Montblanc Star Legacy Collection
Image: Montblanc
Montblanc is betting big on glaciers, as seen by the 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date, which will be unveiled at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2022. Montblanc is pushing all the way into its triumph with the Star Legacy LE1786 Blue Capsule line, having finally developed a mountaineer’s diving watch. This capsule collection, which is new for 2022, contains an automatic with date (Automatic Date 39mm), moon phase (Moonphase 42mm), and twin-register chronograph.
With these three watches, Montblanc joins a select group of brands, notably Patek Philippe, in announcing new products soon after the Geneva exhibition. The dark blue glacier dials on all three new watches are reminiscent of the dramatic three-dimensional display of the 1858 Iced Sea. Having said that, the only relationship between the new diving watch and the Blue Capsule collection watches may be described as a likeness.
The new dials have a layered design inspired by the Mer de Glace, which is also the inspiration for the Iced Sea models’ dials. The glacier’s texture and a strong shade of blue are reproduced in the center of the dial for the capsule collection using an unique stamping technique; thus “The Blue Hour” is what the glacier looks like at twilight, with both moonlight and stars in action. We commend Montblanc’s watchmaking team’s confidence in putting together this victory lap following Watches and Wonders.
Image: Montblanc
The Blue Capsule series pays homage to the first person to reach the peak of Mont Blanc, Jacques Balmat, who did it in the evening of 1786. Because Montblanc believes Balmat would have witnessed the Blue Hour firsthand, the capsule collection’s timepieces are restricted to 1,786 pieces.
While all of the casings are stainless steel, the hands and Arabic numerals are rose gold-coated, since Balmat was on the lookout for gold. The moon and stars in the Moonphase model are also rose gold-coated, while the chronograph register hands in the Chronograph variant are similarly coated.
Image: Montblanc
All the watches are available with polished stainless steel bracelets with triple-folding clasps but also with a blue calf leather strap (Automatic Date) and Blue Sfumato alligator leather (Moonphase and Chronograph).