Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. Vintage Charm for the New Montblanc 1858 Automatic Date in Cupro Aluminium
A “Zero Oxygen” bronze(sort of) case, a contemporary automatic movement and oodles of vintage charm.
Montblanc, the renowned producer of luxury fountain pens since 1906, entered the watchmaking arena in 1997. Keen to enhance its horological credentials, Montblanc acquired the famous Minerva manufacture in 2006. While the brand’s vintage-inspired 1858 line takes inspiration from Minerva’s historical watches and is named after the year the fabled manufacture was founded, it would be a mistake to assume that they are all equipped with Minerva movements, a distinction reserved for top-tier chronographs. The latest launch mixes vintage elements of the 1858 collection with Montblanc’s 0 Oxygen technology and a contemporary automatic movement.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Minerva specialised in the production of military and pilots’ chronographs. Many of their design attributes have been adopted by the 1858 collection, including the large cathedral hands with their cloisonné design and beige luminescence, Arabic numerals, large onion crowns, and classic railway minute tracks. Now geared towards modern-day explorers, mountaineers and even divers, the 1858 family is a satisfying blend of old and new.
The 1858 Automatic Date 0 Oxygen comes in a 41mm bronze case with a thickness of 11.3mm and slim, curved lugs. Made from an alloy known as cupro aluminium, which is more resilient than bronze and resistant to corrosion and rust, this combination of aluminium and copper will still produce an attractive patina over time. The large, fluted onion crown is topped with Montblanc’s star symbol in relief, and the fixed bezel has a polished brown ceramic insert engraved with beige luminescent cardinal points. A nice detail is how the sleek ceramic insert is sandwiched between the bronze bezel for extra contrast. The bronze case is decorated with brushed surfaces and a polished bevel running down the sides, and is water-resistant to 100 metres.
Contrasting with the warm, old-school look of the bronze case, Montblanc has applied its contemporary “Zero Oxygen” technology to the ensemble by introducing a blue seal between the sapphire crystal and the case to remove oxygen. Introduced in 2002 on board the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph, the idea is that by removing oxygen, fogging, which can appear with extreme temperature fluctuations at altitude, does not build up in the case, and the risk of oxidation and the subsequent damage to the components is eliminated.
In tune with the latest trends in watchmaking, the Montblanc 1858 dons a brown gradient or sfumato-style dial with a grained surface. Progressing from a light brown colour in the centre to a more intense tone on the perimeter, the textured dial works well with the bronze case. The different tonalities of brown are complemented by rose gold-plated elements, producing a rich, warm dial. The rose gold-plated Arabic numerals are applied to the dial and filled with beige Super-LumiNova (white emission), matching that applied to the cathedral hour and minute hands. The peripheral railway minutes track is beige, and the date window at 3 o’clock has a rose gold-plated frame and a white background. Highlighting its vintage spirit, the dial is protected by a domed sapphire glass box crystal.
A curious detail of this model is that it does not feature the historical Mont Blanc logo separated by a silhouette of the mountain (used on all other 1858 models) and instead uses the more contemporary Montblanc inscription. The steel caseback has a cupro PVD treatment and an engraving of Mont Blanc with a compass and two crossed ice pick axes. Beneath it ticks the MB 24.17 calibre, an automatic Sellita SW200-1 base with a relatively limited power reserve of 38 hours.
Matching the dial, the Montblanc 1858 Automatic Date Cupro Aluminium comes on an interchangeable gradient calfskin strap with beige stitching at the lugs and a stainless steel double-folding clasp with a fine adjustment system and a cupro PVD treatment. The price is CHF 3,420, EUR 3,900 or USD 3,695. More information at montblanc.com.
7 responses
I’d be shocked if they sell 1 , the specs are sooooo bad in the movement dep. the price is insane
Almost $4,000 for an aluminum cased sellita sw200 movement! All the while extolling its Minerva heritage. What horse feathers! It’s embarrassing to read through this propaganda while these knuckleheads try to make a defenseless case (no pun intended) for such a low grade throw away. Nobody in their right minds would go close to one of these, I hope! Maybe worth about $400, one tenth their asking price. Where do they get the gaul!
Even if it’s a top grade 200 adjusted to chronometer standards, $4k is rich. Then again Bell&Ross does much the same.
A dozen years ago this might be barely acceptable, but there are so many more alternative movements now. This is not acceptable.
terrible all around, except perhaps the alloy.
probably designed using chatgpt.
I even doubt that the North is aligned correctly with the mountain range; just another way of saying “this is what empty posing looks like!”…
I agree with the sentiment so far, it’s not appealing to me at all. The price — as is becoming commonplace — has entered the realm of comedy.
With so many great watches for significantly less money, this watch will likely only attract those who use watches solely as conspicuous novelties.
It really feels like we in a place where greatly overpriced watches are sold and purchased solely as a display of wealth. This is not an aspirational timepiece or “grail” watch. It’s simply wasting money for effect.
I love how it looks, but that price is crazy.
Feeling more and more detached from watches in general this way.
Nasty comments here, but no one knows that Montblanc are one of the few brands which actually don’t abuse the Swiss Made rules (which raises the price) – unlike others who do the same and at the same time praise themselves for being good value for money.