Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Parisian-Inspired Montblanc Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph
The new model pays tribute to Paris, once home to Rieussec and the Champ de Mars horse racing track.
Synonymous with luxury fountain pens, Montblanc expanded its portfolio to include watches in 1997, with aesthetics inspired by its famous Meisterstück pens. Intent on demonstrating its watchmaking credentials, Montblanc acquired the legendary Minerva manufacture and released the Nicolas Rieussec chronograph in 2007. An unusual chronograph with revolving registers and a fascinating history, the Nicolas Rieussec was powered by the brand’s first in-house movement. Today, the brand releases another Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph, designed to reinforce the Parisian roots of the world’s first inking chronograph.
Although Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec did not invent the chronograph, his invention was the literal translation of the term chronograph, derived from the Greek words chronos (meaning time) and graphos (to write or record). Put to the test on 1 September 1821 at the Champ de Mars racetrack in Paris, Rieussec’s timekeeper was fitted with a fixed nib that would release a drop of ink on the two rotating counters for 30 minutes and 60 seconds to record the precise times of horses crossing the finish line. Presented to the Academy of Sciences, Rieussec was hailed as the creator of the inking chronograph.
The latest Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph, presented in a large 43mm pebble-shaped steel case with a height of 15mm, features the signature fluted crown with the Montblanc star logo and the single pusher at 8 o’clock to activate the start, stop and reset functions of the chronograph. On this side, it is identical to previous editions of this unusual watch.
The novelty is the greyish-green colour chosen for the dial with the handsome Clous de Paris motif, designed to evoke the cobbled streets of Paris. Instead of the more classical editions with applied Arabic numerals, the hours are cut into the green off-centred disc and the railway minutes track is replaced with dots for a more contemporary, understated look.
The round aperture at 9 o’clock houses the day/night indicator, and the luminescent Dauphine hour and minute hands are accompanied by a discreet skeletonised second time zone hand. The two rotating and horizontally aligned counters reveal a more contemporary grained finish. Indicated by the diamond-shaped bridge that serves as a hand, the 30-minute counter on the left and the 60-second counter on the right graphically illustrate elapsed times. Fixed with two screws, the date window at 6 o’clock has a matching green background.
Designed by artistic director Marco Tomasetta, the new interchangeable green calfskin strap features a lining with a map of Paris from 1821, including the Champ de Mars racetrack and the Île de la Cité, where Rieussec had his workshop.
The display caseback offers a view of the manufacture calibre MB R200, an automatic integrated chronograph movement with column wheel and vertical clutch. Equipped with twin barrels, the power reserve is 72 hours, and the large 10mm balance wheel beats at 4Hz. Designed for travellers, the second time zone hand and the date can be adjusted in both directions thanks to the rapid-reset mechanism. The openworked rotor is decorated with a Clous de Paris pattern and a Montblanc star, and the bridges with Côtes de Genève.
This green edition of the Montblanc Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph joins the permanent collection and retails for EUR 8,300. More information at Montblanc.com.
