Montblanc TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph – First Look
Montblanc has some interesting watches for you in store this year. One of them is the Timewalker Manufacture Chronograph. In this article, we will give you a first look and some of our thoughts. Starting at just below €5000 Euro for an in-house chronograph (up to €5290 depending on the strap / bracelet combination), it could become a very serious option for those who love chronos with a manufacture movement.
TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph Panda Dial
During the presentation, Montblanc actually referred to this watch as ‘Paul Newman’ style themselves (sigh), but if you can look past that statement, there’s actually a cool watch being offered here. It is powered by a three register chronograph movement with a column-wheel, Montblanc’s caliber MB 25.10. It has a 46 hours (+/-) power reserve and ticks at 28,800vph. The plates and bridges have a Côtes de Genève finish.
The case of the TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph measure 43mm in diameter and is 15.2mm thick. The case is made of stainless steel, and a ceramic bezel has been fitted with a white engraved tachymetre scale.
As for the panda dial, it has indeed the Paul Newman style. But this also referred to the bund strap that is optional for this watch. A white dial with black sub dials and some red accents. However, I felt it is a bit weird that Montblanc referred to it as ‘Paul Newman’ style. But that could be just me. At 4.30 there’s a date aperture, white date disc and black printing. You will also find applied Arabic numerals on the main dial, indicating 2, 4, 8 and 10 o’clock. The dial and hands are applied with Super-LumiNova.
The pushers are made of steel, the crown is black DLCed steel with a knurled finishing. The watch comes on this perforated brown Sfumato aged calf leather strap coming from the Montblanc Pelletteria in Florence, Italy with stainless steel triple folding clasp (€4990). Optional are the alligator Bund strap (€5290) and the stainless steel bracelet (€5290).
To be brutally honest I am not convinced that much by the design, but to each his (or her) own and the specifications are quite interesting in this price range. However, the design isn’t exactly outspoken (nor original). Perhaps it not always have to be, but it seems that the TimeWalker Manufacture Chronograph is all over the place with its design. For €5000 there is, with an in-house chronograph movement with column-wheel mechanism, not much out there to be honest, but there’s more to a nice watch than just the movement.
More information via Montblanc on-line.
