When it came to imagining a new sports diving watch, Montblanc climbed up to the glacial lakes of the Mont-Blanc Massif for inspiration. Ascending via the Chamonix Valley to the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), the Maison’s designers were captivated by the texture of the glacial ice with its interlocking network of crystals that have been frozen in time for millennia.
Full with ideas, they returned to the Manufacture to try and figure out a way of translating what they had seen onto the face of a watch. This was no easy feat as not only had it never been done before, but a watch dial measures a mere 0.5 mm in height, making it very difficult to create the illusion of looking into the depth of a glacier.
After several trials, the Maison found a technical solution to create an impression of genuine depth and luminosity. The dial makers employed an almost-forgotten ancestral technique called gratté boisé as the base. The result captures Montblanc’s spirit of exploration, both in terms of the adventures the watches are made for, but also the way in which they are designed and created.
The Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date comes with three different dial colours – blue, green, and black – that represent different colours of glacial ice.
This timepiece includes the addition of an interchangeable v-shaped stainless-steel bracelet which can be quickly and easily switched for a rubber strap without the need to return to the boutique or the use of any tools.
Not only is the bracelet interchangeable, but it is also adjustable on the wrist, so each owner can find their perfect fit, especially when wearing it over a wet suit.
The Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date is more than a sports watch, it is a certified diving timing instrument. Each timepiece has undergone the Montblanc Laboratory 500 Hour Test to ensure that it is shock, magnetic, temperature, and water-resistant (30 bar) and that its fasteners are reinforced for maximum security. A white Super-Luminova® has also been incorporated on the hands, indexes, and dot at 12 o’clock, which all glow in a luminescent shade in low light, keeping with the glacial theme.
Each timepiece comes in a 41mm stainless steel case with a bicolor ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel and a case back featuring a 3D relief engraving of an iceberg and a scuba diver exploring the glacial waters below.
This image is achieved using an engraving technique that is rarely seen on such a small surface. The engraving begins with the metal being structured by laser to create a 3D relief image that provides depth and realism.
Visit selected Swiss Watch Boutiques or contact us to discover more about Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date.
