Montblanc is reinforcing its commitment to supporting in-depth research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy with the donation of a unique timepiece to this year’s exclusive Only Watch charity event in Monaco which takes place on 28th September, 2013.
The luxury marque has designed and developed a unique watch, named ‘the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco’ and the proceeds will benefit the Association Monegasque contre les Myopathies (the Monaco Association against Duchenne muscular dystrophy).
The appearance of this one-off piece reveals that it is not a conventional one. In fact, it illustrates how the art of contrast refinement and the judicious use of colours give rise to an exceptional piece developed specifically for Only Watch. The model features a black dial with grain d’orge guilloché décor which ranks among the most traditional decorative techniques in the art of watchmaking. It is encased in a 43 mm stainless steel with a glossy DLC («Diamond Like Carbon») finish. By using the Dual Carbon process, the case of the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco is not only significantly more resistant than the cases of standard DLC watches, it’s also five times tougher than a conventional stainless steel housing. Furthermore, the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco features a special engraving on the case back in commemoration of the event.
The outer cover is equipped with finely terraced horns that sports a black alligator-skin strap with contrasting red-gold coloured stitching, and is complemented by a triple-folding clasp made of 18 ct red gold. The fluted crown, which is also of the same material, bears a mother-of-pearl inlay shaped like Montblanc’s famous emblem.
The exterior of the Rising Hours is undoubtedly characteristic of a Nicolas Rieussec timepiece. Features include rotating discs under motionless pointers for the elapsed minutes and seconds, as well as a two-armed bridge at “6 o’clock” with bright red ruby bearings. Above it is the off-centre dial to show the ordinary time of day or night via a skeletonised minute-hand and digital hour numerals. The day of the week appears in a semicircular aperture to the left, the date in a similar window on the right.
The way the hours are shown on the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco is technically revolutionary. Like all models of this collection, this watch has a slightly off-centre dial for the ordinary time of day. But instead of an hour-hand, there is a circular aperture at the “12” in which a disc bearing Arabic numerals for the twelve hours turns below a little triangular index. Aficionados will no doubt have seen similar digital hour displays on other timepieces in the past, but the Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco goes one decisive step further: its hour numerals change colour depending on the time of day or night. They are blue during night time hours and black during the day.
Equipped with a 500 hours quality certificate, this is an exclusive piece that will no doubt enchant collectors and watch aficionados alike. Organised by the auction house “Antiquorum”, the unique Nicolas Rieussec Rising Hours for Monaco will be exhibited across the globe in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing (China), New York (USA) and Geneva (Switzerland) from 6th to 28th September 2013 to provide collectors and watch enthusiasts with the rare opportunity to see it.
SPECIFICATION AT A GLANCE:
- Movement: Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB R220
- Type of movement: Mechanical movement with automatic winding mechanism and twin barrels
- Chronograph: Monopusher with column-wheel control and vertical disc clutch
- No. of components: 343
- No. of jewels: 42
- Power reserve: 72 hours
- Balance: Screw balance Ø 9,70 mm; Moment of inertia: 12 mgcm²
- Frequency: 28’800 bph (4 Hz)
- Bridges: Rhodium-plated, Geneva stripes
- Case: Stainless steel with dual carbon treatment Crown, pushers and screws of the case back in 18 K red gold (5N), Domed sapphire crystal with double antireflective coating, Screwed case back with transparent sapphire crystal
- Water resistance: To 3 bar / 30 m
- Dimensions: Ø 43 mm; Height: 15.10 mm
- Crown: 18 K red gold (5N) with inlaid mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem
- Push-piece: Monopusher in 18 K red gold (5N) at 8 o’clock
- Dial: Black dial with “Grain d’orge” guilloché Digital hour display
- Strap: Black alligator-skin strap with red gold-coloured stitching
- Buckle: Pin buckle made of 18 K red gold (5N)
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