EVENT: The Exclusive Montblanc and Time+Tide Black & White Evening
Felix ScholzI can admit it now; we were a little bit nervous around 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon, as team Time+Tide strode into the suitably monochromatic Doltone House in Pyrmont. The mission, which we’d chosen to accept: 60 guests for an exclusive cocktail event with Montblanc. In Sydney. Not our hometown.
We knew that a handful of people had dropped out (broken limbs, extreme weather – legit reasons, get well people), but what if no one showed up? It would be like my 14th birthday party all over again, but with a better dress code.
Thankfully, at 6pm on the dot guests started arriving. It’s a very pleasing literality that watch people – and this was indeed people, we had a strong female contingent interested in Montblanc watchmaking – are a punctual lot. Bless you, watch people.
The trickle soon became a flood and before we knew it the room was full of watch lovers, champagne and almost worrying levels of enthusiasm. The crowd knew that the opening ceremony would happen downstairs but that upstairs there were the 2015 novelties, as well as a rarely-seen-in-Australia collection of Montblanc’s most complicated Villeret pieces.
So, to the speeches. Montblanc General Manager Randall Foote and Time+Tide Founder Andrew McUtchen spoke about the palpable energy and enthusiasm injected into the brand by new CEO Jerome Lambert, an energy attested to by the next speaker – Mr Julien Miribel. “He has created a storm,” Randall said, poetically. “He is very active,” said Julien, pointedly.
Shortly after, I had the pleasure of hosting a Q & A session with Mr Miribel, the head of Villeret’s prototype workshop, the guiding force behind Montblanc’s most impressive watches. Even though he’s directly responsible for some of the most amazing watches made in recent years Mr Miribel describes himself as “just a watchmaker” and is reluctant to even accept that he’s a master of his craft. Mr Miribel spoke passionately and at length about the Montblanc’s approach fine watchmaking, and what it’s like working for one of the most dynamic and disruptive brands in the industry at the moment. What inspires one of watchmaking’s leading lights? “My competitors. The industry is moving very fast and it’s exciting to always be thinking of new complications and new novelties.”
Mr Miribel left the stage and the formal proceedings were complete. But the fun was just beginning. Velvet ropes were unclipped and there was a decorous rush on the watches upstairs, with our guests eager to try on the latest pieces from the Montblanc staple collections, such as Heritage Chronometrie pieces, as well as have a chance to wonder at pieces from the Villeret collection – rarely seen in Australia. The clear fan favourites were the mind-blowing Metamorphosis II, the ‘Homage to Nicholas Rieussec’ as well as the beautiful Tourbillon Cylindrical Geosphere Vasco da Gama.
The other attraction of the night was being able to watch Mr Miribel at work demonstrating some assembly and finishing techniques. Four of our guests were lucky enough to get a crash course masterclass in watchmaking. Even the (seemingly) simple act of disassembling an escapement on a basic Unitas movement left them with a renewed appreciation for the watchmakers art. That is, apart from one particular follower of ours who impressed Randall from Montblanc so much that he joked he was drawing up contracts (with his Montblanc pen) for said follower to commit to a career in Montblanc watchmaking.
In what seemed like the blink of an eye the evening was over, and as our guests departed they did so with a greater understanding and appreciation for Montblanc’s fine watchmaking.
Thanks to Montblanc Australia for a wonderful evening.
[su_custom_gallery source=”media: 12558,12557,12556,12555,12554,12553,12552,12551,12550,12549,12577,12548,12547,12546,12545,12543,12542,12541,12540,12539,12537,12536″ limit=”30″ link=”lightbox” width=”210″ height=”210″ title=”never”]