Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum

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Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum - Montblanc
2 minutes read
This new timepiece, to be unveiled at the SIHH 2015, is an innovative worldtimer made for travellers.

In homage to the spirit of the legendary Montblanc Meisterstück Fountain Pen launched in 1924, Montblanc introduced a new watch collection to honour its 90th anniversary in 2014. From 2015 onwards this collection will assume its future position among the Montblanc watch families as the Heritage Spirit Collection.

The collection is enhanced by a new model that highlights the ambition of Montblanc to share the passion for fine watchmaking. The Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum interprets world time function in a new and innovative way. The earth is anchored at the core of this complication, that is named Orbis Terrarum, the Latin term for “globe”, “earth”, and “world”. This timepiece adopts a universal approach, telling the time in 24 timezones all over the world.

Montblanc - Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum

The complication of the Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum is simple to read and easy to use. The dial is constructed in a multi-layer way. At its centre, the main sapphire crystal dial displays the continents as viewed from the North Pole. The continents are cut out from the rest of the disc that displays the oceans in a light blue colour. Under the main dial is a disc showing day and night, which rotates with the movement of the 24-hour mechanism. On the outside of the dial, there is a disc with the names of 24 cities, encircled by their respective time zones. The disc with the cities can rotate separately from the 24 hours disc with the aid of the pusher, located at 8 o’clock. To adjust the time the desired “home” city only needs to be positioned with its corresponding time at 6 o’clock. The “local time” is displayed by the central hour and minute hands, which are adjusted with the winding crown. When travelling, the Montblanc Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum’s worldtime complication indicates what time it is at the destination. The hour and minute hands to give the new “local time” just need to be adjusted, while the time in the country of origin remains displayed at 6 o’clock.

Due to the innovative multi-layer dial construction, the times of all 24 timezones can be indicated. A day/night disc shows at a glance where it is day or night on the planet. The rotation of this disc changes the colours of the continents as seen on the dial, alternately from light (day) to dark (night). This innovative functional principle is rare to find in fine watchmaking.

Montblanc - Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum red gold

The Heritage Spirit Orbis Terrarum comes in a 41 mm case and is available in stainless steel or in 18 K red gold version. The watch is driven by a self-winding mechanical movement, calibre MB29.20, beating at the frequency of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour (4 hertz) with the exclusive complication developed in-house by Montblanc.

 

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