The all-new Montblanc Exotoubillon Minute Chronograph Limited Edition 100 offers a sleek black and red color scheme for the highly technical watch.
As a further expansion of its totally revamped TimeWalker Collection, Montblanc unveils a very special limited edition watch: TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Limited Edition 100. The piece combines two notable horological complications: the brand’s in-house patented one-minute ExoTourbillon that was first unveiled by the brand in 2010, and with quick stop-second mechanism, and a monopusher chronograph. It is offered in a racing-inspired black and red color scheme that is bold and intriguing.
The “Exo” in the title of the watch refers to the screw balance, which is positioned outside of the tourbillon’s rotating cage. The significance of the innovation allows the cage to be smaller in size and free of the weight of the balance — thereby saving more energy than traditional tourbillons. An additional synergistic effect is that the rotating cage is not affected by the inertia of the cage and adds to the watch’s precision and isochronism.
Montblanc TimeWalker Exotourbillon Minute Chronograph Limited Edition 100 watch — inspired by auto racing.
The ExoTourbillon architecture is integrated into the brand’s in-house MB R230 chronograph caliber, which is a monopusher with column wheel chronograph. Montblanc’s TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph offers a quick stop-second mechanism that allows the user to halt the screw balance via a tiny spring and allows for the seconds to be set accurately. The mechanism stops the balance from rotating instead of stopping the tourbillon itself. The later could cause an erosion of precision over time. In the same quest for precision, the piece allows for the hour hand to be set independently of the minute and second hands when the crown is in the second position. The date function is also tied to the same mechanic and allows the wearer to update settings without losing any accuracy.
The Montblanc ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph in black DLC titanium case features black component parts, as well.
The watch is housed in a 44mm black DLC titanium three part case. The high-end horological components are given a sporty black aesthetic that captures the spirit of racing that is the inspiration for Montblanc’s TimeWalker line. In keeping with the racing theme, legibility of the dial is paramount. The dial is done in a full black graine’ and the time and date are displayed off center at the 12 o’clock position. Two semi circular counters show elapsed seconds at the 8 o’clock and elapsed minutes at the 4. The numerals, indices and hour and minute hands are treated in Super-LumiNova. Additionally, Super-LumiNova pigments have been merged with a composite material and applied to the hour ring. The lower portion of the dial shows the ExoTourbillon hand finished all black tourbillon bridge. Through the display case back the observer will see the movement of the MB R230 in an all black coating, a first for Montblanc and this particular movement.
There are also several additional nods to racing throughout the design. The semi-skeletonized horns with carved flanks were inspired by the air inlets in racing cars and have been given a vertical satin finish. The bezel and case back feature a circular satin finish and the black DLC titanium crown has a knurling on the side that draws its inspiration from vintage car radiator caps and also serves for an excellent gripping surface. Completing the look: a domed anti reflective sapphire crystal, black alligator strap with satin finished black DLC pin buckle.
The highly complex movement of the Montblanc ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Limited Edition 100.
Each of the 100 pieces in this limited series has undergone rigorous testing by the manufacturer prior to making it to the end client. The watches are run through the Montblanc Laboratory Test that simulates 500 real life scenarios for 500 hours. The watch is water resistant to 30 meters and features 50 hours of power reserve. Retail price is on request, but word is that it is about $55,000 retail – a great price for an ExoTourbillon combined with the other functions of this watch.
Tech Specs of the Montblanc TimeWalker ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph Limited Edition 100
Montblanc Manufacture Caliber MB R230 All-Black mechanical movement with double barrel, automatic winding mechanism, patented one-minute ExoTourbillon with quick stop-second mechanism
Monopusher with column-wheel and vertical coupling Diameter = 33.7 mm; height = 8.65 mm 296 44
Approx. 50 hours Screw balance, diameter = 9.7 mm; moment of inertia = 12 mgcm2 21,600 A/h (3 Hz) Flat All Black coating and circular graining All Black coating and Côtes de Genève Special tooth profile improves the efficiency of the power transmission
Off-center hours and minutes
Date by hand on same axis as hour- and minute-hand, and off- center subdial
Patented ExoTourbillon at 6 o’clock (one revolution per minute to indicate the seconds) with an All Black tourbillon bridge 60 elapsed seconds and 30 elapsed minutes counters with double indication hands and corresponding sectorial scales
Travel function with rapid reset of hour-hand and date display either forward or backward The tourbillon can be stopped by directly halting the balance wheel
Black DLC titanium Scratch-resistant, antireflective sapphire crystal on both sides Screwed titanium back with inset pane of antireflective sapphire crystal Diameter = 44 mm ; Height = 16.27 mm 3 bar Black DLC titanium with Montblanc emblem in relief
Dial : Black grainé. On the upper part, horizontal stripes pattern, hour circle with white Arabic numerals and Super-LumiNova® merged with a composite material, black rhodium-plated dauphine-shaped hour hand and minute-hands coated with Super-LumiNova®*. On the below part, black rhodium-plated vertical satin-finishing, black chronograph counters with one counter for 60 elapsed seconds at “8 o’clock” and a second counter for 30 elapsed minutes at “4 o’clock”, double indication hands and corresponding sectorial scales
Black alligator leather strap with red stitching and satin finished black DLC pin buckle 100
Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500
