Montblanc Chronographs

Montblanc timepieces have been making watchmaking history for over 25 years. With the same high standards that the Montblanc brand applies to the quality and aesthetics of its luxury writing instruments, Montblanc has also been manufacturing wristwatches for men and women in Switzerland since 1997 in Le Locle, and later concurrently in Villeret.

At SIHH and subsequently at Watch & Wonders in Geneva, Montblanc has since established itself as a major player among haute horlogerie brands. With the acquisition of the Minerva watch manufacture in 2006, Montblanc finally joined the small, exclusive circle of watch brands with their own calibers, particularly in the field of short-time measurement. Minerva chronographs are legendary for their precision and technology – as can be seen today, for example, in the Montblanc Collection Villeret 1858 Vintage Pulsographe with the MB M13.21 chronograph movement.

Besides classic two- and three-hand watches, it is primarily the complications, including moon phase and tourbillon, that define the reputation of the Montblanc watch brand.

Arguably the most important complication in the world of watches is the chronograph. And the connection between fountain pen specialist Montblanc and watches could not be clearer than with the stopwatch function – because a chronograph is essentially what one associates with a stopwatch.

The world's first chronograph was invented on September 1, 1821. For a horse race, Nicolas Rieussec constructed a device—not suitable for wrist-wearing—for timing events with an accuracy of one-fifth of a second. The ingenious feature: the time was recorded with ink (!). At the push of a button, the recorded time could be read on an enamel seconds dial, on which a pen tip had previously marked a fine dot with ink. CHRONOS, meaning time, and GRAPHEIN, meaning writing, were thus combined. The chronograph was born. The invention was patented in 1822.

While Montblanc initially worked with high-quality movements from ETA, the name Nicolas Rieussec marks a turning point in Montblanc's watch collection.

The first movement developed in-house by Montblanc powers the watches in the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec line. These are, unsurprisingly, chronographs. While the vertical clutch of this watch is one of its inner workings, appreciated only by the connoisseur, Montblanc has achieved the remarkable feat of bringing the inspiring original to life on the wrist for all to see with the design of the dial.

The monopusher chronographs in the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec line feature a dial, like the historical original, with two rotating discs for timing: a 60-second counter and a 30-minute counter, each under a fixed "hand".

The driving force behind this watch, the MB R200 caliber with automatic winding and column-wheel mechanism, is visible through a sapphire crystal case back. Two mainspring barrels give the watch an impressive 72-hour power reserve.

The range of Montblanc chronographs that has now been developed, even outside the Nicolas Rieussec line, is extensive. Three highlights from the many lines should be highlighted here:

  • Montblanc Star Legacy Chronograph in a 43mm stainless steel case with the MB 25.07 caliber, which shows clear similarities to the early Minerva pocket watches.

  • The TimeWalker TwinFly, launched in 2011, features the MB LL100 caliber. Its distinctive features include a central minute hand and a flyback seconds hand. The MB LL100 shares many similarities with the chronograph calibers used in the Rieussec collection, particularly the gear ratios, the escapement sub-assembly, the column wheel and vertical disc linkage for the chronograph, and the two in-line mainspring barrels.

  • The Heritage Chronométrie Chronograph Quantième Annuel, a stopwatch with annual calendar and moon phase, is based on a watch from the 1940s, the Minerva Pythagore. However, this Montblanc chronograph does not house a Minerva caliber, but rather an automatic Sellita SW 300 movement with a module from Dubois-Dépraz.

Montblanc offered and still offers chronograph functionality in many other lines: Montblanc Meisterstück, Montblanc Star, Montblanc Summit, Montblanc Bohème, Montblanc Sport Meisterstück, Montblanc Heritage, Montblanc 1858.

Montblanc and chronographs have been as closely linked for 25 years as Montblanc and handwriting have been since 1906.