Montblanc “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec Special Edition”

Nicolas Rieussec’s first patented chronograph from 1821 inspired the watchmakers at Montblanc to create the Nicolas Rieussec watch collection with manufacture movements and distinctive styling. The timepiece’s unmistakable appearance combines an off-centre hour-circle in the upper part of the dial and the chronograph’s elapsed-time displays in the lower portion of the face. As on the original from 1821, elapsed time is shown on two rotating discs, above each of which a motionless hand indicates the passing seconds and minutes. Nicolas Rieussec, watchmaker to the French royal court, invented this construction to precisely measure the running times of individual horses at a horserace. When the starting gun was fired at the track, the patented “ink chronograph” was set in motion so that two white enamelled discs began to turn: one disc was calibrated for 60 elapsed seconds, the other for 30 elapsed minutes. The user pressed a button each time a horse crossed the finish line: this pressure momentarily lowered an elongated rhombic carrier with two ink-filled tips onto the enamel discs, where each tip left a droplet of ink. These inky markings on the scales of the chronograph’s discs enabled the user to read the exact running time of each horse. Rieussec’s device was literally a “time writer,” so he accordingly named it a “chronograph” from the Greek words “chronos” (time) and “graphein” (to write). In 1822, the Académie des Sciences in Paris granted a patent on this device to Nicolas Rieussec, who went down in horological history as the inventor of the world’s first patented chronograph. 

In 2014, Montblanc pays tribute to this great watchmaker with a new interpretation of his chronograph from 1821. The Montblanc “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec Special Edition” chronograph faithfully replicates every detail of the colour scheme and the styling of the hands as they appeared on the original “time writer”, but relies on innovative materials and technologies to transport the historical device into our contemporary day and age. The new “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec Special Edition” chronograph from the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec collection shows the date, indicates the time in two different time zones and also offers a day/night display. The timepiece will be manufactured in limited editions in red gold and steel.

Traditional features – innovative styling 

In an unprecedented innovation, the chronograph’s hand is designed as a double index: each of the two tips of an elongated horizontal blued-metal rhombus points to a calibrated scale on one of two rotating discs. Each index is shaped exactly like the ink carriers on the original chronograph from 1821. The two white-lacquered discs – one at the left for 60 elapsed seconds and the other at the right for 30 elapsed minutes – are likewise inspired by the appearance of the original timepiece. 

At first glance, the watch’s hour-circle seems to lack hour numerals and to bear only a minute-scale. With slim black strokes alternating with Arabic numerals at ten-minute intervals, the minute-circle faithfully emulates its counterpart on the original “time writer”, the position of the hands allows precise legibility of the hours. 

The hour-circle reveals its special feature in the dark, when an unprecedented technique causes the formerly hidden hour numerals to appear on the dial. The traditionally styled hour-circle is crafted from ultramodern hybrid ceramic permeated with “Mysterious Superluminova” pigments, an innovative technology exclusively created for Montblanc. These luminous pigments form the Arabic hour numerals in the characteristic font of the Montblanc Rieussec collection. The digits are invisible in daylight because they’re precisely embedded into the hour ring, with which they share exactly the same colour. But when the ambient light starts to dim, the luminous pigments that fill the numerals – as well as the Superluminova-filled hour-hand and minute-hand – begin to glow, thus assuring perfect legibility and simultaneously giving this watch its characteristic appearance. 

The dial also pays homage to the legendary horse race on Paris Champs de Mars in September 1821, where the Nicolas Rieussec ‘timewriter’ was for the first time used in history. During the day, an elegant galloping horse is outlined in black at “6 o’clock”. With the exclusive “Mysterious Superluminova Technique” in the night the horse appears in full luminosity as highlight of the dial. In the same spirit, the transparent sapphire crystal of the caseback bears an engraving of the horse as well as the inscription “Paris, September 1821” highlighting the historical event on the month exactly 193 years ago from the launch on this special edition.

The pale, shiny, enamel-like surfaces of the hour-circle and the chronograph’s discs create an unusual contrast with the fine-grained (grainé) texture of the dial. Two apertures rimmed by finely satin-finished gradations offer an unobstructed view of the date display at “3 o’clock” and the finely guilloche-embellished day/night indicator at “9 o’clock”. A skeletonized hour-hand indicates the time in a second time zone.

