Long for the days when the festive season had more heart? Montblanc couldn’t agree more, and hopes to bring back the magic in the form of handcrafted horology.
Long for the days when the festive season had more heart? Montblanc couldn’t agree more, and hopes to bring back the magic in the form of handcrafted horology.
The smell of pine trees. The warmth of home cooking. The enticement of wrapped presents. The dazzle of night lights. These are just some of the things that contribute to the magic of Christmas; things you may or may not have forgot ten how to enjoy. Montblanc has just the thing to recapture the wonder of the holiday for the seasoned soul — craft smanship. In an era dominated by automation, there’s something about a craftsman lovingly toiling over the perfect gift that warms the heart. Here are our suggestions to spread the joy.
MONTBLANC SPECIAL 4810 EXOTOURBILLON SLIM
It ’s hard to believe that this is the third ExoTourbillon that Montblanc has released this year, but we’re not complaining. Known for it s cage-less construction, the ExoTourbillon of fers a beautiful t wist on a beloved complication. This red gold timepiece is just 10.14mm thick and features a silvered dial decorated with a wavy guilloche pat tern. Turn it over and you’ ll find the new MB 29. 21 calibre in clear view, thanks to the micro-rotor, which also sports a Cotes de Geneve en Enventail motif.
4810 DAY-DATE
There aren’t many high-end watchmakers that of fer the day-and-date, but we’re glad Montblanc has contributed to this useful category. The 4810 Day-Date has a simple layout: day at 12 o’clock, date at 3, gold-plated Roman numeral hour markers and sword-shaped hands. What makes it s tand out, however, is the striking guilloche that radiates out wards from the Montblanc star. The Calibre MB 24.18 movement is a self-winding 4Hz one with 42 hours of power reserve.
4810 CHRONOGRAPH AUTOMATIC
Watchmakers are constantly tweaking popular models to keep up with changing tastes, and the 4810 Chronograph Automatic is one of the latest to come out refreshed. Most obvious are changes to case size (from a range of 44 to 47mm to a standard 43mm) and movement — the new MB 25.07 calibre with a 46-hour power reserve. For improved legibility, the hands are in blue to contrast with the red gold hands and date triangle. The dial’s exploding star pattern thankfully remains.
4810 ORBIS TERRARUM
Like its predecessor — the Spirit Orbis Terrarum World Time — the 4810 Orbis Terrarum is a world time watch that displays 24 cities in 24 time zones, using multiple layers of rotating sapphire crystal to do so. An eye-catching difference is the colour of the world map: The 4810 Orbis Terrarum uses shades of orange, yellow and green for the countries experiencing daylight, rather than the varying shades of blue in the earlier model. Those with an eye for detail will appreciate the new stepped lugs.
4810 EXOTOURBILLON SLIM 110 YEARS EDITION
If you thought the 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim mentioned earlier was a handsome ticker, take a look at Montblanc’s anniversary edition. One of three models to celebrate the brand’s 110th year, this one replaces the guilloche with a vivid depiction of the North American, European or Asian continent. As these were all painted by hand, no two dials are exactly alike.
4810 TWINFLY CHRONOGRAPH 110 YEARS EDITION
The 4810 collection (named after the height of the Mont Blanc mountain) celebrates the spirit of travel, and the 4810 Twinfly Chronograph keeps with the theme by adding a small world globe to the 24hour subdial. It’s powered by the newly developed Calibre MB LL100.1 and uses a column wheel and vertical clutch system for starting and stopping. To improve legibility, the watch features a long blue hand for the chronograph and a shorter skeletonised one for the second time zone.
4810 OBRIS TERRARUM POCKET WATCH 110 YEARS EDITION
Can’t get enough of the Orbis Terrarum? Here’s (literally) more of it in the 53mm pocket watch version of the world timer. The romance of travel and the intrigue of the past are combined in this stainless steel timepiece, complete with the same modern movement that powers the wristwatch. The chain has been crafted to resemble the ropes used on ships but if you prefer to admire it at home, a hinged piece will allow you to convert it into a small desk clock.
