Walter Röhrl

Some months ago - very early in my Montblanc moderating job - I had the pleasure of getting to know the 2017 TimeWalker collection (more on that here: www.watchprosite.com here: www.watchprosite.com here: www.watchprosite.com and here: www.watchprosite.com for details). And while the range is broad - from a time only TimeWalker Automatic Date to a truly exotic TimeWalker Chronograph 1000 Limited Edition 18 - the most resonance on PuristSPro was achieved by the TimeWalker Chronograph Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100.

The latter watch is a very prominent piece of wrist architecture and will definitely not remain unnoticed - whether on your wrist, as a desk clock or installed in your vintage race car - all natural habitats for it. And I find Walter Röhrl's quote perfectly setting the scene for the time piece (Ari Vatanen, who is involved with Montblanc, is a consummate gentleman, and these tend to adhere to the mantra 'silence is golden' - i.e. I have used up all of his available quotes already). The watch simply conjures up images of pine forests, cars with bug splattered side windows, the smell of petrol and tortured rubber and heroic drivers battling both their machines and the unpredictable environment they are thrown into. Yet it is a perfectly serene, minimalist piece when seen on the wrist, too.

Recap of the Montblanc TimeWalker Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100 - Design

With only 100 available, it is not a common sight in the wild but fortunately I got to try it out irrespective. Before I summarise my own impressions, let me recap some of the characteristics. The watch comes encased in a 50mm titanium case and is as such definitely on the prominent side. At the same time the case material ensures that it maintains a very wearable weight and the lugs - which are anything but standard / common - complement the wearing comfort.

As the watch features a 3 in 1 design - i.e. can be used as a handheld stopwatch, a wristwatch or a clock (either desk clock or rally timer in a car), several 'attachment options' needed to be designed into the case. For the use as a stopwatch one can fold the lugs completely flat against the case back, or use the lower lug to attach it to a lanyard.  

For the wristwatch use one attaches the provided leather strap, which is secured close to the lug (on both sides, so you can adjust where it sits on your wrist), as opposed to having a classical buckle. For the use as a desk clock, the watch comes with two foldable legs, which one can extend for this application (all seen above and on the case back picture below).

And lastly, you get an attachment that is supposed to grace the dashboard of your classical (rally) car, if you are intending to use the watch in the way its name suggests.

The watch features two subcounters, a running seconds one at 6 o'clock and the minute one positioned at 12 o'clock. The general arrangement matches that of the historical Minerva Rally Timer, while the functions of the respective subcounters does not - the original was a stopwatch only, while the modern iteration needs to tell time, too. This means the addition of the regular time hands and of running seconds, while the watch then has to make do with a 30 minute chronograph counter, as opposed to a 60 minute and 12 hour ones. Since these days we are rarely faced with occassions, which require a mechanical chronograph running for longer than 30 minutes, this is hardly going to present a downside to the typicial user.

Other design features follow the historical Rally Timer pretty closely. You get a black dial, the placement of the brand logo in the 6 o'clock subdial (in this case Montblanc, as opposed to Minerva), a tachymeter scale, matching hand shapes on the subdials and matching fonts for the numerals, while the time function necessitated the addition of black, dauphine shaped hour and minute hands, which are super luminova filled. The one devitation from the historical script - at least from a direct interpretation - is the seconds hand, which is red and graced with a Minerva arrow tip on the new one, while it was white like the rest on the original. Still, the red seconds hand, together with the Rally Timer inscription of the same hue, add a visual cherry on the otherwise sombre, monochrome, 'cake'.

Like in the original, the design focuses on optimum legibility and functionality and it succeeds at these, while at the same time exuding a 'form follows function' charm, so typical of well designed utilitarian objects.

Recap of the Montblanc TimeWalker Rally Timer Counter Limited Edition 100 - the MB16.29 Movement

The movement - MB16.29 - is known to many a PuristS, as it beats inside the Montblanc 1858 Tachymeter, as well. It is inspired by Minerva's 17.29 horizontal coupling column wheel chronograph movement that has been powering Minerva's pocket watches and wristwatches since the 1930s. The modern iteration adds the Minerva arrow (a.k.a. Devil's Tail) and a much higher level of finishing (internal angles, Cotes de Geneve, circular graining, hand bevelling). Many of the traditional aspects of the movement remain, though, such as the V shaped chronograph bridge (patented in 1911), the layout and architecture, the very large screwed balance wheel and the majestically serene 18.000 bhp frequency.

The movement is a monopusher (all functions steered via the crown at 12 o'clock (if that's where you turn it towards)), with 252 components. It has a power reserve of approximately 50 hours, although some Purists, who have been testing theirs, achieved much longer running times. At 6,3mm thickness it is conventional, rather than ultra slim, and while it does not fill out the case as tightly as on the 1858 Tachymeter, it by no means looks small inside the 50mm titanium case, either. 

It is covered by a tonneau shaped sapphire crystal on the back - the shape having largely to do with the legs and foldable lugs, which restrict the real estate available for the glass. Still, you will be able to get a full on view of the movement, even if you need to rotate the watch in your hands somewhat to see the lowest and uppermost extremities of the movement. 

Impressions

As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, the watch is definitely prominent. Yet at the same time, it's 50mm, which would otherwise be a killer size for more slender wristed wearers like yours truly, are packaged remarkably well - the watch does not shrink on your wrist but it does not appear like you strapped something altogether unfitting, either. At the same time, it remains a piece that feels like a fit for purpose design, meaning you will probably need the panache of a senior Agnelli to pull it off convincingly with a suit. Fortunately, it will not look ill at ease when the wearer is attired more casually and will positively ooze a statement of intent, if you squeeze yourself into vintage racing overalls (appropriate car essential here, too).

A party trick of the watch - that has been written about a lot - is the rotatable case. The default setting is crown up (12 o'clock) but you can rotate the case for optimum readability into many different positions (0-180 degrees), as seen in the pictures above. This is a fairly rare feature, and while it requires a larger, more complex case to accomodate, it also significantly improves usability. Whether in a vintage car or on a motorbike, you can always adjust the angle of the watch in such a way as to be easily able to read the time without having to take your hands off the wheel / bars. The watch may perhaps not enter many races anymore (or if it does, it will be attached to the dashboard) but the engineering has not been simplified as a result - something that will likely appeal to buyers. And even if your 'racing' is taking place at a desk, in front of a keyboard, one does notice that perhaps the classical positioning of the 12 o'clock has had to do more with expedience and outside activities, than a sitting position, where the watch does not point in an optimal direction for legibility at a glance (unless yours is a permanent arms crossed stance). 

This, together with the titanium construction that reduces weight, is largely responsible for the very pleasant wrist feel, irrespective of the large size.

The titanium case also adds a level of toughness, where you will not go weak in the knees just thinking about using the watch in more active pursuits, like driving, where it could occassionally brush against another object. Owners are unlikely to ever use this as a beater, tool watch (the 3ATM Water Resistance speaks against it, if nothing else) but it will most likely survive the travails of regular use without any heart in mouth moments. 

So what's my verdict? It may be a challenging decision as an only piece (but then again I do not know a single PuristS here who has only one watch) but a very understandable, refreshing and alluring addition to most watch collections. The design and mutability of the piece (watch, clock...) are likely to be great conversation starters, while the movement will without doubt remain one of the most spectacular, finely finished, hand wound chronograph movements for many years to come, even amongst watches costing a multiple of the asking price here. It has many of the features that 1858 Chronometer owners here are waxing lyrical over, while adding some very unique aspects on top. In short definitely a piece worth thinking very seriously about!

Thanks for viewing!