Manufacture
Jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) offers an insightful introduction to Montblanc's dual watch manufactures in Villeret and Le Locle. This post highlights the distinct philosophies and craftsmanship at each location, from Villeret's traditional haute horology to Le Locle's modern excellence. His personal journey into Montblanc collecting provides a relatable entry point for understanding the brand's diverse horological offerings.
As promised, here is an introductory post explaining the 2 watch manufactures of Montblanc, namely their very traditional haute horology manufacture at Villeret as well as the more modern manufacture and quality center of excellence at Le Locle. More posts will follow with details on each of them.
I want to share a very personal experience (some of you would have read this sharing before): I was really fortunate that very soon after I started collecting fine watches (the first being my VC Traditionelle in Sep 2012), I got invited to a Montblanc event, met Julien, the watchmaker from the Villeret manufacture, got drunk with champagne… but awoken when Julien showed me the Montblanc Villeret caliber 13.21 and I couldn’t stop thinking of Montblanc Villeret watches since… lots of research followed and I ended up reading a lot of the Montblanc manufactures and also watching their videos.
This 3 part video of the Montblanc manufacture at Villeret was the deepest watch poison pill I ever had, closely followed by Julien’s showing me of the caliber 13.21, followed by Vlad and Fx in various forms (but that is another story for another day) as well as many “dangerous” articles I read on the internet, especially from PuristSPro, which had the most write-ups on Montblanc Villeret. I would like to share these videos here again with PuristS friends. If you have not watches these videos, I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to watch them.
What are your impressions after watching these videos? Do you "smell" oil and steel like me when I watched them?
The assembly of the Timewalker 100 Chronograph movement in Villeret
Back then, I watched these videos over and over again until the videos’ background music kept playing in my head! Obviously, the poison of the beauty of the movements and purity in upholding traditional watchmaking techniques seeped deep into my heart. There are so few manufactures who actually produce their own balance wheel and spring inhouse in the most traditional way like the Villeret manufacure of Montblanc. After buying a few more fine watches in 2013, I finally took the plunge in Aug 2013 to get my first Montblanc watch, my Montblanc Villeret grand feu enamel chronograph! I happen to wear this watch today and I still love it as much after all these time!
My love for Montblanc watches started with the Villeret range but soon, I started learning more about their watches manufactured or assembled in Le Locle as well. My first love for Montblanc watches manufactured in Le Locle was their famous Nicolas Rieussec watch collection but alas, they were too big for me. Nonetheless, the curious me started to research on the Montblanc Le Locle manufacture and I also recall having very strong memories from this video:
To be completely honest, I was more seduced by the Villeret manufacture initially as it is truly unique and completely pure in traditional watch making methods, not to mention their status as an Artisanal Atelier with bespoke timepieces creation. Even though I have not visited the manufacture, I could also smell metal and oil when I watch these videos and even when I look at my watch movement under a loupe!
What is even more exciting is that these 2 manufactures, with complementary competencies, started collaborating more and more. The Heritage Pulsograph, a watch collection from Le Locle, with the Villeret caliber 13.21 as well as the Timewalker Chronograph 100 signaled the start of using Villeret movements in Le Locle assembled watches in 2014. More recently, the Montblanc Heritage Chronometrie ExoTourbillon minute chronograph is an even more concrete example, where the ExoTourbillon Patent and know-how from the Villeret manufacture is now cascaded into a new movement designed, developed and manufactured in the Le Locle manufacture (with a more assessable price than the grand complication ExoTourbillons from Villeret). Judging from the rapid progress made in a short span of less than 2 years, we can only expect more good things to come when Montblanc synergizes these 2 manufactures even more in the next few years.
In the next few posts, I will provide some more detailed insights into each of these two manufactures. Stay tuned J
CheersThe Montblanc TimeWalker Chronograph 100 is a significant model within the TimeWalker collection, showcasing Montblanc's technical capabilities in high-frequency chronometry. It draws inspiration from Minerva's historical expertise in stopwatches capable of measuring small fractions of a second, aligning with Montblanc's renewed focus on its heritage.
This timepiece features a dual-frequency movement, allowing for precise measurement down to 1/100th of a second. The case design incorporates modern materials, reflecting a contemporary aesthetic while retaining elements like the central counter indices and the 12 o'clock chronograph actuator, reminiscent of vintage Minerva stopwatches.
The TimeWalker Chronograph 100 is notable for its blend of traditional watchmaking with modern engineering, appealing to collectors who appreciate both historical provenance and innovative technical performance. Its release coincided with Montblanc's 'Heritage' collection, reinforcing the brand's commitment to its Minerva legacy.
Myself! Best, Nicolas
Robin, Thanks for the Introduction to the Manufactures. I've never been to either despite travelling nearby. There are too many factories in Switzerland. When we were collecting Montblanc Limited Edition pens in the 1980s and 1990s, we did not buy the corresponding Meisterstuck watches....gold-plated and not our style! My first Montblanc was a Rieussec chronograph that the current Mrs MTF insisted we got instead of the high beat 36,000 vph chronograph that I went to the shop for! It's one of onl
Thanks Robin for this overview of the 2 Montblanc watch manufactures. Cool videos too. Regards, ED-209
Will be a cool tour Let\'s aim for this someday Cheers Robin
Your Nicolas Rieussec looks great! Now on Villerets being large - they also have smaller ones such as the Vintage Pulsograph at 39mm. My chronograph grand feu enamel is 41mm, quite big by my standards but somehow, the design of the curved back and the leather covering the lugs gap makes it look less big on my small wrist. I guess this is why some PuristS (eg Hororgasm) can even carry the large 47mm Montblanc Villerets! Cheers Robin
... thanks for the passionate post, Robin, can feel your strong passion with MB as well as the watches! look forward to your next posts, especially keen to hear what collaboration of Villeret and Le Locle will have! stefan
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