Montblanc - Star Legacy Collection 2018

Ahead of the upcoming SIHH 2018, Montblanc presented two new chronograph models as an anticipation of the redesign of its Star Legacy Collection.

While maintaining all the key elements, Montblanc is enhancing the level of classical finishing and perfecting the aesthetic balance of a line that was originally introduced 20 years ago.

Inspired by the Minerva pocket watches from the 1920s, the new timepieces feature round cases with a curved finish on the sides, giving a refined and shaped pebble effect, along with horns that have steps on the sides. The crowns stand out with their recognisable and easy-grip onionshape, adorned on the side with the iconic Montblanc emblem.

The first model is the Montblanc Star Legacy Automatic Chronograph whose silvery-white dial features redesigned black Arabic numerals, classic blued leaf-shaped hands, a refined filet sauté guilloché and a railway minute track that encircles the dial and counters.

The rounded 42 mm stainless steel case houses the 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) automatic movement, Calibre MB 25.02, indicating the hours, minutes, seconds and date as well as the chronograph’s indications with central hand and counters.

The Montblanc Star Legacy Automatic Chronograph (ref. 118514) has a retail price of Euro 3,990. It will also be available with slate grey dial and grey Sfumato alligator leather strap (ref. 118515).

The second timepiece is the latest reinterpretation of the Rieussec monopusher chronograph that was first launched in 2008 and revisited in 2014.

The Montblanc Star Legacy Chronograph Rieussec pays tribute to the French watchmaker Nicolas Rieussec who invented the first inking chronograph in 1821. The watchmaker to the French royal court, Rieussec developed this construction to more precisely measure the running times of individual horses at a horserace. Rieussec’s device was literally a “time writer,” so he accordingly named it a “chronograph” from the Greek words “chronos” (time) and “graphein” (to write).

In 1822, the Académie des Sciences in Paris granted a patent to Rieussec for his device and he became the inventor of the world’s first patented chronograph, marking the history of fine watchmaking.

In this new version, the silvery-white dial has been entirely reworked, with particular attention to enhance readability. The off-centred hour-circle and the chronograph’s titanium turning discs have been domed, giving a three-dimensional effect. Inspired by the codes of the collection, the black Arabic numerals have been slimmed down and surrounded by a precise railway minute track. Classic blued leaf-shaped hands complete the overall design. The date has been placed at 6 o’clock and enhanced with a sophisticated display applied on the dial with blued screws.

The timepiece is equipped with two rotating vertically-aligned discs for the monopusher chronograph's 60-second and 30-minute counters that turn below a blued fixed double index like on the original device. Additionally, a second time zone is displayed via a skeletonized hand on the off-centred dial.

The dial is decorated with an elegant guilloché pattern in places, azuré finishing in the centre of the hour-circle, and a filet sauté guilloché decoration that runs around the dial.

The round case has a diameter of 44.8 mm with a domed sapphire crystal glass to surround the three-dimensional dial and contributing to the refined pebble effect.

Visible through the sapphire crystal case back, the automatic Calibre MB R200 is equipped with a column-wheel mechanism that controls the monopusher chronograph. Also beating at 28,800 vph, this movement has two barrels which store enough energy for 72 hours of power reserve and can be admired .

Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500, the Star Legacy Chronograph Rieussec (ref. 118537) has a retail price of Euro 7,450.

Both the two new timepieces are completed by blue Sfumato alligator leather straps hand-crafted by the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence, Italy. montblanc.com