The Mont Blanc brand is one of the most famous German brands in the production of luxury goods. If you want to know how this brand went from producing stationery to making global watches, don’t miss this article. To make it easier to review the Mont Blanc brand, we have divided this article into three parts. The history of the Mont Blanc brand from the time of its establishment until today, the introduction and review of the most important autograph collections and symbolic pens, and the review of the most beautiful and complicated watches of this brand.
Part I: History of the Mont Blanc brand
First, we talk about the history of the Mont Blanc brand.
The birth of the Mont Blanc brand
The history of the Montblanc brand dates back to the early 20th century. In 1906, a German engineer and designer from Berlin, named August Eberstein, in collaboration with a banker from Hamburg, named Alfred Nehemias, designed a type of autograph pen that was very easy to write with. This autograph had an internal ink reservoir that fed the pen tip.
Official registration in 1908
In 1908, a Hamburg businessman named Claus Johannes Voss joined Eberstein and Nehmias and officially registered the autograph production company SIMPLO in Hamburg. Soon, Simplo became a reliable fountain pen manufacturer that even other brands made their pens in the company’s factories.
Changing the name of the company to Mont Blanc
It might be interesting for you to know that Mont Blanc was originally one of the products of the Simplo company and later became a brand name. In 1909, the Simplo company produced a luxury autograph with a white star-shaped insignia on the top. The founders of the company chose the name of this product inspired by the snow-covered peak of Mont Blanc, the highest and most magnificent peak of the Alps. For them, Mont Blanc was a symbol of the company’s commitment to high quality manufacturing and European craftsmanship. A year later, in 1910, the name of the company was officially changed to Mont Blanc.
The official logo of the brand
In 1913, the Mont Blanc brand registered the white mark on the company’s advanced autographs, symbolizing the snowy peak of Mont Blanc and the six surrounding valleys, as its official logo. Six years later, in 1919, the first Mont Blanc store for the exclusive sale of the company’s products was reopened in Hamburg.
The legendary author of Masterstock
The Mont Blanc brand has a very important history and that is 1924. In this year, the legendary autograph brand launched the Meisterstück. Meisterstock means “masterpiece” in German; A word that perfectly describes this product. This fountain pen remains one of the most famous writing instruments in the history of stationery, and its timeless design remains unmatched.
With the creation of this autograph, Mont Blanc quickly became a household name in more than 60 countries around the world and made a huge profit, which it was able to spend on impressive advertising campaigns. The advertising methods of this brand were completely new at that time; For example, installing very large autographs on advertising cars and airplanes that no brand had thought of.
Setting up the first leather goods production workshops
Since 1935, the Mont Blanc brand has set up its first leather goods workshops near Offenbach, a city famous for its leather industry in Germany. In those workshops, they produced small luxury leather goods such as pencil cases. These workshops supply all the leather straps of Mont Blanc luxury watches that were added to the brand’s products years later.
Engrave the number 4810 on the tips of autographs
In 1929, the Mont Blanc brand took an interesting initiative and engraved the number 4810 on the tip of the Meisterstuck autograph. This number shows the height of Mont Blanc and the high quality of this pen. Since then, this number has been marked on the nib of every Masterstock autograph.
Company name change and post-war events
In 1934, the brand changed the name of the company, which had become a global brand, to Montblanc Simplo GmbH. A year later, because of their strong brand identity, they decided to issue the first lifetime warranty on Masterstock autographs, rewarding the choice of customers who seek the best. In the same year, Mont Blanc expanded its range of leather products to include stationery bags, notebooks and autograph boxes.
Unfortunately, many of the facilities of the Mont Blanc brand were not spared from the damage of World War II. However, the brand quickly began to rebuild the facility. During the restructuring, they located their representative offices abroad and continued to manufacture autographs in Denmark. It didn’t take long for Mont Blanc to introduce new collections of beautiful pens, including the Meisterstock 149 in 1952 and the 60 line in 1955.
The story of the American president and Mont Blanc autograph
An interesting event happened in 1963, which made the Mont Blanc brand proud and admired everyone. When John F. Kennedy, the president of the United States, went to help the German chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, to get rid of the predicament that his country was in. This autograph, Masterstock 149, was made by Mont Blanc!
The transformation of the Mont Blanc brand into a cultural symbol
In the 1980s, the Montblanc brand flourished further and continued its production line with the Masterpiece Solitaire collection, which was made of precious metals. At the same time, the brand slogan “Mont Blanc; Choose the art of writing” for yourself. This made Mont Blanc a cultural icon that many luxury brands followed. Towards the end of the decade, Mont Blanc decided to open a purpose-built new headquarters in Hamburg, where all design, production and management work would be integrated. This office also included the Mont Blanc Museum.
