Montblanc launches the Bohème collection in Shanghai

Bohème is the name of the new Montblanc collection of women’s watches, jewellery and pens, launched in Shanghai on 28 August 2014. CEO Jérome Lambert, with personalities Chris Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky, Ana Beatriz Barros, Chiara Ferragni, Dennis Nieh, Liu Tao, Dong Xuan, and the new Brand Ambassador Gwai Lun Mei, were present at the event, where artists and watchmakers were on hand to symbolize the watchmaking and jewellery skills involved in these pieces, but the real star was undoubtedly the Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery, the women’s version of the men’s watch that caused a real surprise at SIHH in 2014, becoming the world’s most accessible perpetual calendar watch at €10,000.

The Bohème Perpetual Calendar has a mechanical automatic movement, the calibre MB 29.15, and a dial design that presents all calendar information on three subdials, month and leap year at 12 o’clock, day of the week at 9 o’clock, and date at 3 o’clock. Moon phases are shown on another subdial at 6 o’clock. In the men’s version, the characteristics of the movement forced the designers to group the subdials rather close together towards the centre of the dial, but in this version, the smaller diameter, 36 mm, produces a harmonious and very successful design, heightened by the red gold case and bezel, with 60 Top Wesselton diamonds. The crown has a single diamond in the Montblanc cut (similar to the star that appears in the logo). The subdials are set on a sunray guilloché area at the centre of the dial, while the minutes scale at the edge has filet sauté decoration. Hour numerals are in an attractive Arabic design.

The automatic movement, visible through the sapphire window set into the gold caseback, has a 42-hour power reserve. Presumably it is, like the men’s version, a Sellita SW300 (based on the ETA 2892-A2), with a Dubois Depraz perpetual calendar module. If the watch is kept going, its calendar indications won’t need adjusting until 2100. Recessed pushers on the side of the case enable regulation in the case that the watch is not worn for a time.

The collection also includes the Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic, smaller at 30 mm, with date window at 6 o’clock, with MB 24.14 automatic movement providing 38 hours power reserve. It is available in red gold, steel, or a combination, with bezel set with diamonds, and a range of straps in black, white, grey or aubergine, with a sporty version in two colours, yellow plus orange, or light blue plus dark blue. A jewellery version, the Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery, has 178 diamonds on the dial and another 62 on the bezel.

Prices: Montblanc Date Automatic Jewellery, €13,000; Date automatic €8,600; Perpetual calendar, price on request.