Watches I Have Come Across - The Montblanc Villeret 1858 Pulsographe

Throughout my watch collecting journey, I have been blessed to have come across many timepieces and I intend to document them in this photo essay. These are timepieces I don't own but have been fortunate to be able to see, feel, touch and photograph them. This time, I feature The Montblanc Villeret 1858 Pulsographe Monopusher.

I own the rose gold black dial version of this timepiece but I have had the opportunity to photograph this piece which comes in white gold case and white enamel dial. Both dials are Grand Feu enamel dials.

Featured here is the two timepiece - both limited to 58 pieces each.

Thanks to the Montblanc Boutique who allowed me to photograph the watch in the Boutique.

The timepiece comes with a white (Grand Feu) enamel dial and white gold case.

The blue hands, red chrono hands and black and red numerals on white enamel makes this a very attractive piece.

This is a monopusher which means the "Start", "Stop" and "Reset" are all done with a single push button at the 2 o'clock position.

And on to the business side... the movement!

Featuring the Minerva Calibre 13-21 column wheel chronograph movement, it's one of the most beautiful chronograph movement there is...

Can you spot the Devil's Tail?

The finishing is what you would expect from the top notch manufacture

Front or back, the Montblanc Villeret 1858 Pulsographe Monopusher is a winner for me. Here are some photos of my own black dial version...

My understanding is that black enamel dial is more difficult to make than white enamel dial.

I hope you like the macro shots of the black dial and the movement shot below.

Had this been branded Minerva, the recognition for this piece would be vastly different. What do you think?

Montblanc Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Sincere SHH Edition

Montblanc is not as well known as a watchmaker as they are writing instruments but with Minerva, that's a totally different story. The latest release is the Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Sincere SHH Limited Edition.

Most watch collectors are familiar with the Minerva manufacture which was acquired by the Richemont group and then integrated into the Montblanc brand. Located in Villeret, Switzerland the brand has been in existence since 1858. Hence you see the Villeret 1858 range in the Montblanc stable including many complications like monopusher chronograph, zero reset seconds just to name a few. For more information on Minerva, here's a nice write up by Time and Watches.

What the folks at Minerva are known for are the monopushers and this is no different. With traditional two push button chronograph, one button is to activate start/stop function and the other to reset the chrono seconds hand back to zero. But with the monopusher, the start, stop and reset are all using one pusher.

This is the first time I am coming across a Lime Gold case and it is very attractive. Almost like very faint bronze, I suppose the gold will not tarnish like the bronze case will. The case measures 43mm and comes with different finishes. The transparent sub-dials truly showcase the "skeletonised" front.

This release made specially for Sincere Haute Horlogerie comes in two colours - yellow and grey.

Limited to 8 pieces per variant, this chronograph features the MB16.26 movement which the folks at Montblanc turned upside down. So for those who always want to show off their movement on the wrist, you got your wish!

And because they turned the movement side up, they closed the case back - but the case back is no less impressive. The engraved case back shows the Minerva manufacture in Villeret.

A tiny detail that impressed me was the use of the quick release with the catch bearing the Montblanc logo (see above). Impressive huh? Now for the movement details...

The manual winding column wheel (hidden underneath the 12) chronograph movement provides about 50 hours of power reserve.

Clearly visible is also the signature Minerva Arrow aka the Devil's Tail.

The finishing is what one would expect from a a top manufacture.

Turning the movement upside down gives the owner countless hours of pleasure, viewing the movement on the dial side and enjoying all the details.

It's a lovely Monopusher chronograph with heritage to go with it. Minerva has always been known to make functional and aesthetically beautiful manual winding movements and the MB 16.26 showcases that.

For more information on the timepiece, contact Sincere Fine Watches. One more look at the Chronograph

So, what's your preference? Grey or Yellow?

Montblanc Villeret 1858 Vintage Pulsographe Monopusher

Back in 2008 when I was first introduced to the Minerva-Montblanc collaboration at the Montblanc Boutique in Paragon, it was love at first sight. The Minerva movements in the Montblanc Villeret 1858 collection are definitely watchmaking at its best. From simple three handed timepieces to more complex chronographs, there is nothing not to like about the collection.

Fast forward to 2015, I came across a Montblanc Villeret 1858 Vintage Pulsographe (officially, that is what it is called) listed on a website and as fate would have it, managed to snag it. Why is it called the Pulsographe? Well, there is the pulsometer scale on the dial that allows the user to measure the pulse rates. Aimed at the medical profession, the pulsographe is designed to have one pusher for easy actuation - start, stop and reset all on one pusher. See (below) the monopusher at the 2 o'clock position.

This pulsometer scale is calibrated to 30 beats which means the user will count 30 beats of the pulse and stop the chronograph and where the red hand stops will indicate the heart rate per minute.

See the pulsometer scale below...

When I first received the Monopusher Chronograph, what really stood out was the contrast of the rose gold case and the black enamel dial. The black enamel dial immediately hits you with that high gloss (almost) flawless reflection. Black enamel dial as I understand it more difficult to make than white enamel dials but with the white Breguet numerals and red minute numerals, the contrast was rather striking. Lovely!

The 39mm rose gold case is polished to a high finish. If I recall correctly, each Montblanc 1858 Villeret timepiece is assembled by one watchmaker from start to end. And other than the case and strap, everything else is made in-house. Impressive!

And for the Grand Feu Enamel, as the name suggests, the enamel is fired in extremely high temperature - in excess of 800ºC. Layer by layer, the enamel is applied, allowed to cool, checked for consistency before the next round of firing. A friend once told me the beauty of an enamel dial is in the "imperfection"... no enamel dial is perfect - there will always be some imperfections. Therein lies the beauty as no two dials will be alike - visually to the naked eye perhaps, but on closer examination, eagle-eyed professionals will be able to tell. And that reflection on the dial is unmistakably grand feu enamel.

Details - the white Breguet numerals and bent chronograph hands add a special touch to the timepiece. The Breguet hands lends a vintage touch to the whole package.

The beauty in front is equally matched by the beauty at the back in the form of the Minerva Calibre 13-21 movement. A derivative of the vintage 13-20 (13 lignes and developed in 1920) movement, the reissue of the 13-20 was named the Calibre 13-21.

The upgrade is also focused on the fine finishing on these movements. Nicely polished edges and a well constructed movement.

One cannot lose focus on the Column wheel in this chronograph (see above). And the signature of any Minerva Chronograph is the Devil's tail (see below).

Look at the level of finishing on the movement... amazing!

In every Montblanc 1858 Villeret timepiece with a Minerva movement, the Calibre is engraved onto the movement plate. Seen here is the Minerva logo (arrow head) and the Calibre 13-21 inscribed onto the movement.

Montblanc uses the Minerva calibres in their haute-horology timepieces and the production numbers are low on these pieces. It is rather unusual to see a co-branded timepiece. But what Montblanc is doing with Minerva is exceptional. From "simple" three handed timepieces to Chronographs to Zero-Reset mechanism, Minerva certainly brings a lot into the relationship with Montblanc. And with the 1858 series, Montblanc used it to differentiate their offerings - 1 piece in Platinum, 8 pieces in white gold and 58 pieces in rose gold.