Montblanc 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow

Montblanc’s glacier-inspired dials are fuelling a whole new diving watch collection, but enthusiasts waiting for high-end Minerva manufacture watchmaking are, as ever, not disappointed. The 1858 Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Red Arrow (€32,000 and limited to 88 pieces) has its key inspirations from the manufacture’s aviation watches with external rotating bezels from the 1920s and 1930s; and in particular, a 1939 chronograph model that is in the Montblanc museum today.

The bidirectional bezel – fluted for better grip with pilot’s gloves – positions a red arrow that can be used as either a countdown or count-up marker, depending on the user’s preference. It is otherwise a 42mm steel-cased chronograph of distinctively vintage aesthetics: a simple black dial, busy with a telemeter scale on the perimeter and coiling tachymeter scale in the centre, flanked by a subdial on either side. The movement, too, speaks of the past: calibre MB 13.21 is a manually wound monopusher chronograph movement with a 2.5Hz beat rate, and can be freely admired through the display caseback.