BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Montblanc is a very unique watch brand, with the design of Rieussec’s original timing mechanism from the nineteenth century serving as a continuing source of inspiration for the brand. Nicolas Rieussec (1781-1866) was the sixth royal watchmaker to the King of France and the inventor of the first chronograph, which was not a wristwatch as one might think. Montblanc’s Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph wristwatch has recently been updated with two new chronograph models, one standard production and the other limited to 500 pieces. First, let’s evaluate what both models have in common.
Both variants are presented in a stainless steel pebble shape case that measures 43 mm x 15.01 mm. An onion-shaped winding crown is at 3 o’clock, while a rectangular pusher, a model’s characteristic piece, is at 8 o’clock. Domed sapphire crystals with dual anti-reflective coatings protect the dials. The casebacks differ in that the standard production model has a traditional clear caseback and the limited edition variant has a semi-transparent tinted sapphire crystal on the back. The case is water resistant to 5 bars (50 meters).
The dial’s design is the same as the previous Nicolas Rieussec models. The dials have the “Clou de Paris” (Paris hobnail) pattern. A sizable register located in the dial’s top half is in charge of keeping the time. Since the chronograph function is implemented differently than usual, there are two titanium spinning registers instead of hands on fixed registers as in traditional chronographs. The register for time is situated above these registers for elapsed minutes and seconds, which each feature a fixed hand that spans the two chronograph registers and concurrently displays how much time has passed on each of them. The date window is at 6 o’clock, a day/night indicator at 9th hour, while dual time functionality is presented by a secondary hour hand on the time-telling register.
The standard production model features a silver color dial with alternating brushed and polished surfaces, however, the limited edition model has a dial with a dark color palette and the case with a black DLC coating for aesthetic coherence. Both types openly illustrate the color blue; the silver model’s hands, chronograph discs, and dial screws are blue, while only the black dial variant’s skeletonized secondary timezone hand and single double-sided chronograph hand are blue.
Montblanc’s in-house Caliber MB R200 automatic chronograph movement powers the new Rieussec Chronograph. The editions sport stainless steel triple folding clasps and blue textile straps with “Clou de Paris” patterns. The black DLC-coated clasp matches the case finish of the black DLC variant. The standard and limited edition models are priced at $8,200 USD and $8,600 USD, respectively.
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