Introducing the Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph In Steel And Bronze

Montblanc has embraced the retro-styled looks well for a lot of their watches over the last few years. With the Minerva archives as a legit and extensive source of inspiration for both design and movements. The latest introduction to the Minerva inspired 1858 collection is the Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph. A smart addition that comes in a regular steel version and a limited edition bronze version.

Over the last couple of years, Montblanc has increasingly invested in giving the Minerva name prominent place in their collection. What seemed like an odd couple at first, has quickly drawn the interest of many watch enthusiasts. I have to say I was wary at first because the names didn’t seem like a natural fit. And still don’t at times even now.

…a unique aesthetic that might be the smartest yet.

But I have to admit that slowly I have been drawn more and more to the watches that Montblanc has introduced. Simply because an increasing number of them look very good. Last year’s Heritage Pulsograph with the salmon dial was another perfect example of that. And with the Minerva name attached, I’m always interested in finding out what’s next. Although the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph is not a new name in the collection, the latest releases bring a unique aesthetic that might be the smartest yet.

The Montblanc 1858 Collection

The Montblanc Heritage and Montblanc 1858 collections have been the two most important exponents of Minerva’s history. What Montblanc has done well, is differentiating both collections. The Heritage collection draws inspiration from elegant Minerva timepieces from the 1940s and 1950s. The 1858 collection, on the other hand, draws inspiration from the professional Minerva watches from the 1920s and 1930s. Tool watches that were created mostly “for military use and exploration” as the band describes it. Although the positioning of the collections is mostly marketing talk, there is a difference in the style of both collections that fits the description and makes it easy to tell them apart.

The first watches released under the Montblanc 1858 moniker were the 1858 Automatic and the 1858 Automatic Dual Time from 2017. The introduction of the 1858 collection took place a year later at the SIHH 2018. The watches from the 1858 collection that have impressed me the most have been the ones with the iconic Minerva movements of the past. The previous editions of the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph and the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter are the winners for me. Both stunning watches with an astonishing price tag. With the introduction of the new 1858 Monopusher Chronograph, there is a watch with equally good looks and a much friendlier price tag.

The looks of the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph

I am going back quickly to the “military and explorer” bit in the marketing text. Mountain exploration is the first thing I thought about when I opened the press photos. For anyone familiar with clothing brands, some of the pictures look like they are part of an Alps & Meters photoshoot. Which in itself is not weird at all because the Boston brand also draws inspiration from vintage alpine apparel. And I love what the brand does, so my first reference was definitely a good one.

Out of the three models available, the one that caught my eyes first was the limited edition bronze version. The two steel versions have the same looks, but the bronze case adds that little extra to make it stand out. Both the steel and the bronze version feature the same 42mm case with a thickness of 14.7mm. The black dial features a beige 60-second track, and beige Super-LumiNova filled Arabic numerals. The bronze version features rose gold-coated and beige luminescent hour and minute hands further enhance the vintage feel of the watch. The steel versions feature steel and beige luminous hour and minute hands. All versions have a large white chronograph seconds hand and white counter hands to create a nice contrast to assure good readability when using the chronograph function.

The 1858 Monopusher Chronograph features a domed sapphire glass box with antireflective coating. The case back of the bronze version is made of titanium and features a bronze-coated “Spirit of Mountain Exploration” engraving. To finish off the vintage looks, the bronze limited edition comes with a beige NATO strap with a bronze-coated stainless steel pin. The steel version features a stainless steel case back, and you have the choice of a stainless steel “beads of rice” style bracelet or a cognac-colored calfskin strap.

The Montblanc Caliber MB. 25.12 movement

The 1858 Monopusher Chronograph is powered by the Montblanc caliber MB. 25.12 automatic movement. This Montblanc movement is based on a Sellita SW500 movement and is also used in the Heritage Monopusher Chronograph. The cam-operated chronograph movement is most likely derived from the Sellita caliber SW510 MP movement and has a power reserve of 48 hours with a 28,800vph operating frequency.

…the prices for these models are also a lot friendlier than for the limited edition models that do use the Minerva movements.

The caliber MB. 25.12 movement features central hour and minutes and small seconds at 9 o’clock. The chronograph has a central elapsed-second hand and a 30-elapsed minute-counter at 3 o’clock. The Sellita caliber SW510 MP has proven itself as a very reliable and robust movement based on the 7750-architecture. In no way is the caliber MB. 25.12 comparable to the iconic Minerva movements used in some of the other models. As mentioned before, the prices for these models are also a lot friendlier than for the limited edition models that do use the Minerva movements.

Prices and availability

The bronze version of the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph is limited to a total of 1858 pieces and will cost $5,600. As the production numbers are quite high, you will probably be able to get your hands on one. The steel version with the calfskin strap will cost $4,900, and the steel version with the steel bracelet is available for $5,200. With prices that are a lot friendlier and the same vintage looks as the more expensive models, the 1858 Monopusher Chronograph is a watch that will attract buyers. The vintage-inspired looks certainly have a great deal of charm, and the Minerva influence will further strengthen the Montblanc name.

Visit the official Montblanc site for more info.