A monopusher chronograph with a manufacture calibre

Combining traditional watchmaker’s craftsmanship and modern engineering artistry, self-winding mechanical manufacture Calibre MB R200 ticks unseen beneath the innovative dial. A laboriously milled column-wheel controls the monopusher chronograph; the connection between the gear-train and chronograph’s wheels is alternately engaged and disengaged by a vertical coupling, which functions nearly without wear and prevents the elapsed-time hands from jumping when the chronograph is switched on. The double barrel stores enough power for 72 hours of continuous running. The movement’s appeal derives not only from its outstanding mechanical performance, but also from its horological aesthetic. The components are decorated with Geneva waves and have beveled, polished edges. Bright red jewels, blued screws and shiny golden brass wheels complete the handsome ensemble, which can be admired by peering through the transparent pane of sapphire crystal in the back of the case.

Functional case

The dial is protected by a slightly cambered sapphire crystal that’s been anti-reflective treated on both its surfaces. The movement is ensconced inside a circular case made of 18 karat red gold. The case’s doubly stepped horns angle slightly downward so the 43-mm-diameter watch fits ergonomically and conforms to the anatomy of its wearer’s wrist. A watch connoisseur who notices the unconventional positioning of the chronograph’s button at “8 o’clock” will correctly deduce that this is a monopusher chronograph which can be conveniently operated with the tip of the right thumb. The red gold crown is deeply grooved and embellished with a domed black-and-white Montblanc emblem. A pin buckle made of 18 karat gold secures the alligator-skin strap, which conforms to the curvature of the horns and the roundness of the case. 

The Montblanc “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec Special Edition” chronograph will be available in October 2014 in a limited edition of 30 red gold timepieces and a limited edition of 100 timepieces in stainless steel. 

*The trademark SUPER LUMINOVA® is not the property of Montblanc

Montblanc “Homage to Nicolas Rieussec” Special Edition
Ident. 113290 (red gold), Ident. 113289 (stainless steel)

Calibre Montblanc manufacture Calibre MB R200
Type of movement Mechanical movement with double barrel and automatic winding 
Chronograph Monopusher with column-wheel and vertical coupling 
No. of components 319
No. of rubies 40
Power reserve 72 hours  
Balance Screw balance, diameter = 9.7 mm; moment of inertia = 12 mgcm²
Frequency 28,800 A/h (4 Hz)
Hairspring Flat
Plate Rhodium plating and circular graining 
Bridges Rhodium plating and Geneva waves
Gear-train Special tooth profile improves the efficiency of the power transmission 
Displays – Hours and minutes on an off-centre subdial 
– Second Time Zone with day/night display
– Date on a rotating disc 
Chronograph 60 elapsed seconds and 30 elapsed minutes on rotating discs under motionless hands 
Special feature Travel function with rapid reset of hour-hand and date display either forward or backward 
Features 
Case 18 karat red gold (5N); 
Cambered sapphire crystal antireflective treated on both its surfaces, screwed back includes transparent pane of sapphire crystal 
Watertightness 3 bar / 30 m
Dimensions Diameter = 43 mm; height = 14.8 mm
Crown 18 karat red gold (5N) with inlaid Montblanc emblem made of mother-of-pearl 
Push-piece Monopusher at “8 o’clock”
Dial Grainé dial, enamelled hour-circle with black minute-circle and Arabic numerals in “Mysterious Superluminova” that are invisible under daylight conditions. Galloping horse in “Mysterious Superluminova” at “6 o’clock” 
Rose gold-plated superluminova-coated hour-hand and minute-hand, 
Skeletonised, rhodium-plated hour-hand for the second time zone 
Guilloche-embellished day/night display for the second time zone in a window at “9 o’clock”
Date window at “3 o’clock”
Chronograph has two enamelled discs (one counter for 60 elapsed seconds at “8 o’clock” and a second counter for 30 elapsed minutes at “4 o’clock”) with rhombic double index made of blued metal 
Strap black alligator-skin strap with large reptilian scales and pin buckle made of 18 karat red gold (5N) 

Limited edition 30 timepieces 
Available in stainless steel with as well in a limitation of 100 pieces