Fingers-On: Montblanc 1858 ‘Unveiled Secret’ Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Watch

One of many standout items launched at Watches & Wonders 2023 actually is the Montblanc 1858 “Unveiled Secret” Minerva Monopusher Chronograph. Scorching on the heels of final yr’s duo of “Unveiled Secret” watches — named as such to suggest that the beautiful Minerva chronograph mechanism is now dealing with the dial facet — is that this yr’s single reference with a distressed look.

We’ll begin with the basics as a result of it is just proper that we started with a motion as superb as this, and shortly after we’ll reveal why this new reference stood out fairly a lot at Watches & Wonders 2023. The Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M16.26 is designed as a reversed motion with its regulating organ, going prepare, bridges, and plates — in rhodium-plated German silver — all seen via the dial. Chronographs with such a conventional format have eternally had their stopwatch mechanisms engineered onto their caseback facet, the logical place for such a excessive variety of comparatively giant and interconnected elements when the dial facet is reserved for parts of the common time show.

What’s particular right here is that Montblanc Minerva has re-engineered this monopusher chronograph in a approach that many watch lovers doubtless all the time would have most well-liked: with the wheels, cams, levers, and even the column wheel all put in back-to-front. This hand-wound, hand-built, and hand-finished chronograph caliber has been a Minerva staple and arguably the primary attraction of the boutique watchmaker that Montblanc took over in 2007.

The Montblanc 1858 “Unveiled Secret” Minerva Monopusher Chronograph watch really provides one of many nicest and, certainly, largest shows of a conventional chronograph accessible right now. What makes it conventional is its lateral clutch system that’s been changed by vertical clutches in lots of fashionable chronographs. The latter is hidden deep inside the middle of a motion whereas the previous, as seen right here, is unfold out over all the width of the motion. At each press of the pusher built-in into the crown, the column wheel is grabbed and pulled, or pushed, by levers, therefore switching between beginning, stopping, and resetting the chronograph — in that order, time and again, as is customary in a monopusher chronograph.

This ingenious format is an invite to look nearer, though the whole image isn’t one which’s more likely to get boring anytime quickly, both. Levers and plates and bridges put on their conventional decorations with delight, clearly refined by hand, versus simply being accomplished by machines. And earlier than you thought this was to be anticipated on a 36,500-dollar watch, we should stress, hand-chamfered edges are every part however the norm on big-brand watches at this worth level, and even properly past. Polished screw-heads, polished countersinks, hand-polished bevels — it truly is a feast for the eyes. One other plus is that this can be a complex-looking motion that’s typically in motion in contrast to, say, difficult calendars which can be a really static mechanism in an amazing majority of the time.

One other trait to please blue-blooded watch connoisseurs is the large steadiness wheel, 14.50mm in diameter, a dying breed within the age of 4Hz and 5Hz actions that want smaller steadiness wheels with much less inertia to permit for these elevated working frequencies. Against this, the Montblanc 1858 “Unveiled Secret” Minerva Monopusher Chronograph watch operates at an old-school 2.5Hz, i.e. 18’000 A/h, permitting for a fully huge steadiness wheel with a lovely, relaxed movement that could be a deal with to see on show on the dial facet. As tacky because it sounds, this properly and really is the beating coronary heart of each mechanical watch and a few may discover this set up a relaxing and soothing change of tempo. Energy reserve is about 50 hours.

The Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M16.26 measures a whopping 37.5mm-wide. That’s a couple of third bigger than different chronographs, and within the microscopic world of mechanical watches, it’s extraordinarily uncommon to see variations of that scale. It’s 7.05mm-thick, hefty for a motion with out self-winding or a date, however greater than validated by the beautiful multi-layered depth of the development. Talking of development, the flipside of the motion is roofed up solely by an engraved caseback — not a lot of a loss given that almost all the attention sweet is now on the dial facet.

What’s actually cool in regards to the Montblanc 1858 “Unveiled Secret” Minerva Monopusher Chronograph watch, although, and we’ll say this quietly, is that it has form of an explorer vibe to it. The chrome steel case was black coated first after which stone-washed — form of how denims are — to create a distressed, worn look, making it look tough round its edges. Though pretend patina on luxurious and non-luxury watches is thought to have sparked heated debates locally, we should say that it really works exceptionally properly when mixed with this old-school motion powering cathedral fingers. The bezel is in stable 18k white gold with a fluted execution, satinated and polished. The fluted bezel on a Rolex Datejust, or perhaps a Tissot PRX, is on a totally completely different degree when it comes to execution and refinement, however this vintage-looking part might be justified by the way in which it goes with the general theme.

On the wrist, this 43mm-wide and 14.18mm-thick Montblanc Minerva chronograph has a presence like few different watches on the market right now. Once more, the distressed look will not be destined for mass enchantment, however the way in which it combines with the uncovered, pocket watch-like motion, the vast and ponderous black nubuck alligator leather-based strap, and the half-matt half-shiny 18k white gold bezel is genuinely entertaining. It appears to be like and looks like a watch that’s been round for 100 years and never as household heirloom, however as a timekeeper that’s outlived a number of homeowners — in addition to traits.

Restricted to 88 items, the Montblanc 1858 “Unveiled Secret” Minerva Monopusher Chronograph watch is priced at $36,500 and whereas that’s some huge cash, it nonetheless makes this a powerful worth proposition in a world filled with machine-finished, dime-a-dozen luxurious chronographs. Who is aware of, it’d simply be the right treatment for these burned out from having already owned each final atypical luxurious chronograph. You possibly can be taught extra on the model’s web site.