
Nicolas (amanico) brings to light the Montblanc Heritage Pulsograph LE 100 Pieces Steel Salmon from 2019, a timepiece that exemplifies the brand's commitment to its Minerva heritage. His post highlights the appeal of the Caliber 13.21 movement, particularly its smaller size and the elegant 40mm case it allows. This discussion provides valuable context for understanding Montblanc's strategy in the luxury watch market.


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.
And so they pay tribute to the heritage but they also develop cases and dials. Furthermore I guess it would be strange to sell watches without any direct brand reference to Montblanc throughout their boutiques, events and fairs (being their most important channels in this price region). Or could you imagine PP selling watches without PP branding just because they acquired and saved a former workshop/brand of bankruptcy? I cannot tbh
I think it can be done and I am pretty confident collectors would prefer Minerva branding vs a mix of BP with Minerva movement. But hey, thatβs me π
Very interested to hear your thoughts on the watch after owning it for 5 years. Any new found loves or dislikes for the watch?
On the other hand: one of the main target groups for these limited watches (and there are some which go up to 300k Euro at the moment) are Montblanc fountain pen collectors. Belonging to this group for more than 10 years I can report that there are two or three high end events each year with in sum about 150 top fountain pen collectors invited on international scale. In these events the new fountain pens are the center of presentation (ranging from about 50k Euro to 1.8 million Euro currently).
So gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the pics, Nico
The model must work for MB, and thatβs the most important thing for them I assume. The most important is that they continue creating such nice pieces. The rest is secondary. Thanks again, Alex
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