New Release
In this 2015 post, mkt33 introduces the Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Complet Vasco da Gama, a timepiece that exemplifies Montblanc's strategy of blending traditional complications with distinctive design elements. This article explores the watch's technical features and the brand's broader horological ambitions as discussed by the community at its launch.
Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Complet Vasco da Gama
Surely the most popular arrangement of displays for a timepiece with this complication is the one that indicates the day in one window and the month in another, while showing the current date by the tip of a centrally axial hand which sweeps around a wreath of dates that’s concentric with the minute scale. The so-called "full calendar" (or "Quantième Complet" in French) provides comprehensive calendrical data, but occasionally requires manual assistance from its owner. Unlike a perpetual calendar or an annual calendar, this watch’s calendar mechanism doesn’t automatically "know" the various lengths of the months. It accordingly assigns 31 days to all twelve months. The date therefore requires manual resetting at midnight on the last day of any month with fewer than 31 days. Montblanc developed a little setting stylus to simplify this little task. If the stylus isn’t close at hand, the inset buttons on case’s flanks were designed to be large enough so that they can also be pressed with the ball of an ordinary ballpoint pen. The silvery white dial has a sunburst pattern; the rhodium-plated facetted indexes and the numerals "3", "9" and "12" are applied to the dial. Two facetted, sword-shaped, and likewise rhodium-plated hands indicate the hours and minutes. The date-hand bears a little red crescent at its tip to enhance the legibility of the date display. As on the annual calendar, so too on the full calendar, the moonphase display is embedded in an accurate emulation of the starry night sky above the Southern Hemisphere as it appeared to the mariners in 1497. The Southern Cross is distinctly visible with its bright stars Alpha, Beta, Gamma (depicted in a slightly reddish hue to match its celestial namesake) and Delta. To display the phases of the moon, the beautiful blue-lacquered constellation holds an aperture for a golden turning disc below featuring the moon in the night sky.
Montblanc’s emblem, crafted as a distinctive relief atop the crown,is a distinguishing feature of the entire collection. The leather strap is made at the Montblanc Pelletteria, the Maison’s own leather manufacture in Florence, Italy. The strap is secured by Montblanc’s new and uncommonly flat double folding clasp. This timepiece is available in a 40-mm-diameter and 9.7 mm tall steel case.
Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Complet Vasco da Gama
Ident. 112539
Movement: Calibre MB 29.16
Type of movement: Mechanical movement with automatic winding, full calendar and a moonphase display with an aperture for a golden turning disc below featuring the moon in the night sky
Numbers of rubies: 25
Power reserve: Approx. 42 hours
Balance: Flat hoop
Frequency: 28,800 A/h (4 Hz)
Hairspring: Flat
Displays: Hours and minutes in the centre, date indicated by hand around the dial periphery, day and month in a window at "12 o’clock", moonphase display on a subdial at "6 o’clock"
Special features: Easy adjustment of calendar functions; individual correctors for each function to be set with a dedicated pin delivered with the timepieceHabillage
Case: Stainless steel; polished case, polished and satin-finish bezel
Crystal: Scratch-resistant, domed and antireflective sapphire crystal
Back: Stainless steel with inset pane of sapphire crystal with the Vasco da Gama’s Flagship São Gabriel and his signature
Dimensions: Diameter=40 mm ; Height=9.7 mm
Watertightness: 3 bar
Crown: Stainless steel with Montblanc emblem in raised relief
Dial: Silvery white dial with sunburst pattern, facetted indexes, Arabic numerals "3,9,12" as rhodium-plated appliqués, rhodium-plated sword hour-hand and minute-hand, date- hand with a little red crescent at the extremity, blued lacquered subdial at 6 o’clock depicting the sky with the Southern Cross in the Southern hemisphere and an aperture for the moonphase indication
Wristband: Black alligator-skin strap crafted in the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence with stainless steel triple folding clasp
Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500
Price 4’350 euros
The Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Complet Vasco da Gama, reference 112539, is a full calendar timepiece distinguished by its comprehensive calendrical display. This model presents the day and month in separate windows, while the date is indicated by a central hand with a red crescent tip, sweeping along a date track concentric with the minute scale. This "Quantième Complet" complication provides extensive calendrical information, requiring manual adjustment for months shorter than 31 days. A setting stylus is provided for this purpose, though the inset case flank buttons are designed to be operable with a standard ballpoint pen.
This reference features a silvery white dial with a sunburst pattern, complemented by rhodium-plated facetted indexes and applied numerals at 3, 9, and 12 o'clock. The hours and minutes are indicated by two facetted, sword-shaped, rhodium-plated hands. The watch is powered by an automatic movement, visible through a sapphire crystal case back, offering a power reserve of 42 hours. The case is constructed from stainless steel, with a diameter of 40 mm, and is fitted with a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating.
This full calendar offering appeals to collectors seeking a traditional horological complication with practical daily utility. It represents a segment within the Heritage Chronométrie collection that prioritizes classical watchmaking principles and legibility. The thoughtful design of the setting mechanism, allowing for stylus or pen operation, highlights the brand's attention to user experience. This reference is a notable example of a full calendar watch within its price category.
Have to be my 2 favorites from Montblanc this year! Thanks for sharing Mike! Cheers Robin
Yet some differences too to the JLC :) The moonphase is definitely unique to Montblanc. At first I really like it but now I find it looks a tad big for the blue sky and the golden moon too small. Need to see it in the metal. For me personally if Montblanc can sell at a lower price point of beautiful watches and share the passion for fine watchmaking to the wider public, I still think it's a good thing. Cheers Robin
what I do not like is the way you put everything int he same brand, high end, low end, too many lines. On the short run it can work, in the long run, no one can identify you as an high end or low end, your Image is not clear, that was a problem for me with JLC before. Now it's slowly getting better. For example Longines is making auality watches at an interesting Price, nothing high end, no crazy design or complication but good Price for what it offers. It's different from the manufacture it was
Hi Cisco, I think by having a very broad product line, it is MB's way of building horological credibility with the public as well as the rest of the industry. Once you have established a good base of customers and respect of the industry, then I think it is easier to tighten and focus the collection. For example, if you look at Montblanc watches (pre-Minerva), GMT/Dual time watches were their "specialty". This made sense because they catered to people who travelled a lot. Minerva, of course like
I understand that there was also the montblanc historical part to integrate too and it's not easy. In the end, I am not "wowed" because I don't see personality with too many models and the close look to JLC establish a brand. But I wish them success.
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