EDITOR’S PICK: The Montblanc Heritage Chronometrie Dual Time

Felix Scholz

Editor’s Note: Inspired by Montblanc posting our picture on their Instagram account we thought we’d revisit our review of the excellent (and aggressively accessible) Montblanc Dual Time. 

The Story in a Second:

The Heritage Chronometrie Dual Time is right in Montblanc’s new sweet spot and while not being a buzz watch, it demonstrates why Montblanc is suddenly a buzz brand. It offers a complication, it sports classic looks and it’s priced right.

The Big Question:

The world watch media are all in a spin about ‘the new’ Montblanc but are the real people ready to wear a brand still synonymous with fancy pens? Montblanc dominated SIHH 2015. They impressed at all levels and at all price points, but their greatest hits were in the mid-tier small complications, like the Heritage Chronometrie Dual Time which offers classics looks at a smart price. In a wider sense, Montblanc are the perfect storm right now. All the elements are there for them to, very quickly, become a formidable force in the world of luxury watches. They are a household luxe name. They have a proven and dynamic leader in Jerome Lambert. They have a talented technical team. They are making excellent product at a range of price points. They have established distribution and after sales support. All this adds up to a package that should have other watch companies, including very big watch companies, worried. Sure, Montblanc still means fine writing instruments in most languages, but the collection they exhibited at this year’s SIHH will be changing that. We’ve already shown you the impressive Tourbillon Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama, but that’s their aspirational flagship, not ever intended for mass consumption. What follows in the vanguard behind? Pieces like the Montblanc Heritage Chronometrie Dual Time. This clean, simple watch hits just the right notes. Its design reminds me not only of Jaeger-LeCoultre, but also of Patek Philippe. Having said that the watch is not derivative at all, but evokes, in the best possible way, all the qualities of timeless elegance those two brands are famous for. The classic case, sunburst dial, dagger hands, applied indices – all these careful design choices place the watch on the conservative end of the design spectrum. And sure, if this was a simple three-handed time only piece we wouldn’t be raving. But the masterstroke here is how they have implemented the complication, specifically the very practical second time zone that modernises the tone of the watch and elevates it from conservative to classy. I particularly love the balance between the sub-seconds and the day-night display. Adding a dual time, and a few other small design tweaks, like the printed Arabic numerals and the pops of blue totally change this watch and make it much younger and more sophisticated in feel. On the wrist the watch is everything you’d expect. Dressy, svelte and very versatile. And while you’d think this sort of watch is best suited to leather, it actually looks awesome on the steel bracelet too. This watch hits the right balance in price too. Sure, it’s not cheap, starting at just over $6000 AUD , but you do get a lot of watch for your money, and a viable alternative to a market saturated with sport style GMTs. It should be noted that for this money you don’t quite get an in-house movement, but rather a Sellita movement with an in-house dual time module. On all other fronts this watch delivers maximum bang for buck.

THE KNOWLEDGE

Talking point:

In the space of two short years, Montblanc have gone from making some ‘ok’ sport watches and idiosyncratic high-end pieces to designing some of the smartest, most commercially savvy models of the moment.

For the Watchforums:

Regardless of the smart design, and the name on the dial, is $6190 AUD too much to pay for a tricked out Sellita?

Who’s it for?

The business traveller that doesn’t want his watch to look like he needs to know what time it is in Afghanistan.

What Would we Change?

We know it’s really handy, but that date window was probably not necessary. It certainly does not contribute to the otherwise impeccable aesthetics.

Montblanc Heritage Chronometrie Dual Time Australian pricing:

$6190 (Black alligator strap)

$6600 (Stainless steel strap)

$8520 (18k red gold bezel)

Images by Kristian Dowling/Time+Tide Images.