Collection
Rosneathian's decision to acquire the Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph, ref. 116243, highlights a growing appreciation for Montblanc's Minerva-infused watchmaking. His post delves into the brand's strategic direction under Davide Cerrato and the allure of its high-end offerings. This article explores Rosneathian's personal journey to this specific reference and the community's insights on Montblanc's evolving status in luxury horology.
With thanks in part to veterans on WPS, I've warmed to the work of Montblanc over the past 12 months or so.
The first 15 years of Montblanc's incorporation of Minerva has produced some startlingly beautiful work. It's fascinating to listen to Davide Cerrato talk about the company's strategy and plans too. If his interview with Europa Star in 2018 and the watches since are anything to go by, we can expect Montblanc to cement itself as a first-tier purveyor in years to come: a large company producing high-end watches in boutique fashion.
As for my first foray, I've had my sights trained on the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph for about six months. It was either the version with the rose gold/black dial, or steel/blue dial, or in bronze with a sunburst champagne dial. I opted for the bronze version, pictured below.
I'll take possession of it in January, partly because I've somewhat over-extended myself....
Have a nice day, all.
Photos courtesy of AB2W, Hodinkee and SJX.
The Rolex Bubble Back, reference 1858, represents an early example of Rolex's self-winding waterproof wristwatches. This reference is part of the broader Bubble Back family, characterized by its distinctive domed case back designed to accommodate the thicker automatic movement of the era. It showcases Rolex's foundational efforts in developing robust and reliable automatic timepieces for everyday wear, laying groundwork for future Oyster Perpetual models.
This particular reference features an 18k white gold case, measuring 38mm in diameter. It is fitted with a sapphire crystal, protecting a silver dial. The watch is powered by an automatic movement, specifically the Boucheron 1858 caliber, offering a power reserve of 42 hours. The fixed bezel and leather strap complete the watch's classic presentation.
For collectors, the reference 1858 holds interest as an early and relatively rare iteration within the Bubble Back series, especially in white gold. Its larger case size for the period also makes it appealing to modern tastes. The presence of a date complication adds to its functionality, distinguishing it from simpler time-only Bubble Back models and highlighting Rolex's early integration of practical features.
I will continue to admit that these 1858 monopushers are gorgeous watches. Congratulations on your watch. But the company and customer service support? No thank you. Hope you get a good one.
I tend to roll with the punches when it comes to my collection. I don't expect smooth sailing with every watch all of the time; they're like children who need to be raised on their own terms. So long as the watches aren't fake or fatally compromised in some other way, all good. I'm not typically a reseller either, so how these things fair in the wild is only of passing interest.
I have serviced watches with probably 6 different brands. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate every other experience between an 8-10. Montblanc, 0.
I've lived in countries where everything from a car to a pair of shoes has been destroyed by accredited service providers. I don't exaggerate. I've had possessions written off altogether with no recourse. As far as watches are concerned, I shy away from HQ overhauls, not because of concerns over competence but because their default settings are unyieldingly maximal. I understand why that is, but this is where the interests and work flows of a brand are at odds with those of the collector. It's t
but the origins of most structural problems happened with Jerome. Davide was simply without creative talent on dial design
60 Montblanc listings are live on the eBay market and 32 collector listings on the WatchProSite marketplace.
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