Montblanc never fails to impress at events like Watches & Wonders, and that goes for both their watches and their overall presentation. This year, their stall featured a large swinging pendulum at the centre evoking an oversized version of a legendary Montblanc fountain pen nib and the surrounding décor was inspired by the great glaciers of Swiss Alps. Also inspired by the latter was many of the Montblanc Watches & Wonders 2023 releases which includes several limited editions from their 1858 collection. Let’s take a look…
Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date Watch
For last year’s Montblanc Watches & Wonders event, the Swiss watchmaker debuted a brand new collection called the 1858 Iced Sea. The series was inspired by the freezing glacial lakes on the Mont-Blanc Massif with the textures of the ice formations presented on a range of blue, green or black lacquered dials. Now for their Montblanc Watches & Wonders 2023 showcase, the brand launches a fourth colour option with the new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date Grey watch. The elegant off-white textured dial is created using a special technique called gratté-boisé. The rest of the design follows suit to its predecessors with a 41mm stainless steel case with an interchangeable steel or rubber strap, a 300 metre water resistance, Superluminova hardware and sapphire crystal glass. The Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch also features a special engraving on the case back depicting the scene of a diver exploring a glacier which hides the MB 24.17 automatic winding movement inside.
Montblanc 1858 Automatic Date 0 Oxygen The 8000 Watch
For the next four Montblanc Watches & Wonders 2023 releases, we’re welcomed to an entirely new collection named the “0 Oxygen The 8000”. The four special edition watches are a tribute to the world’s fourteen highest peaks—each over 8,000 meters above sea level— and feature the brand’s unique zero oxygen technology. Starting off the collection is Montblanc 1858 Automatic Date 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch which is the most traditional for its time-and-date only display. The 41mm stainless steel case is totally devoid of oxygen to eliminate the possibility of fogging and oxidisation for exploration climbing high altitudes. This technology also allows the movement to last longer with greater precision. The movement in question is the automatic calibre MB 24.17 which presents the date and time on a dark grey Sfumato glacier patterned dial with orange accents and blue luminescence. The Montblanc 1858 Automatic Date 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch also showcases a black ceramic bezel, engraved case back, a 100 metre water resistant rating and an interchangeable steel bracelet.
Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Automatic 0 Oxygen The 8000 Watch
The second Montblanc Watches & Wonders 2023 release in this series is the Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Automatic 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch. Once again, the 41mm stainless steel case is totally devoid of oxygen to eliminate the possibility of fogging and oxidisation and is topped by a black ceramic bezel with luminescent cardinal points and domed sapphire crystal glass. The glass is treated to a layer of anti-reflective coating for easy legibility of the grey textured dial with Superluminova-coated hands and numerals and two black contrasting subsidiary dials for the chronograph and small seconds. Powering the Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Automatic 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch is the automatic calibre MB 24.17 movement which stays hidden behind a closed case back engraved with Montblanc’s “Spirit of Exploration” decoration.
The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen The 8000 Watch
Matching in its inspiration, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch also honours our world’s peaks with its own 42mm case completely devoid of oxygen. This time the case is engineered from titanium for a lighter finish on the wrist with a fluted bi-directional black ceramic bezel with luminescent cardinal points, domed sapphire crystal glass and a water resistant rating of 100 metres. Like its time-only and chronograph counterparts, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch boasts a gorgeous Sfumato dark grey glacier pattern dial with orange accents but one that is largely overshadowed by the two, 3D turning Northern and Southern Hemisphere globes at 12 and 6 o’clock. These features allow you to read the time of the 24-hour zones and day & night indications and sit beside a dual time display and date. Powering these functions is the MB 29.25 automatic winding movement hidden behind a screwed down case back laser engraved with a colourful image of the K2 mountain. The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch is completed by an interchangeable titanium bracelet with a taper and fine adjustment system.
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen The 8000 Limited Edition
Finally, completing the 0 Oxygen The 8000 quartet from Montblanc’s Watches & Wonders 2023 showcase is a design that combines both the chronograph complication of the second model with the Northern and Southern Hemisphere globes of the third. The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch is a limited edition of 290 pieces and boasts a 44mm titanium case with the familiar fluted bi-directional black ceramic bezel, domed sapphire crystal glass and 100 metre water resistant rating. This time, the Sfumato dark gray glacier pattern dial displays the two 3D turning globes with the Northern Hemisphere at 12 o’clock and the Southern Hemisphere at six o’clock alongside two subsidiary chronograph counters at 3 and 9 o’clock for the 12 hours and 30 minutes. The hemispheres feature orange reference meridians, 14 dots marking the 8000m peaks on the northern continents, and day & night indicators while a handy date window is cleverly integrated at 3 o’clock. The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen The 8000 watch is powered by the automatic winding Calibre MB 29.27 hidden behind a case back displaying the names and altitudes of the 14 eight- thousander mountains.
Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition
Following on from two previous Montblanc The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronographs launched two years ago, the Swiss watchmaker releases a third instalment as part of their Montblanc Watches & Wonders 2023 showcase. This version presents a distressed 43mm stainless steel case and a white gold fluted bezel as a nod to Minerva’s first fluted bezel of 1927. The new architecture however is quickly dwarfed by the skeletonised dial which shows off an inverted movement, the calibre MB16.29, first developed by Minerva in the early 20th century. The movement is flipped upside down so you can see the activation of the chronograph from the dial side as well as distinctive elements like the arrows-shaped devil’s tail chronograph lever and the famous V-shaped Minerva bridge. The manual winding movement promises a 50 hour power reserve and beats at 18,000vph and presents hours, minutes and chronograph seconds and two subsidiary counters for the 30 minutes chronograph and small seconds. Completing the Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph watch, a limited edition of just 88 pieces, is a black nubuck alligator strap with a distressed steel triple-folding clasp.
If you’d like to learn more about the Montblanc Watches & Wonders 2023 watch releases and secure some designs for yourself, head over to the Jura Watches website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