As the product line expanded, Mont Blanc opened more boutiques around the world, including Paris and London, and its first store in Hong Kong. In 1992, the Montblanc brand established the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, which aims to honor patrons of the arts. The first autobiography of this event was named in honor of Lorenzo de’ Medici in the field of art and in honor of Ernest Hemingway in the field of writing.
Mont Blanc’s entry into the world of men’s jewelry
The year 1996 was very important for the Mont Blanc brand; Because this year they entered the world of men’s jewelry. It started with the Meisterstock jewelry collection, which included expensive men’s accessories, including 18-karat gold cufflinks. A year later, Mont Blanc turned to watchmaking.
The entry of the Mont Blanc brand into the watchmaking industry
In 1997, Mont Blanc launched its first watch at the Mont Blanc Montreux factory. Montblanc Montre SA, located in the city of Le Locle, which is the heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry. It didn’t take long for Mont Blanc to participate in one of the world’s largest international watch exhibitions, SIHH, and for the first time exhibited the Mont Blanc Meisterstock handmade watch. With its first collection of watches, the brand aimed to reflect the aesthetic of Meisterstock autographs. For this reason, he chose the self-titled Masterstock collection.
Mont Blanc first chose an old villa in Le Locle as the place to manufacture his watches. This villa was built in 1906; It means the same year that the history of Mont Blanc begins. That’s why they liked this villa and started the work. However, with the increasing demand for Mont Blanc watches, they had to increase the workshop space from room to room. It was clear that this limited space will not be enough in the future. Therefore, to solve this problem, they found an innovative architectural solution. They created an entire additional floor for the workshop below the villa, all enclosed in glass and looking like a modern atrium. Since 2003, this villa has continued to work with this new architecture.
Second part: Mont Blanc iconic autographs
Collections and self-titled models in the Mont Blanc brand seem a little confusing at first glance. So, read this guide first. Mont Blanc has 3 autograph models:
- Classic (Classique);
- Legrand (LeGrand);
- 149.
The classic group, also called 145, is the smallest autograph model and its ink filling system is a cartridge converter type. Unlike the other two models that have a threaded cap, this model has a tight pull-open cap. The Lugrand model, also called the 146, is larger and uses a piston filling mechanism. Model 149 is the largest and has a piston filling mechanism and threaded cap.
Starwalker collection
The design of the Starwalker series resembles the descriptions that astronauts had of our planet floating in space. Starwalker’s unique technology features a clear blue dome under the Montblanc star logo, which is very beautiful.
Masterstock collection
This collection can be a lesson in art and history and has almost hundred years of stories to tell. It is safe to say that it was Meisterstock that made Mont Blanc. Just like its name, Masterstock is a masterpiece. It is not without reason that it is considered the most famous and preferred tool for writing around the world. Its first model was the Meisterstock 149, which had a gold and black body. Although subsequent models changed slightly, its iconic design has not changed since 1952. Why should they mess up something that is so complete and perfect?
Mont Blanc Red collection
This collection is in cooperation with the non-profit organization RED, whose founders are Bono, the lead singer of U2, and Bobby Shriver, the nephew of John F. They are slow, designed. That is why it is called Mont Blanc Red. It works with iconic brands to raise money to fight AIDS in Africa through the IMF. Its bold red color is completely different from Mont Blanc’s usual color palette. These autographs are made of precious red resin, which was prepared by the famous industrial designer Mark Newsom himself.
Royal diamond autograph
In 1994, the Montblanc brand produced a Royal Meisterstück Solitaire Autograph (Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaire Royal), with 4,810 diamonds carefully arranged on the autograph; That too by hand! This autograph was the most expensive autograph in the world at the time, and of course it is not surprising.
Montblanc registered cut diamond
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Mont Blanc launched a unique autographed edition featuring the Mont Blanc diamond. It took almost eight years of research and development to cut this diamond to achieve the most brilliance. The Mont Blanc brand became the first brand in the world to cut a diamond in the shape of its logo and registered it.
Autobiography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Montblanc produced a limited edition autograph series to pay tribute to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, one of the world’s most famous novelists and the creator of Sherlock Holmes. This model is made of precious blue-gray resin, which evokes the foggy atmosphere of London at that time. The autographed cap and tank have a checkered pattern that references Sherlock Holmes’s coat, with parts of the historic city of London painted on it. Beneath the PVD-coated magnifier clip is engraved the initials JB, a tribute to Sherlock’s most famous actor, Joseph Bell. Doyle’s signature can be seen on the cap ring.
