The Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date is barely a year old and its success has been such that there almost aren’t enough to go around. I say almost because a new collaborative limited edition of 23 pieces was just unveiled last night in partnership with our sister organization, the Fine Watch Club.
A Performance Diving Watch
First released during Watches and Wonders 2022, the Iced Sea marked the first diving watch for the Maison, conforming to the ISO 6425 diving certification with a 300-meter water resistance, reinforced and adjustable double deployant buckle, and excellent legibility. It is also certified by Montblanc’s impressive Laboratory 500-Hour Test, which adds shock, magnetic, and temperature controls to the mix, making the Iced Sea a robust, reliable, and high-quality diving instrument.
Into the Ice
But it wasn’t only the performance that caught collectors’ attention, what makes the Iced Sea really stand out is its glacier-patterned dial that was inspired by the glacial ice on the Montblanc’s Mer de Glace. Looking into the dial, you can see the veins and inclusions in the ice that give the impression of depth and luminosity even though the dial is only 0.4mm thick. “It was quite the challenge because the glacier has inclusions that look almost milky, which is no easy feat to create,” explains Montblanc’s Managing Director for Watches, Laurent Lecamp. “The next challenge was to create the shininess and impression of depth in the ice. To achieve this, we employed an old 19-century technique (gratté boisé) which had been practically forgotten.”
The Fine Watch Club Limited Edition
The Fine Watch Club Limited Edition is based on the 41mm stainless steel green edition of the 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date with its green glacier dial and matching green ceramic uni-directional rotating bezel. There are a number of design differences to this edition, however, that make it truly unique.
Firstly, the white index for the 11th hour has been replaced with the white Arabic numeral 23, as a nod to 2023, and instead of glowing blue in the dark, like the other numerals and indexes, the 23 glows green. Secondly, the 3D relief engraving on the caseback depicts an iceberg and a black scuba diver exploring the glacial waters beneath. This image is slightly different on the Fine Watch Club edition as the black scuba diver is considerably larger than on the Montblanc edition. These are small details that don’t distract from the striking design of the original, but make this limited edition truly unique. Last but not least, the final touch is the engraving “limited edition – for 23 members only”.
The Devil is in the Details
The timepiece is powered by an automatic movement and indicates the hours, minutes, seconds, and a date at three o’clock. It is fitted with an interchangeable v-shaped stainless-steel bracelet which can be quickly and easily switched for a choice of rubber straps. Not only is the bracelet interchangeable, but it is also adjustable on the wrist via its double deployant buckle, so each Fine Watch Club owner can find their perfect fit, especially when wearing it over a wet suit.
The Fine Watch Club Edition
If you haven’t already heard about the Fine Watch Club, it is WorldTempus’ members’ club dedicated to the world of luxury watches. Founded in 2019, the Fine Watch Club has built a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for high-end timepieces. It offers its members exclusive access to a range of services and events related to the world of horology, including watchmaking workshops, manufacture tours, private exhibitions of rare and vintage watches, as well as a range of exclusive timepieces, such as this new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date FWC Limited Edition.
Although created for the Fine Watch Club and its members, this timepiece is available to all watch enthusiasts on a first-come, first-served basis.
