Montblanc

Montblanc was founded in Hamburg in 1906 as a fountain pen manufacturer, and the six-pointed white star that marks its products represents the snow-capped summit of the mountain. It entered watchmaking in 1997, initially as a luxury accessory line.

That changed decisively in 2007, when Richemont transferred the Minerva manufacture in Villeret to Montblanc. Minerva, founded in 1858, was one of the great chronograph specialists — it had produced its own monopusher chronograph calibres since 1908, including movements capable of measuring to a hundredth of a second, and had continued making them by traditional methods long after the industry mechanised.

Montblanc inherited that capability along with the tooling, archives, and watchmakers. The Villeret and 1858 collections now house Minerva-derived calibres with their distinctive devil's tail chronograph bridges, screwed balance wheels, and hand-finished components — genuine high horology at a house most people associate with pens.

The volume side of the business, produced at Le Locle, covers the Heritage, Star Legacy, and TimeWalker lines, and the 1858 Geosphere with its twin rotating hemisphere globes has become the signature model.

Montblanc has also pursued smartwatches through the Summit range and remains part of Richemont.

Montblanc holds 14 models, from £2,575 to £7,200. Half cost less than £3,750, and a quarter less than £2,839. 14 of 14 are automatic. 7 are stocked by more than one retailer, giving 21 offers in total. Prices are checked nightly against the retailers’ own feeds.

1906

Founded in Hamburg as a fountain pen manufacturer.

1997

Watchmaking begins at Le Locle.

2007

The Minerva manufacture at Villeret is transferred to Montblanc.

2018

The 1858 Geosphere becomes the signature model.