"Orbis terrarum liber est, et illi qui non commeant modo unam paginam legunt"

(The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page)

Augustini de Trinitate Liber IV 

The production of the first ‘modern’ world map – the Typus Orbis Terrarum – has been a labour of millennia and a source of great wonder to generations thereafter. The product of Aberham Ortelius, a German / Flemish cartographer, first published in 1570, it comes close to getting the basics of global geography right. Things have naturally improved in precision since but his work was good enough to be a reference for further cartography for centuries later.

From: RareMaps

And while the original sported Cicero’s quote stating, 'Who can consider human affairs to be great, when he comprehends the eternity and vastness of the entire world?' I find the opening one by Augustini de Trinitate much more fitting to our modern interpretation of the world.

Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum Family

As such, the name Orbis Terrarum fits excellently to Montblanc’s line of world timers launched at the SIHH 2015, namely the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum family. 

A short recap – the watch was originally launched in a 41mm stainless steel / red gold case and already featured Montblanc’s unique take on a world timer. The watch sported two sapphire crystal dials on top of each other – the upper one with the depiction of a world map, as viewed from the North Pole, while the one below added a day / night indication through a dark and light coloured pattern representing daylight in the appropriate parts of the map (Robin’s review of it can be found here: www.watchprosite.com
and here: www.watchprosite.com
with some additional details).

Montblanc has amassed some experience with two level dials prior to the Orbis Terrarum, with the Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours in 2012 and the Metamorphosis II in 2014. 

The result was a pleasing detail, telling the wearer at a glance, which parts of the world were active, and where phone calls were best only carried out with closer friends, who would not mind after office hours.

In 2016 – for the 110th anniversary of Montblanc – the 4810 Orbis Terrarum was added to the portfolio, in a bolder, 43mm case and with a coloured second layer disc, not only offering the day / night indication but also colouring in the continents on the day side according to their latitude. Other small details were changed, too – with Hamburg replacing Paris for the GMT+1 position (Robin’s report on the watch here: www.watchprosite.com
for more details).

Partners in Education – Montblanc’s Co-Operation with UNICEF

'Since 2004, Montblanc has donated over 10 million USD to numerous UNICEF programmes across the world to support UNICEF in fighting against illiteracy. This year Montblanc will team up with UNICEF once again to advocate for quality education and improved learning outcomes in countries around the world.  

The written word has the power to leave a lasting imprint on every child who is given access to quality education. Bound by the common belief that education is a force for good that can end generational cycles of poverty, Montblanc is renewing its long-time partnership with UNICEF by introducing two special UNICEF limited editions of the Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum, highlighting the essence of writing with two different dials depicting the Latin alphabet and Chinese characters.

Together, Montblanc and UNICEF are committed to improving learning for over five million children across the world with better educational tools and quality instruction.' Montblanc

From: Montblanc

In addition to the two limited edition watches, there is also a series of pens, devoted to the same cause - a natural choice for a storied manufacturer of fine writing instruments, such as Montblanc. 

Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum UNICEF

What better choice is there in the Montblanc portfolio to celebrate the goals of literacy, education and an open mind than the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum? It perfectly embodies the idea of the world as a book and of non-travellers as those perpetually staying put on the same page. 

It allows for an intuitive telling of time in 24 time zones at a glance and with the pusher at 8 o’clock changing location is much easier on the watch than in the real world. The watch keeps the smaller 41mm case of the original Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum, while adding the coloured second sapphire dial of the 4810 model. In addition, the UNICEF limited addition replaces Hamburg with Geneva – the location of UNICEF’s headquarters – for the GMT+1 time position.

As stated above, two versions of the watch will be
produced, one with the city ring spelled out in the Latin alphabet and another
one with Chinese characters. There will be 500 pieces of each version
available.

The watch comes with a polished stainless steel case, sporting refined straight lines, vertically descending flanks with horizontal satin finishing as a contrast to the polished case finish, a thin bezel, finely curved horns, faceted dauphine hands, and a crown with the Montblanc emblem in raised relief against a satinated background. 

The watch has a transparent case back, with a UNICEF logo and also have alligator leather bands in UNICEF’s shade of blue. 

From: Montblanc

Finally, let me quickly recap the operation of the twin sapphire crystal dials that make the watch so alluring (also depicted in the picture below). Like in the other watches of the family, the function of the upper sapphire dial remains to represent a world map, as seen from the North Pole. There is a cut-out for the continents and islands and a two shades of blue for coastal and oceanic waters. The cities ring is also included on this disc.

The second disc then adds the night-time indication in dark blue and a gradated daytime (dark green to orange), mimicking geographical latitude and also has the 24h time indication on its outer rim. 

The overall operation is very straight forward – and is usual for a wold timer. A push at the button at 8 o’clock will adjust the time zone (local one is the one displayed at 6 o’clock) and local time, all other time zones can then be read at a glance from the 24h disc. 

From: Montblanc

Verdict

The Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum UNICEF is a product of a laudable co-operation of Montblanc with said organization. The fact that the sale of the watches contributes to supporting one of the most sensible goals in human development – aiding impoverished regions through better education – is definitely going to suffice for some of the 1.000 future owners. 

But even if this aspect of the watch is temporarily ignored, you will get a very good world timer that is hard to beat value wise at this price point. The smaller, 41mm case paired with the colourful sapphire dial is for the moment a combination unique to the UNICEF edition, too – which alone is likely to suffice for those yearning for the warmer dial of the 4810 but not quite comfortable with the larger size.

Technical Details - Montblanc
Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum UNICEF

Ident. 116534

 

Movement                  Calibre MB 29.20
with Manufacture complication

Type of
movement   Mechanical movement with automatic winding mechanism

Number of
rubies      26

Power reserve           Approx. 42 hours

Balance                      Flat hoop

Frequency                 28,800 A/h (4 Hz)

Hairspring                 Flat

Displays                     Hours and
minutes from the center

Worldtime indication with 24
hour time zones and integrated day & night display

 

Habillage

Case                           Stainless
steel case, worldtime pusher at 8 o’clock

Crystal                      Scratch-resistant,
domed sapphire crystal with antireflective coating

Back                           Stainless
steel with inset pane of sapphire crystal and UNICEF Logo

Dimensions               Diameter=41 mm;
height=11.99 mm

Watertightness         3 bar

Crown                        Stainless
steel with inlaid Montblanc emblem

Dial                             Sapphire
crystal dial showing the Northern Hemisphere and 24 cities of the 24 hour time
zones written in Latin character / simplified Chinese characters, 24 hour-disc
with day/night display and climate zone that turns under the sapphire crystal
dial, rhodium-plated dauphine hands

Wristband
                 Blue alligator-skin strap with
stainless steel triple folding clasp

Limitation                   500
pieces for each version