The Montblanc 1858 Automatic Dual Time, one of the three new watches presented in the 1858 collection available from April 2017, continues the brand’s smart marketing technique, offering watches with standard movements and simple complications at an attractive price. Coupled with good design and the world-wide familiarity of the Montblanc brand name, this is presumably reaping the brand its rewards in terms of sales. This piece continues the pilot’s watch aesthetic, with black dial, cathedral-shaped hands and beige SuperLuminova Arabic numerals. Like the new 1858 Automatic, the Dual Time has a 44mm satinated stainless steel case with a bronze bezel and crown.
Inside, the watch is powered by the Calibre MB 29.19, an automatic movement based on the Sellita SW300-1, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hertz, power reserve 42 hours. To this, Montblanc adds a dual time zone module, and this part was entirely developed and assembled in-house. The skeletonised home time hand is positioned at the centre of the dial, with a touch of SuperLuminova at the end to distinguish it from the hour hand, which is completely filled with SuperLuminova. The user can change the local time hour hand without affecting the home time hour hand, or the local time minutes and seconds. This makes it a practical watch to use when travelling. When you’re at home and you’re not interested in the dual time zone, the two hour hands superpose and the watch becomes a classic three-hand timepiece. A day/night indicator appears in a small aperture at 12 o’clock. At six o’clock, a subdial indicates the small seconds. There is a date window on this subdial, linked to the local time.
The watch has a solid caseback with an engraving of the Minerva Manufacture in Villeret, with the Jura Mountains in the background. The design also includes the Roberts Frères Villeret logo, the historic Minerva logo, the Montblanc name and the arrow from the Goddess Minerva’s spear.
The cognac-coloured calfskin strap is made by Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence. It has beige stitching just below the lugs, and the leather is treated to give it an aged appearance.
Price and reference
The Montblanc 1858 Automatic Dual Time, reference 116479, costs €4,990, $4,990. It will be available from April 2017.
