The New Burgundy Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph and its Fascinating Minerva Movement

Montblanc and luxury fountain pens are practically synonyms, so when the brand launched its first watch collection in 1997, it named it after one of its famous pens, the Meisterstück. However, a recognisable name doesn’t translate into watchmaking credentials. To prove that watchmaking was going to be taken seriously, in 2007, Montblanc bought the Minerva manufacture, a fabled producer of chronographs and stopwatches founded in 1858 in Villeret. Digging into Minerva’s rich archives, Montblanc has taken inspiration from a 42mm military monopusher rattrapante chronograph from the 1930s for its new 1858 Split Second Chronograph. Beyond the attractive retro features of the case and dial, the beauty of this watch lies in its movement, a high-end, hand-finished movement based on a historical Minerva calibre.

Split-second chronographs, or rattrapantes, represent the summit of the chronograph pyramid. The beauty of a split-second chronograph is its ability to measure intermediate times without interrupting the ongoing measurement of a longer elapsed time. A press of the pusher simultaneously deploys the two chronograph seconds hands. When the second pusher (at 2 o’clock here) is pressed again, one of the two hands stops to indicate the intermediate time, while the other one continues its journey. Press the pusher again and the additional hand “catches” (rattraper) the main one.

Compared to the consolidated vintage spirit of the habillage, the large dimensions of this watch – 44mm diameter x 15.2mm thickness – might strike some as thoroughly contemporary. Its size, however, is directly linked to its large MB 16.31 manual-winding movement, inspired by Minerva’s pocket watch calibres of the last century.

The 44mm stainless steel case has a fixed white gold fluted bezel, a signature Minerva design element since 1927. Sporting brushed finishes on the top surfaces and case flanks, the only polished area is on the bevel running the length of the case. The monopusher is integrated into the fluted crown, and the rounded rectangular pusher for the split seconds is at 2 o’clock.

The handsome, dark burgundy background colour of the dial has a sunburst finish, producing different nuances of red depending on the light. Like the 1930s military chronograph, a tachymeter scale (base 1000) is located on the bezel, followed by a precision minutes/seconds track, printed in white for contrast. The sub-dial at 3 o’clock displays elapsed times of 30 minutes, and the small seconds are featured at 9 o’clock; both counters have black backgrounds and white printing.

Although the Arabic hour numerals are treated with white luminescent material, it’s odd that the hour and minute hands aren’t. To create a distinction between the four central hands, the two chronograph seconds hands are lacquered white, like the hand in the chronograph sub-dial. The old Montblanc logo and the Minerva signature are printed on the dial, which is protected by a box-shaped sapphire crystal for an extra vintage touch.

Featured on an earlier monopusher rattrapante model, the calibre MB hand-wound MB 16.31 is going to be the standout feature for many. As classic as they come, the large pocket watch-inspired movement measures 38.4mm across and has a thickness of 8.13mm – yes, that’s about the size of a thin elegant watch… Inspired by Minerva’s pocket watch calibre 19-09 CH from 1909 (42.15mm x 7.60mm) and its successor, the 17-29 (37.9mm x 5.85mm) developed in the 1930s, the movement is a beauty to behold.

Fitted with two column wheels – one for the chronograph, one for the split seconds – and horizontal coupling, the movement is produced and hand-decorated with haute horlogerie finishes in the old Minerva factory in Villeret. Other features, such as the V-shaped bridge, protected in 1912, the trademark arrowhead on the tip of the chronograph hammer (inspired by the goddess Minerva’s spear) and the large balance wheel with 18 screws beating at a leisurely 18,000 vibrations per hour, were features of its historical forebears. The movement’s bridges and mainplate are made of rhodium-plated German silver (maillechort) and finished with traditional Côtes de Genève and circular graining. To stand out against the anthracite and silver coloured components, the going train is gold-plated.

The 1858 Split Second Chronograph Burgundy is a limited edition of 100 pieces. It is paired with a dark, burgundy-toned interchangeable leather strap with alligator print and a steel triple-folding clasp with fine adjustment. It retails for CHF 47,500 or EUR 55,000.

More information at Montblanc.com.