Back at the SIHH 2019 last year, Montblanc introduced a brand new collection of classic, slightly retro watches named “Heritage”. Elegant, well-designed, available with desirable salmon dials, it was available from a simple 3-hander, to a surprising (and well-priced) Monopusher Chrono… And two limited but really attractive versions, a perpetual calendar or a Minerva chronograph. Now that the collection is well-established, Montblanc comes with yet another winning combination, an ultra-limited version with steel case, salmon dial, great proportions and, cherry on the cake, a new-old-stock, hand-finished and historic Minerva movement.
People tend to miss an important point with Montblanc. Certainly, the brand is first and foremost known for its fountain pens. But it also manufactures watches… And not fashion watches, but a full range of mechanical pieces, some relatively simple and equipped with out-sourced movements, some with impressive technical content and movements to die for. It may still take some time, but we have to accept the fact that Montblanc is a proper watchmaker too, just like many of the other brands owned by the Richemont Group.
Visually, this new watch, the Montblanc Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38 – that number is not a reference to its diameter – is completely in line with the rest of the collection. In fact, when you look at it quickly, you could have imagined a new automatic small seconds version… A closer inspection of the dial reveals slight updates and, when you turn it back, you discover that it’s an entirely different story that is being told there.
Minerva credentials
Minerva is part of these names that have an incredible aura, in a small circle of highly-educated watch enthusiasts. It is not as popular as some other big names, but still benefits from huge respect. Minerva was founded in 1858 in Villeret and will build its name with its large chronograph movements, including on Monopusher, used in multiple pocket watches, and later in pilots wrist chronographs. Minerva will also manufacture several 3-hand movements, the most famous one being the Pythagore. In 2006, Minerva manufacture will be acquired by Richemont and integrated into Montblanc, as the production line for high-end “Villeret” watches, which also gave birth to multiple hand-wound chronographs with historical movements – such as this one or that one.
The recipe with the new Montblanc Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38 is almost the same as with the 1858 Chronographs, yet with even more exclusivity. This watch is limited to 38 pieces only, for a good reason. Inside isn’t a newly-manufactured movement, but something older and very desirable. When acquiring Minerva, Richemont also got their hands on the building and the stocks… And recently, they found 38 new-old-stock hand-wound movements with small seconds.
Inside the Heritage Small Second is the Calibre MB M62.00, which has already been used by the brand some years ago in this series of watches. This calibre was produced in around 250 examples, prior to Richemont’s takeover, from 2003 to 2006. This specific calibre is pretty rare, yet it has some familiar roots, as it is an evolution of the older Pythagore calibre. The base components and architecture are the same – equal gear and energy train – yet the design of the bridges and the decoration are way more desirable.
Technically-speaking, the Calibre MB M62.00 is an old-school hand-wound movement, running at a slow frequency of 2.5Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour), with a large screw balance and a swan-neck regulator – with the signature devil’s tail, a hallmark of all Montblanc/Minerva movements. It is quite powerful though, with a 50h power reserve. But talking specifications is almost vulgar with such a calibre. What really matters is design and decoration.
To start with, the bridges and plates are made from German silver, later rhodium-plated. They are cut with multiple curves and a superb central bridge holding two gold chatons. A close inspection reveals hand-polished bevels with sharp internal angles, chamfered edges, circular graining, soleillage on the barrel and the ratchet wheel, polished and chamfered screw heads and classic but greatly-executed Geneva stripes – and the finishing extends even to the hidden parts of the movement. No doubt about the pedigree of this calibre MB M62.00, which would alone justify buying this watch.
Elegant design
Having a superb movement is one thing… But it needs a beautiful watch too. In this area, Montblanc has a solid base with the Heritage collection. Well-designed, classic but not consensual, showing decent proportions and with nicely-executed dials, the new Montblanc Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38 benefits from what was successful on the standard collection and updates a few details.
The case, as you would expect from a 2020 exclusive watch, is made of stainless steel. Montblanc has decided to retain elegant proportions, with a 39mm diameter, short and tapered lugs, a thin bezel and, thanks to these old hand-wound movements, a relatively slender profile of about 9mm. The case is entirely polished and doesn’t differ in design from the rest of the collection – but once again, when something is good, no need to alter it.
The dial was the main point of enthusiasm when we’ve discovered the new Heritage collection. First, there’s this trendy salmon colour, which has been seen quite often in the past couple of years, but admittedly still works great in the context of an elegant, retro-styled watch in steel. The real point of interest, however, is in the execution of the dial itself.
As you can see, the dial is domed, which adds some charm to the watch in all angles. Then, it is treated in two-tone, with the hour chapter ring being grained and the central area having a classic sunray finish. This combinations adds some depth to the watch and gives nice reflections depending on the ambient light. Finally, there’s this nice combination of applied Arabic numerals and dots, with Dauphine hands; which are dark grey-coated. Note that, in this Heritage Small Second, all are discreetly filled with luminescent material. Not only it is practical on a daily basis, but it also adds a bit of casualness to this piece. Finally, contrary to standard models with tracks and inscriptions in blue, this limited version relies on black printings. More discreet.
The watch is worn on a nice dark grey Sfumato alligator strap, coming from the Richemont Pelletteria in Florence, Italy. It is worn on a triple folding clasp, which is the same as the base models. A classic but well-executed pin buckle would have been preferable – but it isn’t the hardest to change.
Thoughts
No debate, the Montblanc Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38 is a great watch. Design-wise, it has great elegance, without being too formal either. The combination of a salmon dial and a steel case can hardly be defeated, so once again, no need to spend hours on that. The small evolutions on the dial add some exclusivity but clearly, this watch is all about its movement. And here, Montblanc knows its watchmaking, with an extremely desirable, lavishly-finished historical movement. Something that will remain reserved for a few…
Price and availability
The Montblanc Heritage Small Second Limited Edition 38 (ref. 124781) is a limited edition of 38 pieces only. It is priced at CHF 19,400, EUR 18,100 or USD 18,900. More details at www.montblanc.com.