Joseph
army Hours Don’t go out of style. Despite their strong and utilitarian roots, consumers go crazy for their bold designs. As such, it is fertile ground for watchmakers who want to recall the past while trying new materials and movements. The Montblanc 1858 Split-Second Chronograph Limited-Edition 18 watch falls directly into this category: it’s an army-inspired watch that uses a surprising new ‘lemon gold’ material.
Line 1858 for Mont Blanc It pays tribute to the legendary Minerva watches of the 1920s and 1930s, which were developed for military use. The 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 takes a number of cues from those original timepieces, most notably the telemetry around the edge of the dial. According to Montblanc, the telemetry was a common feature of the original Minervas, and it’s a vintage touch with an important function: it allows you to measure the distance of an event that you can see and hear. Use it when you see lightning, for example, and when you hear thunder, the telemetry reading will tell you how far the strike is from your location.
But the main story of this watch is its unusual color scheme, made possible thanks to the unique case material in lime gold. It is a special alloy made of gold, silver and iron, and it gives a “deep golden hue that deviates toward a pale yellowish green,” according to Montblanc.
Montblanc highlights the green by pairing the watch with a green nubuck strap and adding lots of green elements on the dial as well. The cathedral-shaped hands, telemetry and tachometers all feature different shades of green, and the green numerals appear as if they are about to emerge from the face of the watch. Montblanc achieved this new 3D effect by creating figures from Super Lumi-Nova blocks (aside from the interesting aesthetic, they also make them easily visible, day or night).
Montblanc offers one final surprise on the back of the 44mm case: the transparent case back that displays the inner workings of the MB M16.31 movement all over the screen. This handcrafted chronograph movement is another nod to the original Minervas watches (it is inspired by their 19-09CH and 17-29 movements), but it provides a level of craftsmanship not found in such utilitarian timepieces thanks to the handcrafted finish, grain and rinsing. . And they are very exclusive – Montblanc will manufacture only 18 of these watches.
One thing is for sure: this watch will become the crown jewel of any collection, thanks to its distinguished history and unique case material.
The watch sells for $ 50,000 and is available in Montblanc stores.
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