FEATURED: Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18

THM Desk

25 Mar 2021 |

6 min read

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Welcome to the wild side

If you are an outdoorsy person, make sure a chronograph is checked on your essentials, before you set out. Well, it is extremely practical, as elements beyond your purview, can change in a matter of minutes, when out there. Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 has a telemeter scale that runs around the dial. The telemeter was a common feature on the legendary Minerva chronographs and adds both function and a vintage touch to this new watch. A telemeter makes it possible to measure the distance of a phenomenon which is both visible and audible, like the lightning and thunder in a storm. Telemeter Scale is used to measure the approximate distance between you and an event that can be both seen and heard, an example being lightning and thunder. If the wearer sees a bolt of lightning and starts the chronograph, then hears the thunder and stops it, he can judge how far away the storm is by reading the value shown by the chronograph hand on the Telemeter Scale. The Montblanc 1858 timepieces are designed and conceived as tool watches for mountain exploration and leaning into the global trend of enjoying the outdoors and nature. This one fits right in.

FEATURED: Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18

Well, that’s not the only aspect to talk about this new launch. At the first glance, we thought it was another bronze case, but we were wrong. The watch is crafted out of an exclusive and innovative 18 K gold alloy called Lime Gold, a true watch for connoisseurs who like distinctive vintage timepieces. A welcome assortment, as we love new innovations with metals and new-age materials being used in watch cases. Reinterpreting a 46 mm Minerva historical military chronograph from the 1930s equipped with the original calibre 19-09CH, the Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 features a case made of an innovative 18K gold alloy called Lime Gold, a distinctive gold-coloured dial with contrasting green elements and a matching vintage green nubuck calf strap – a harmony of colour making this timepiece unique.

It is the first time that a watch Maison unveils a model with this colour of gold fondly named Lime-Gold thanks to its deep golden colour that veers towards a pale yellowy green. The Lime-Gold colour is made of a special alloy composed of 18 K Gold (Au 750‰), Silver (Ag 238‰) and Iron (Fe 12‰) that provides the distinctive colour giving a true vintage aesthetics.

To match the colour of the new 44 mm 18 K Lime Gold case, the Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 features a distinctive gold-coloured dial with sunray finishes. Providing great readability and vintage style, the monochrome aesthetic is combined with contrasting green-coloured elements of different tones such as the luminescent cathedral-shaped hour- and minute-hands, the minuterie, the central split-second hand, the tachymeter and telemeter scales, as well as the historical Montblanc emblem at 12 o’clock. In order to give a three-dimensional look both at day/night, the Arabic numerals are fully made of Super-LumiNova with a special patented process that encapsulates the luminescent material and creates a ‘monobloc’ shape without any outlines. Gold-coloured has been chosen for the central chronograph second hand as well as for the chronograph 30-minute- and small second-counters. The glass above the dial has an anti-magnetized treatment on the inside top sapphire crystal to enable greater precision of the chronograph’s two second hands.

Like on the original timepiece, the Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 has a telemeter scale that runs around the dial. The telemeter was a common feature on the legendary Minerva chronographs and adds both function and a vintage touch to this new watch. A telemeter makes it possible to measure the distance of a phenomenon which is both visible and audible, like the lightning and thunder in a storm. The watch also has a tachymeter (base 1000) at the centre of the dial in a colimaçon (snail shape) which lets the user measure a length of time of up to three minutes instead of one minute as it is the case in traditional chronographs. The tachymeter indicates the speed of a moving object, such as a car, over a known distance.

The case back reveals the Manufacture mono-pusher chronograph calibre Montblanc M16.31 taking its inspiration from the original Minerva calibres 19-09CH from 1909 and the evolution, the 17-29, developed in the 1930s, that were used for both pocket watches and wristwatches. The calibre Montblanc M16.31 is particularly beautiful thanks to its handcrafted traditional finishing such as Côtes de Genève, inner angles, circular graining and beveling – all performed at the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret. The Split-Second mechanism in the centre brings even more light to the entire movement.

For this limited edition, the plates and bridges are made in Maillechort (German-silver) plated in 18 K gold harmoniously matching the 18 K Lime-Gold case and the dial. The calibre has two column wheels for the chronograph and the split complication, horizontal coupling and a power reserve of 50 hours. Like its predecessor, it is composed of the same V-shape bridge (whose design was protected in 1912) and a large balance wheel with 18 screws beating at the traditional frequency of 2.5 Hz / 18,000 A/H.

The Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 18 is completed with a new vintage green nubuck alligator leather strap that has been finished with beige stitching to reinforce the vintage look. The strap is also fitted with a matching 18 K Lime-Gold buckle for the perfect finishing touch.

We don’t know about you, but we’re going hunting!

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