New Release
In this 2010 post, mkt33 introduces the Montblanc Villeret Vintage Chronographe, an exclusive preview for the PuristSPro community ahead of its SIHH debut. He highlights Montblanc's strategic recognition of Minerva's historical legacy, integrating it into a new product that blends vintage aesthetics with high-horology movement finishing. This article delves into the watch's unique design elements and the community's initial reactions.
This is an exclusive for the PuristSPro community. The premiere of the Villeret Vintage Chronographe...which will be shown to the rest of the world at SIHH 2010.
I think the press release below will address some of the community's requests from Montblanc. It is beautifully written and informative...a refreshing change from the verbose, non descript press releases I'm used to reading. Bravo Montblanc! Thank you for recognizing that when you've got the history of Minerva and a beautiful product there's no need to "market".
New in the Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858: the Vintage Chronographe
With its unmistakable dial, which emphasizes finely calibrated scales, the Vintage Chronographe is a superlative device for the measurement of brief intervals of time. Connoisseurs of port wines know that the appellation “vintage” is exclusively reserved for wines from the finest years. The same applies to this new chronograph in the Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858, which boasts a spirally shaped tachymeter scale in the center of its dial. A coiled scale of this kind was a typical and frequent feature on the legendary Minerva chronographs from the 1920s and 1930s. The manufacture’s archive preserves from those years many enamel dials which are marked with specially calibrated scales for special applications in the exacting discipline of measuring brief intervals: for example, some of these dials were destined for use in regatta watches, others in pulsometers or counters. Some of the dials with finely calibrated scales were used on timepieces that could measure intervals to the nearest hundredth of a second. This wide variety of specific applications and highly precise movements helped Villeret’s watchmakers to earn a fine reputation as chronograph specialists. Today too, they continue to enjoy unanimous admiration from connoisseurs and aficionados of mechanical timekeeping.
The periphery of the Vintage’s dial was reserved for the telemeter scale, so the tachymeter scale was shifted into the center, where it was coiled like a snail’s shell so that it would be long enough to be used for tachymeter measurements up to three minutes in duration. Hence, these watches were genuinely multifunctional instruments that wed high functionality with masterful horological artistry. This grand tradition lives on in the Vintage Chronographe. As went without saying in bygone years and as is naturally also true of today’s Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858, the entire dial is crafted in the most exclusive manner. The face is covered with grand feu enamel: a platelet of solid gold is heated in a kiln to a temperature of 850 degrees Celsius, thus fusing it to an uppermost layer of vitreous molten enamel. The quiet ticking beneath this noble dial hints at the presence of the legendary Minerva Caliber 16-29, a movement which is endowed with all the characteristics that raise the pulse rate of watch lovers: a large and weighty balance, with adjustment screws along its rim, oscillates at a pace of 18,000 A/h (2.5 hertz); a balance-spring with a Philips terminal curve; a swan’s neck fine adjustment mechanism; a V-shaped chronograph-bridge; a meticulously and manually beveled and finely finished chronograph-lever; classical horizontal coupling; and a column-wheel to control the chronograph’s functions. Naturally, the mise en function, i.e. the exact abrading of the chronograph-lever, is performed during many hours of painstaking manual craftsmanship to a precision of several 1,000ths of a millimeter.
A new feature, on the other hand, is the outward impression made by this device for measuring brief intervals. The watch’s case has a rather unpretentious but nevertheless contemporary diameter of 43.5 millimeters. To preserve the proportions and thus the overall impression of a typical Villeret watch, all of the case’s parameters (including the horns) had to be entirely newly designed and constructed. The result is a timepiece which unmistakably shows that it belongs to one of the world’s most exclusive lines of watches, yet nonetheless makes a somewhat sportily technical impression. Like all other watches in the Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858, the Vintage Chronographe will be available only in a strictly limited edition. Here, the series consists of 58 timepieces in 18 ct red gold cases with white grand feu enamel dials and brown alligator-leather wristbands, and another set of 58 watches in 18 ct white gold cases with black grand feu enamel dials and black alligator-leather wristbands.
I like this ALOT, do you?
And there is more to expect from Villeret for SIHH 2010!
Cheers, Mike
This message has been edited by mkt33 on 2010-01-01 16:49:51The 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 I hope there's a review in the works. There's a new contender for the heavyweight title ;-) . . . happy New Year, Art
I like the red and blue accents on the dial which gives the watch a more contemporary but vintage look and away from the conservative traditional look of the past similar models. Diversity of look will attract a new customer segment IMO. Wish the white enamel dial was available for the white gold case - AT This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2010-01-01 14:46:52
Would love to see the WG version. Thanks. Vte
Can't wait to see one in person.
great work Montblanc have done whit this one! Kudos Damian
I like this approach... I could never afford the nice vintage Patek chronographs seen at auction. Now this is an alternative The new Pateks borrowing designs from their museum don't have the same warmth, it is as if they took the "best" and replicated it for the modern consumer. Here Montblanc takes a Minerva dial and puts it into a watch with the highly finished movement...something the vintage Minervas never had. Now here is finally a product that Minerva fans should be proud of..all because o
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