Autograph John F. the slowness
This special edition is in memory of one of the most respected figures in the history of politics, John F. Kennedy is built and has symbolic references to his life. The precious blue resin marks Kennedy’s time in the US Navy. His initials, JFK, are engraved on the platinum-plated clip, and the three rings on the cap, all three platinum-plated, are the Kennedy brothers. On its golden tip is the logo of the Apollo space program, the spacecraft that landed on the moon in 1969. The autograph tip is made of 14 carat gold.
Walt Disney’s autograph
Another special Mont Blanc autograph is made with respect to Walt Disney. Thanks to his pioneering spirit and innovative ability, Walter Elias Disney was one of the most influential animation producers of his time. The overall shape of the autograph is inspired by the Monorail system and its colors refer to Mickey Mouse’s “Steamboat Willie”. The cap and self-writing tank are matte black. You can also see Walt Disney’s signature on the top of the cap.
The third part: Mont Blanc watch collections
Now let’s get to know more about the watch collections and iconic watches of this brand.
Time Walker watch collection
Mont Blanc introduced the TimeWalker collection in 2003 to approach younger customers who are more daring and up-to-date. The collection includes sporty watches with bold numbers to indicate hour markers, crafted in the distinctive Bauhaus style. The hands of these watches are filled with luminous materials. Some of them are chronographs and have a more complicated design; But some other three-hand watches are simple. In 2006, in celebration of its 100th anniversary, Mont Blanc presented the Star Chrono GMT watch equipped with a perpetual calendar. This chronograph included setting the second time zone.
Mont Blanc has also designed more complicated watches in the time walker style, including the ExoTourbillon Minute chronograph in 2016:
Willert collection
Richmond Group, which bought the Mont Blanc watch brand in 1998, also bought Minerva in 2006 and merged them together as a subsidiary of Mont Blanc. Minerva was founded in Villeret in 1858 and is still based there. From the 1910s to the 1930s, Minerva was recognized as a manufacturer of innovative professional chronographs. The first watches that Minerva produced under the Montblanc name were launched as the Willert watch collection. Complicated watches whose designs corresponded to those made by Minerva before the merger with Richmond. All of these watches were assembled by hand and are rare to find in the entire watchmaking industry.
Another important capability of Minerva is the production of hair springs. Very few manufacturers have the ability to make this part of the watch engine themselves. The accuracy of the watch depends on this spring. All clock motor manufacturers buy from these few limited manufacturers of hairsprings. The most important of them is Nivarox-FAR SA, a hair spring producer belonging to Swatch Group. Minerva’s production capacity for hair springs is only as much as it needs. That’s why they use these hair springs exclusively for their Willert engines.
Nicolas Rivesque Chronograph
In 2008, the Mont Blanc brand launched the Nicolas Rivesque chronograph. Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec invented one of the first chronographs in 1821, and this term is his own invention. This chronograph showed the elapsed time in a special way. At the push of a button, one would mark with ink a spinning ceramic disc that would make a complete revolution in 60 seconds. In this way, the operator could make a mark on the rotating disc each time the time was kept. This device was originally used to calculate the time in horse races and actually wrote the time.
For Mont Blanc, who had dealt with pen and ink all his life, the design was naturally appealing, establishing an obvious connection between the pen and his watches. So he used discs to show the elapsed seconds and minutes in his Rivesque chronograph. This clock model also shows the second time zone. The Nicolas Rivesque chronograph has become a permanent member of the Mont Blanc watch collection.
Timewriter project
The TimeWriter project was created by Minerva to support young creative watchmakers; People who tried to change the concepts of the watchmaking industry. Some of them include the following:
Metamorphosis
The Mont Blanc brand presented the first watch of this project in 2010. Metamorphosis Timer 1 is a watch that can change its function in addition to its appearance. The owner of the watch can switch between two modes using a lever; Just like minute repeater watches. In the first case, the watch offers an adjuster for the hour hand, retrograde minute hand, central seconds hand, and date pointer at 6:00, which can be used to set the time and date.
In the second mode, the watch becomes a chronograph with a central chronograph hand and a 30-minute counter, again set at 6 o’clock. When the watch wants to change from one mode to another, it takes 15 seconds. The dial slowly opens its wings, the other wings close, and the minute counter slowly rises. It’s like watching an animation.
The Metamorphosis 2 project, presented in 2014, has the same capability, but its implementation is different. In 2019 and 2021, the shape and colors have changed.
