Ahead of the SIHH 2018, the house of Montblanc is giving us a sneak preview at one of its next year’s launches: the limited edition TimeWalker Rally Timer Chronograph and the TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph. Both of these vintage-inspired watches deeply rooted in Minerva, the forerunner of what has today become the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret. This storied Swiss manufacture was a leader in producing chronograph movements and early stopwatches.
Both new chronographs belong to Montblanc’s Time Walker collection, which recalls the golden era of vintage racing. Paying tribute to Minerva’s extraordinary heritage, models of this range combine vintage design cues with cutting-edge mechanisms to revive and improve professional high-performance timekeeping from racing’s golden era. Both new models feature a so-called Panda dial, in a contrasting black and white combo, which was huge in the 60s and 70s and still stands as one of the most sought after dial designs.
The Montblanc TimeWalker Rally Timer Chronograph Limited Edition 100 is the new and exclusive version of the last year’s TimeWalker Rally Timer, a watch that can be worn on the wrist or easily converted into a pocket watch by simply folding the strap attachments under the case and turning the case from 0 to 180 degrees. This monopusher, vintage-styled chronograph, evocative of 1960's stopwatches, features a crown at 12 o’clock and a reverse panda dial (black background with white counters).
The 50mm case is crafted from titanium and its middle section has been knurled and coated with black DLC. The watch is powered by the chronograph caliber MB M16.29, which is said to be inspired by the original chronograph movement of the vintage pilot chronographs, the 17.29 caliber. The watch features a 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock and a red chronograph second hand that runs along the tachymeter scale.
The other watch is the TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph with the traditional panda dial. Its crisp white surface reveals three black chronograph sub-dials driven by the new in-house movement caliber MB 25.10. In addition to the chronograph’s central second hand and counters at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, the watch displays the hours, minutes, small seconds and date. The new Manufacture Chronograph is crafted from stainless steel, it measures 43mm in diameter, and has a black ceramic bezel engraved with tachymeter scale. This watch is mounted on a Sfumato aged calf-leather strap with perforations evoking vintage driving gloves.
The Montblanc TimeWalker Rally Timer Chronograph Limited Edition 100 retails for $37,000, while the new TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph comes with a price tag of $4,990. More information about the watches will be available from January 2018, at montblanc.com.
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