2013/02/09

*Montblanc "New Productions 2013"

Montblanc the Montblanc Star Classique

 

Timeless Beauty Meets Traditional Mechanical Watchmaking

On Monday, January 21st 2013, at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva, the Montblanc Star Classique will be unveiled to the public and the international press.

Montblanc’s Star Collection embraces a whole series of classically beautiful wristwatches that wed the brand’s unmistakable aesthetic and the traditional art of Swiss watchmaking. These watches follow no trends and will therefore never go out of style. Instead, they embody timelessly elegant design which will seem as convincing and harmonious to tasteful individuals many years from now as it seems to their discerning forebears today. New models will soon be added to further enhance this imperishably classical look by combining it with a mechanical inner life crafted in accord with the best Swiss tradition: there will be a diamond-studded watch for ladies, as well as a bicolour version in stainless steel and gold in sizes for ladies and gents. This latter duo is conceived for two people who already belong together or hope to become a loving couple.

Montblanc Star Classique Lady Automatic Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend
A diamond is perennial and so too is the fascination that this queen of gems exerts on women, so there’s no more beautiful reason to adorn a lady’s watch with 72 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing more than half a carat (circa 0.526 ct). These gemstones sparkle with a radiance that will bring a similarly bright gleam into the eyes of the lady who owns them. The incandescent twinkle of the diamonds gorgeously contrasts with the softly nacreous shimmer of the white mother-of-pearl dial and subdial for the seconds with its red-gold-plated appliqués and hands. The seconds display is further embellished with an engraving of Montblanc’s emblem. The result is a subtle lightshow that presents a new staging with each successive motion of its wearer’s wrist. The theatre for this show is a classically elegant, very slim, circular case made of 18 ct red gold: with a diameter of 34 millimetres and an unostentatious height of 8.9 millimetres, this case is perfectly dimensioned to achieve its fullest effects. A clear silhouette, finely stepped horns, a fluted crown with Montblanc’s emblem inset in mother-of-pearl and the warm hue of red gold imbue the case with all the attributes of a classical and timelessly elegant beauty. Furthermore, it harbours a pleasant surprise which it reveals only to the lady who owns it. The red gold back includes a scratch-resistant pane of sapphire crystal through which she can peer to admire a piece of jewellery that’s becoming increasingly popular among discriminating ladies: namely, a mechanical movement with all the characteristics of the famed Swiss art of watchmaking, i.e. precision, reliability and longevity. This calibre needs no batteries because it winds itself by capturing energy from the natural motions of its wearer’s forearm. If the watch has stopped running because it has been left unworn for a longer period of time, a few turns of the winding-crown suffice to set it in motion again.

The Montblanc Star Classique Lady Automatic is an irresistible piece of jewellery for ladies who believe that inner values are as important as external beauty and timeless elegance.

Montblanc Star Classique Steel-Gold Automatic For Ladies, Gents, Singles and Couples
Particularly strong emotions are evoked by wristwatches which not only combine craftsmanly perfection, traditional Swiss precision and timelessly classical aesthetics, but also convey a romantic message. Such timepieces are available as lady’s and gent’s models that are identical in appearance and differ only in their dimensions. A perfect example of this category is the new Montblanc Star Classique Steel-Gold Automatic, which will be available in diameters of 34 and 39 millimetres, each of which encases a mechanical movement.

The new Montblanc Star Classique Steel-Gold is a highpoint in classical watch design and has the best prerequisites for becoming a veritable classic. With a round, very flat case and a narrow bezel, it embodies understatedly simple elegance that outlasts ephemeral fashions. The colour contrast between warm 18 ct red gold and cool stainless steel on the case and bracelet has been a classic for decades and has lost none of its appeal today. As the Star Classique Steel-Gold convincingly proves, this contrast not only creates an attractive aesthetic, but also has a functional aspect. The pale dial, which is white mother-of-pearl in the lady’s model andmatte silvery grey for gents, matches the stainless steel tone-in-tone. This contrasts with applied red-gold-plated numerals and indices, and with likewise red-gold-plated feuille hands, to assure that the time display is outstandingly legible. The rosy metallic elements convey the warm hue of the crown and bracelet links (both made of 18 ct red gold) to the dial, which gains an expression of even greater value through this appealing contrast. Narrow, vertically extending horns curve slightly downwards to give the watch an anatomically correct contour that perfectly fits its wearer’s wrist. The harmonious impression is consummated by a slightly domed sapphire crystal which guarantees the utmost transparency thanks to antireflective treatment on both its surfaces. The value is further increased by the inner life of the new Montblanc Star Classique Steel-Gold watches for ladies and gents: calibre MB 4810/408 is a self-winding mechanical movement with a balance that vibrates at a pace of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour, a barrel that amasses a 42-hour power reserve and other components that embody all the characteristics of genuine Swiss watchmaking tradition and are increasingly becoming indispensable attributes of quality for ladies’ and gents’ wristwatches in higher-priced classes. Good reasons to place these outstanding features in full view behind a transparent pane of sapphire crystal.

Both models have a bicolour linked bracelet with a triple folding clasp and will be available in the combination of steel and yellow gold as well in autumn of 2013.