Montblanc celebrates 110 years with Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique wristwatch

THE German luxury brand is this year celebrating its 110th anniversary with several collections of writing instruments, leather goods, men's accessories and watches. One of these anniversary pieces is the "Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique 110 Years Anniversary" watch, a refreshed take on a Montblanc classic that's landing in a three-piece limited edition.
Montblanc, founded in 1906, is celebrating its 110th anniversary in style this year by revisiting one of its iconic timepieces, the "Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique," in an exceptional anniversary version that combines artisanal design, creativity and precision in one ornate timepiece. What better way to celebrate over a century of "pioneering spirit" and innovation?
With a design that matches creativity with tradition, this watch has been entirely developed and manufactured in-house in the Montblanc workshops. It comes with top-notch functions and a high-end mechanism, with components bevelled, polished and decorated by hand by the brand's master watchmakers using centuries-old decorative techniques.
Return of the snake
Montblanc has delved into the brand's history when crafting this anniversary watch, with a nod to its first fountain pen series, "Rouge et Noir," which had snake-shaped clips. The reptile has now made a bold entrance on the "Villeret" anniversary watch.
Snakes feature heavily in all the collections designed for the brand's 110th anniversary, but the wristwatch pays homage to the serpent in a spectacular way. A hand-engraved, three-dimensional anthracite snake is housed under the watch glass, winding its way around the dial of this three-piece limited-edition model. A snake is also engraved on the back of the red gold case.
Tourbillon and mysterious hands
As well as creating a unique design, Montblanc's watchmakers have meticulously crafted the workings of this watch to ensure precision and originality.
Anyone lucky enough to get one of the three timepieces can admire a large one-minute tourbillon at 12 o'clock, stretching over half of the dial, and a smaller hours-and-minutes subdial below, at six o'clock. This uses mysterious hands – one of the brand's signature features – which seem to float above the subdial. The floating effect relies on a complex mechanism, which can be easily admired since the workings of the movement are visible in this model.
The "Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique 110 Years Anniversary" watch uses the MB M65.63 calibre, a manual-winding movement with a one-minute tourbillon and a double cylindrical balance spring. It has a power reserve of 46 hours.
Celebrations for the brand's 110-year anniversary don't end with this highly limited-edition watch. Montblanc has also unveiled several special-edition lines of writing instruments, men's accessories – again revisited with a snake theme – plus new models for the Meisterstuck Soft Grain leather goods line, and a travel bag. — AFP Relaxnews