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Montblanc Star Legacy 42mm Mens Watch
Ref. 128681
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Stepping up in Montblanc's range
The Star Legacy line draws on Minerva, the Swiss atelier Montblanc acquired in 2006 and whose nineteenth-century pocket watch vocabulary it has been translating into wristwatches ever since. The guilloché on this dial — a radiating star pattern worked concentrically outward — is a direct reference to that tradition, and it reads differently under artificial light than it does in daylight, the texture shifting from flat silver to something with considerable depth. At 42mm across and only 10.6mm tall, the case sits closer to the wrist than most dress watches at this diameter manage, and the leaf-shaped hands suit the dial's period character without tipping into pastiche. The date sits at six o'clock, symmetrically placed below the star centre rather than tucked at three, which is a deliberate choice and a legible one. The exhibition caseback puts the MB 24.17 on display — a movement with 38 hours of reserve and 26 jewels, more than adequate for a watch worn most days and rested on weekends.
- Reference
- 128681
- Brand
- Montblanc
- Collection
- Star Legacy
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 10.6mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- White
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- MB 24.17
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
Learn more about 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.
- 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.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in the Montblanc Star Legacy range (7), Back in Stock (4,007), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Automatic Watches (1,417) and Leather Strap Watches (904).
Temporarily out of stock
Mappin & Webb is not currently taking orders for this reference. Last listed as available on 26 September 2026. Stock is checked nightly and this page updates when it returns.
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Sits in the lower half of Montblanc's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Montblanc Star Legacy alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 128681 | BM0A10330 | FC-397HLBN5B6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,780 | £2,900 | £2,995 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 48 hours | 62 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
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