Montblanc Connects With Nature

The German luxury giant recently held a preview in Shimla for four new editions from its reputed 1858 collection

- Raju Bist

Luxury watchmaker Montblanc has announced four new editions of its well-known 1858 collection. The new models will be launched later this year in key international markets including India, said Camilo Daza-Tapia, the Hamburg-based Head of High Artistry Business Development at Montblanc International GmbH. Of the four variants, two will be 1858 Automatic models, and one each of the 1858 Chronograph and the 1858 Geosphere.

Montblanc’s 1858 collection is inspired by the world of mountain exploration. It reinterprets the Minerva pocket watches and chronographs from the 1920s and 1930s that were meant for military and mountaineers and boasts of high accuracy, legibility and robustness for use in extreme conditions. Hiking through forests, across fields or up to the highest peaks, the Montblanc 1858 Automatic, Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph and Montblanc 1858 Geosphere are trusted companions for fearless adventurers and explorers.

Montblanc had made its debut into the world of luxury watches when its holding company Richemont purchased in October 2006 Minerva, established in 1858 as H. & C. Robert at Villeret (Jura Bernois), Switzerland. Today, the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret produces an entire line of timepieces — the Collection Villeret 1858 — dedicated to the Minerva heritage, and respecting traditional horological operations which in large part are still meticulously performed by hand.

Embodying the spirit of exploration, the new 1858 product line gets closer to wilderness with bronze cases, khaki-green dials and matching coloured “NATO” straps.

The new watches evoke the spirit of the past in a modern way, expressing the discovery and back-to-nature trends. `Reconnecting through nature’ was the theme at the preview of the four new editions.