturing the Spirit of Mountain Exploration
THERE is a timepiece for every modern-day explorer in the Montblanc 1858 collection.
This collection pays tribute to 160 years of the Minerva Manufacture and is inspired by the watches from the 1920s and 30s, which were for military use and mountain exploration.
Accurate and hardy in extreme conditions, these new vintage style timepieces have several innovative complications and distinctive aesthetics.
There are five different designs altogether with something unique in each timepiece with their bronze cases and aged calfskin leather straps.
For the Montblanc Pelletteria, the Maison’s centre of leather excellence creates a distinctive range of vintage straps (Bund strap).
For something different, there are the woven Nato straps handcrafted in France at a traditional weaving manufacture.
And if you’re thinking performance, all the Montblanc 1858 models undergo over 500 hours of simulated wear, with specific testing and controls under extreme conditions. The Automatic, Chronographs and Geosphere models are also water-resistant to 100 metres, ensuring performance in all environments.
This collection is naturally vintage inspired, but at different levels – for something purely vintage-inspired, go for the Montblanc 1858 Automatic as it features all the distinctive codes and has a smaller case size within the collection.
If you want a strong vintage aesthetic with a chronograph function, then the Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph with its 42mm case will work for you.
For world travellers on the quest for exploration there is the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere – dedicated to the world’s Seven Summit mountaineering challenge, where climbers set out to ascend the highest mountains from each continent. It features a brand-new manufacture world time complication powered by the calibre MB 29.25. The worldtime complication has two turning domed hemisphere globes which make a full rotation in 24 hours.
For the epitome in vintage chronograph design, look no further than the Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition 100 with its 40 mm stainless steel case. It pays tribute to the historical Minerva monopusher chronograph calibre 13.20, specially developed in 1920 for a wristwatch.
Finally, there is the Montblanc 1858 Pocket Watch Limited Edition 100, powered by the new Montblanc Manufacture calibre MB M16.24 and designed for mountain explorers. It’s multi-functional and can turn into a wristwatch, be positioned on a table with a stand or combined with an in-built compass that can be accessed by opening it up to lay flat on a map for planning adventures.