Alexander Schmiedt introduces the new Bohème models

The Bohème collection was launched last year already, so what’s new?
What we are doing now is taking things a step further. When we first launched the collection the idea was to combine fine watchmaking with a distinctive feminine expression. We named the customer that we had in mind the “Bohème lady” – someone who is sophisticated, elegant and very stylish but wants more than just superficial beauty. For watches, of course, this means that she is interested in the movement.
We started last year with the simple, elegant automatic models and then introduced the perpetual calendar at the end of the year, using the same movement as we do in the Heritage collection but with a feminine appeal to the design. Now we are launching two new complications related to the sun and the moon.
 

The first is the Bohème Moon Garden. As with any Montblanc watch, it has a functional complication but it adds a distinctive feminine style to it. We have the hours, minutes and date (by hand) plus a moon phase at 6 o’clock, but we have added a unique complication with a story – the moon garden. It indicates the names of the full moons throughout the year, rather than the names of the months. This is something that dates back hundreds of years, to a time when people relied on the different moons for organising their lives.
The second complication is a day/night indication but again with a feminine aesthetic. The indication changes gradually throughout the day with the sun appearing at 12 o’clock to coincide with midday, so it also helps you to set the time on your watch according to whether it is day or night.

Montblanc has been very aggressive with its pricing. Is this also reflected in these new models?
Our vision is to share the passion for fine watchmaking, which means making it available to a wider audience of watch lovers – both men and women. The Moon Garden models cost between 3,000 and 5,000 euros and the Day/Night is between 2,800 and 4,000 euros.
This is one of the core elements of our strategy. The sharing element in sharing the passion for fine watchmaking is linked to the price. It’s not necessarily about making the cheapest possible watch, it’s about offering a complete choice to watch lovers in various price segments. We have it with our perpetual calendar for 10,000 euros, with our ExoTourbillon Chronograph for 40,000 euros and with the Orbis Terrarum below 5,000 euros. In each segment we have a very strong value proposition, both for ladies and for men.

A new, in-house moon complication

A number of features set the new Bohème Moon Garden models apart. First, this new complication is an in-house creation, developed at the brand’s centre of watchmaking excellence in Villeret, Switzerland. Second, the moon phase version goes beyond the normal moon phase complication, which is based on a 29.5 day lunar cycle, since it also incorporates the name of the moon. The display therefore has to be set to the correct name of the moon for the month of the year (which is why the names are reproduced on the case back as a handy reference). Third, Montblanc introduces an original idea of seasonal two-tone straps, using two different colours for the two sections of the strap (dark brown and khaki on the red-gold model and grey and pastel blue on the steel model). The Moon Garden models come with a 36mm case, whereas the Bohème Night & Day models have a smaller 34mm case and are available only in stainless steel. Both models are powered by Montblanc self-winding mechanical movements with a power reserve of 42 hours.
 

Deciding on the right names for the full moons is no easy task, with different civilisations using different symbolism. Montblanc’s choice is a mixture of Medieval English, Celtic and Native American. See the full list on the right.