Montblanc has released the Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph ref. 131155, a limited edition of 88 timepieces. Price € 40,000
Montblanc has released the Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph, a limited edition of 88 timepieces. Each watch features the historic hand-wound Minerva MB M16.29 movement with all its meticulous hand-finishing.
This exceptional movement has been flipped over to display all the mechanical action on the dial side of the watch. At first glance, the viewer may think it is a skeletonized movement, but a closer look reveals that this historic chronograph movement is on full display on the dial side of the watch.
This is one of the first times in Minerva’s 165-year history (to learn more about it read our in-depth article "History of Minerva, from its foundation to the integration into Montblanc") that a timepiece features the movement on the dial, making it possible to admire it while wearing the watch.
Flipping a movement over may sound simple, but it is a technical feat as the direction of the hands also has to be reversed. The MB M16.29 calibre was one of the only movements in Montblanc’s archive of chronographs where this could be achieved. Reversing the direction of the dial hands required the addition of 21 components, making this more than an aesthetic feature, but a truly technical one too.
And just for fun, the Maison has turned the last digit of the reference number upside down to represent this change, so MB M16.29 becomes MB M16.26. The movement beats at a frequency of 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour) with a power reserve of 50 hours.
The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph is housed in a 43 mm case with a distressed steel finish. This finish is achieved by treating a stainless steel case with a black coating, which is then manually washed and brushed with quartzite from Mont-Blanc and limestones from the “V”-shaped mountain opposite the Villeret Manufacture, called La Combe Grède. This treatment gives each timepiece its own individual patina and appearance.
A white gold fluted bezel, inspired by Minerva’s first fluted bezel that dates back to 1927, adds finesse to the model.
Looking through the sapphire crystal into the depths of the movement, the viewer can immediately perceive the detailed level of finishing on the sanded German silver movement. Bridges and plates have been coated with anthracite ruthenium to match the tone of the case.
The distinctive Minerva arrow and the Maison’s “V”-shaped bridge are also on display. The Minerva arrow is a tribute to the Roman Goddess who is always depicted with her arrow-tipped staff in hand, and the unusual “V”-shaped bridge comes from the view of the mountains seen from the watchmakers’ window in Villeret, a sight that has been a constant since the founding of the workshop in 1858.
The indications on the dial include a 30-minute chronograph counter at 3 o'clock, an open-worked small seconds display at 9 o'clock, and large hands and indexes that have been filled with Super-LumiNova for improved readability.
The watch is fitted with a black nubuck alligator strap with a distressed steel triple-folding clasp, and includes a caseback featuring an engraving of the historic Minerva Manufacture.
The Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition ref. 131155 has a suggested retail price of Euro 40,000. montblanc.com
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