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Montblanc

I think Andrew nailed it!

 

Montblanc, I think, correctly identified the core competence of Minerva, that is their impressive capability of designing and producing haute de gamme movements, and tried to provide the necessary enabling environment to make those capabilities bloom. In this case this means that watches are sold as Montblanc watches.

The fact that they even used the existing case designs which they found when acquiring the 'workshop' is for me another telltale sign of their humble approach.

So often new owners of a company have he desire to make a media-effective bold clean out to show off who's the boss now.

Montblanc did not do so, in fact, they put not themselves, but the watches and the masters behind them in the spotlight. I said it before, but I feel a true watchmaking spirit here. I can only encourage Mr Schmied and Mr Hess to continue this way. It would be for the benefit of all involved.

Best regards,
Magnus

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8 Comments view entire thread 

Montblanc's official response to Andrew's question regarding Minerva

 
By: mkt33 : May 23rd, 2009-07:51
From Mr Alexander Schmiedt Dear Mike and members of the PuristS community, I read the discussion on the MB/ Minerva branding and that you guys are interested in the "MB perspective". I remember when I first came to visit the Villeret manufacture in Decemb...  

Thank you, Alex, for offering us your perspective . . .

 
By: Dr No : May 24th, 2009-12:08
. . . that explains the decision to continue the Minerva brand concurrently with Montblanc . . . cordially, Art

Thankyou for the response…

 
By: AndrewD : May 24th, 2009-16:39
Dear Alex and Mike, Thanks for coming back to us with this response. You will of course realise the importance of building this sort of personal connection with watch collectors. I like to think that Purists are a little more immune to (or perhaps aware o... 

I think Andrew nailed it!

 
By: Ornatus-Mundi : May 24th, 2009-23:48
Montblanc, I think, correctly identified the core competence of Minerva, that is their impressive capability of designing and producing haute de gamme movements, and tried to provide the necessary enabling environment to make those capabilities bloom. In ... 

A personal plea to Montblanc Villeret

 
By: MTF : May 26th, 2009-11:08
Dear Herr Schmiedt, I dare not speak for others but only for myself. Although we applaud the efforts at Villeret to combine modern marketing and traditional craftmanship (or craftwomanship), please can we have less of the superfluous wording on the dials?... 

Minerva Inside ?

 
By: AndrewD : May 26th, 2009-18:14
Agreed... I find this distracting as well, to say the least. For a watch pitched at this level most buyers are not going to be purchasing a watch that shouts “Pure Mechanique Horlogere” or “Grand Tourbillon”, not this collector any...  

It is a whole new entity...

 
By: mkt33 : May 25th, 2009-12:25
One hallmark of the current Villeret collection is the finishing of movements. One specification is that the edges of ALL the bridges and steel components are bevelled and polished by hands. The standard has been set that the edges all must be at an angle... 

I think...

 
By: MiniCooper : May 24th, 2009-16:44
that it is really great that MB chose to answer this topic. Of course it is their strategy to approach the watch collectors as they try to get a larger share of the upgrade market, however the fact remains that MB wants to address issues or questions by t...