The Sea of Ice at Dusk and Dawn
Montblanc’s Iced Sea collection draws inspiration from the glacial ice of the Mer de Glace (“Sea of Ice”), the largest glacier on the Mont-Blanc massif. While glaciers are most often associated with the colours of white and grey thanks to their snow cover, they often take on balmy colourways during the year’s warm seasons. At dawn and dusk, especially during the summer, a glacier will reflect the spectacular colours of the sky in its intricate crystalline structures. These sun-soaked tones of the glacier are captured in the limited edition Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen, with the timepiece’s glacier pattern dial presented in a coral hue. This vibrant colour palette extends to the timepiece’s dual-colour aluminum bezel inserts, pairing coral and red for enhanced legibility.Iced
Sea Frozen Dial
A signature of the Montblanc Iced Sea collection, the glacier pattern dial has been created to mirror the colour and texture of ice. The pattern is crafted using a special technique called gratté-boisé as the base, giving the dial the impression of depth and luminosity. This time-consuming process takes four times longer than a standard dial to complete and requires over 30 separate steps. The result captures the texture of glacial ice with its interlocking network of crystals that have been frozen in time for millennia.
The Iced Sea logo above 6 o'clock, the Montblanc logo below 12 o'clock, and the framed date aperture at 3 o'clock are laid among the applied indices to create a highly legible and symmetrical dial. Luminescence on the hour, minute and second hands as well as the indices further adds to the dial’s legibility in low-light conditions.
An Exclusive Bezel
The Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 300 features an anodized aluminum bezel insert. Rendered in a coral-red shade to match the dial, the section of the bezel between 0 and 15 minutes is set in a contrasting dark red, for the benefit of scuba divers who often use the bezel to time decompression stops and other important intervals.
With its unidirectional rotation, this bezel is a key element helping the Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 300 watch meet the ISO 6425 international diving watch standard. A deep knurling and slight overhang of the bezel edge allow easy operation with or without gloves.
A 0 Oxygen Case
The 38mm case combines brushed and polished surfaces with precision edgework and chamfering along the shapely, slightly curved lugs. Rated to 30 bars (approx. 300 meters) of water resistance, the case not only withstands drastic atmospheric pressure, but also goes beyond the ISO 6425 Standard to offer Montblanc's 0 Oxygen technology. By removing oxygen from the case, the risk of condensation inside the watch is mitigated, allowing enhanced performance when entering conditions where drastic fluctuations in atmospheric pressure and temperature are common. The process of eliminating oxygen from a watch case involves replacing the internal air with an inert gas, specifically nitrogen, before the watch is hermetically sealed. To make its 0 Oxygen technology accessible to all owners of Montblanc Iced Sea timepieces, the Maison offers a dedicated upgrade service which can be enquired at a Montblanc boutique.
The caseback features a scuba diver and an iceberg, a scene created using a two-step laser-engraving process. The stainless steel is first engraved deeply, creating the sculptural, three-dimensional relief pattern. Next, these surfaces are alternatively polished and bead-blasted to create greater contrast and depth.
Matching Strap and Bracelet
The stainless steel bracelet of the Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 300 features a convenient fine adjustment system within the folding clasp. The watch also comes with a matching rubber strap in a coral red tone, which is easily swapped for the bracelet with Montblanc's quick-change strap system.
Timekeeping Precision
At the heart of this diving watch is Montblanc's Calibre MB 24.17, an auto-winding mechanical movement featuring hours, minutes, center-seconds and a date complication. The MB 24.17 offers approx. 38 hours of power reserve, and beats at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour).
The screw-down crown provides access to setting the date (middle position) and the time (second position), while assuring the water resistance of this diving instrument. In the second position, the second-hand stops (hacks) for exact alignment with a reference time, such as an atomic clock.
