Montblanc's 1858 Collection timepieces have been designed as tool watches for mountain exploration, taking inspiration from the legendary Minerva pocket watches and chronographs from the 1920’s and 1930’s originally conceived for military use thanks to their precision and robustness. With its latest 1858 Geosphere timepiece showcasing a design as strong as the innovation within, Montblanc pushes the concept of oxygen – the central element in any intrepid ascent – even further than before.
A Middle Case Material Containing CO2
Montblanc’s new watch case material is created using a pioneering process that captures CO2 from biogas production and mineral waste produced by recycling factories, thanks to a process of calcium dissolution and carbonation.
The obtained powder containing CO2 – CACO3 – is then combined with ultra-light and resistant carbon fibre. Together, they create an innovative composite material, the CARBO2, which is shaped into a watch middle case.
In addition to the technological aspect of the case, the resulting CARBO2 material has a graphic aesthetic, with its dark shades depending on the particular mix of carbon fibre and CACO3, lending itself well to the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen. Like the fearless alpinists and adventurers who dedicate their lives to exploring the planet’s mountainous wilderness, this material is also opening up new paths of exploration.
Reinforcing the theme of adventure, the 43.5mm titanium and CARBO2 case comes with an engraved luminous blue outline of the Mont Blanc Mountain on the side that only the timepiece’s wearer can see. The older glaciers are, the less oxygen they contain and the denser they become, resulting in a deeper blue color that has been depicted on the case band – shining white by day and luminous blue by night. To achieve such a result, Super-LumiNova® and a layer of protective varnish are applied by hand with particular care. An image of the Mont Blanc mountain also adorns the titanium caseback, created using Montblanc’s 3D laser technique that depicts the color, depth and realism of this natural wonder.
Zero Oxygen
This Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen CARBO2 limited edition joins the Maison’s series of “Zero Oxygen” timepieces that feature several benefits for explorers who need their equipment to work in harsh environments. Zero oxygen inside the case not only eliminates fogging, which can occur with drastic temperature changes at altitude, but also prevents oxidization. Without oxygen, all the components last longer and will provide continued precision over time. Each zero oxygen timepiece comes with a certificate as proof of this special, yet invisible, technology and guarantees that it has been successfully encased without oxygen.
The timepiece is powered by the MB 29.25 automatic movement with Montblanc’s Manufacture worldtime complication, which includes turning Northern and Southern Hemisphere globes with blue Greenwich meridian lines and 14 dots for each of the 8000m peaks. It also displays a Day & Night indication, a 24-hour scale, dual time display, and a date.
The timepiece comes with a bi-directional titanium ceramic fluted bezel with blue luminescent cardinal points and a blue gasket under the sapphire crystal. It is fitted with a black sfumato glacier pattern dial that captures the texture of glacial ice with its interlocking network of crystals that have been frozen in time for millennia. Crafted using a special technique called gratté-boisé, this dial process takes four times longer than standard techniques.
The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen CARBO2 is limited to 1969 pieces as a nod to the year that Montblanc Mark Maker Reinhold Messner made the first solo ascent of Les Droites, the north face on the Mont-Blanc massif.
To pay homage to its namesake mountain, Montblanc uses a special technique to create an authentic 3D rendering that provides depth and realism. Made of titanium, the metal must first be structured, which means that the decoration will be engraved by laser, taking into consideration the relief of the original drawing. Next, the desired finish (matte and shiny) is similarly achieved by laser. In the final phase, colors are created with laser-generated oxidation, with the level of oxidation determining the final result.
Completing the timepiece is a black interchangeable rubber strap featuring a taper and a fine adjustment system, with the pattern reminiscent of the textiles used by mountaineers.