Two frequency chronograph 1000
The second watch from the Timewriter project is the Chronographe Bi-Frequency 1000, which was unveiled in 2012. This mechanical chronograph allows you to measure time intervals with an accuracy of 1000 seconds. Even if the clock design is extremely simple, a balance frequency of 500 Hz is still required to incorporate this feature into the clock. This work consumes a lot of energy; For this reason, Mont Blanc has used a completely different approach in this chronograph, which will only require a 50 Hz balance frequency.
The impulses from the balance wheel are transferred to another wheel that rotates at a frequency of 10 Hz. In this way, the number of impulses is multiplied by 10 to represent the elapsed milliseconds. Later, in 2017, Montblanc used this feature in its Timewalker sports watch collection.
Exo Tourbillion
An exclusive movement that is unique to Mont Blanc watches and invented by Minerva in 2010 for one of the Willert collection watches is the Exo-Tourbillon. The difference between a regular tourbillon and an exo tourbillon is that in an exo tourbillon, the balance wheel is outside the tourbillon case instead of inside it. Therefore, the balance wheel, which is no longer confined to that compartment, can be larger. We know that the larger the balance, the better the accuracy. When we consider the tourbillon chamber to be smaller, the tourbillon itself will have less mass and thus consume less energy. The Exo Tourbillon is a permanent member of the Mont Blanc watch collection. The brand sometimes combines exotourbillion watches with a chronograph function.
Masterstock Pulsograph
The first timepiece to combine Minerva’s watchmaking expertise with Montblanc’s design prowess was the Meisterstück Heritage Pulsograph, launched in 2014. This watch had a modern case, a classic dial and a modern Minerva 13.21 caliber. Its rose gold case and awesome engine retailed for over $30,000 at the time.
Bohemian watch for women
In 2014, Mont Blanc introduced the Bohème collection of watches for women. These watches consisted of many precious stones, mainly diamonds. However, Mont Blanc never made these watches to be just some kind of beautiful jewelry. With respect to all ladies who love watches, this brand produced all the watches of this collection with high quality and power despite the use of precious stones. Some of them are mechanical and you can even move the hands by hand, and others have features that are specific to women.
Worldtimers
Worldtimers watches were introduced by Mont Blanc in 2015, which drew a lot of attention to the brand. These watches are very beautiful. The center of the clock face shows a view of our world from above the North Pole. Continents are painted on a transparent disc. Below this disc, there is a second disc that rotates once every 24 hours to show the points where the world is night at that specific hour. As you can see in the image, half of the circle around the disc is dark.
In the same year, Mont Blanc presented another watch from the same collection, which showed the world from a different and new perspective. The name of this expensive watch was Tourbillon Cylindrique Geospère. This watch had a tourbillon and a cylindrical hairspring and the frame was really beautiful. The main attraction of this watch was the two rotating dome-shaped globes that indicated the northern and southern hemispheres to indicate the current time in each part of the world. Since 2018, Montblanc has offered the same feature in a more affordable version. Below you can see the image of this beautiful watch:
The lightest Mont Blanc watch ever
Mont Blanc not only has a record of making watches with unique features and reasonable prices, it has surprised everyone by making one of the lightest watches in the world. In 2016, the brand designed the TimeWalker Pythagore, an ultra-light watch, for its ambassador, Lin Dan, who is the best badminton player in the world. This unique watch weighs only 14.88 grams. Montblanc achieved this extremely low weight by using an extraordinary material for the case of this watch called ITR2. It is a resin filled with carbon nanotube particles. Its engine is a modern version of the Minerva Pythagorean caliber, which is made of titanium and uses the least possible materials.
smart watch
Montblanc introduced its first smart watch with the Summit watch in 2017. The operating system of this watch is Android and it is placed in a 46 mm steel frame with a black finish (some models do not have a finish). Some models come with a titanium frame. A year later, the brand introduced the Sumit 2 smartwatch with improvements in technical capabilities. This model had a 42mm frame, which was smaller than the original model.
Its latest version is Summit 3, in which they used a frame made of recycled aluminum. In addition, in 2015, Mont Blanc introduced electronic straps (e-strap). These bands have a smart module that is placed under the wrist and is connected to a normal watch from the other side. These beautiful straps are suitable for those who like to have a mechanical watch with the functions of a smart watch at the same time:
final word
In this article, we talked about the Mont Blanc brand. With the art of merging ancient watchmaking traditions with modern technologies, this brand produces luxury and very expensive timepieces and autographs. With watch engines built using traditional advanced methods and combining them with today’s functionality, the brand offers sophisticated timepieces that rival the world’s largest luxury watchmaking brands.
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