Even though Montblanc is named after the supposedly highest mountain in Europe – Elbrus, over in the border region to Asia, is 836 metres higher, but its European geography is disputed – the Hamburg-based brand, founded in 1906, also dedicates its expertise to other peaks on our planet.
The most recent example is the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson Limited Edition, which will be presented for the first time at Watches & Wonders 2025.
It is undisputed that MontBlanc towers above all other peaks in the Alps. This is presumably why this name was chosen in 1910 for the fountain pens, which until then had been sold under names such as Rouge-et-Noir or Simplo Gold. At the time, the choice of name went hand in hand with the endeavours to reach the top in terms of writing utensils.
The first recognisable feature of this claim was the white cap of the fountain pen. However, as this could not be protected in Germany, a star was used as a trademark, a stylised peak of the Mont Blanc mountain with its six valleys. It first adorned a fountain pen in 1914 and, since 1997, the dials of high-quality watches. From the very beginning, Montblanc has also aimed for top-class watches.
On the one hand with its own production facility in Le Locle, and on the other with the former Minerva watch factory in Villeret, founded in 1858, whose exceptional watchmaking history and expertise was integrated into the existing company in 2007.
Despite the geographical brand name, this combined expertise is not limited to the European Alpine region – neither in terms of source of inspiration nor availability. Montblanc watches are available worldwide. And so the new 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson Limited Edition is a tribute to the ascent of the highest mountain in Antarctica by the world-famous extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner.
Montblanc is able to combine all of this in the Zero Oxygen watches, gaining their name from the fact that they manage without any oxygen inside. This not only prevents the watch from fogging up when exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations at high altitudes, but also prevents the metal from oxidising. This significantly extends the service life of all components. Montblanc certifies the absence of any oxygen in the case by means of an accompanying certificate.
However, this technology not only has practical and quality-enhancing benefits. It also serves authentic storytelling at its best. No oxygen, the highest peaks in the world – mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner can’t be far away.
He is considered to be the first person to have climbed all 14 of the world’s eight-thousanders and to have done so without the aid of oxygen. But that’s not all. The South Tyrolean and Montblanc brand ambassador also climbed the so-called Seven Summits, the highest mountains on the continents of Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe and Australia. In 1986, he completed his ascent of Mount Vinson, 1,000 kilometres north of the South Pole in the so-called eternal ice. To date, only around 500 people have mastered these seven challenges. The latest addition to the 1858 Geosphere collection, which has always been inspired by the world of mountain sports, is dedicated to this impressive achievement.
The model, which is limited to 986 pieces – a reference to the year Messner conquered Mount Vinson – is equipped with a 43 mm titanium case that is water-resistant to ten bar and an innovative composite material for the middle section. The latter consists of quartz fibres, aluminised basalt fibres, calcium carbonate and light blue resin.
It is reminiscent of the colours and patterns of Antarctic glacier ice and forms the background for the silhouette of Mount Vision on the left side of the case, so that it is only visible to the wearer. During the day it glows light grey, at night it shines in ice blue.
The coolness continues on the dial. Gratté-boisé is the name of the technique used to create the sfumato pattern in an elaborate process comprising more than 20 steps. The result of alternating roughening and polishing resembles a blue-green-light grey glacial landscape. This is encircled by an aluminium bezel, which features a luminous blue Superluminova coating on the four markings for the cardinal points.
To ensure that this frosty beauty always conveys precision, the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson Limited Edition was equipped with the MB 29.25 calibre with a 42-hour power reserve. It is based on a Sellita automatic movement and, like all “Geosphere” versions, features the manufacture world time complication from the Minerva manufactory.
Montblanc combines practical functionality with a highly aesthetic display on the dial. Two domed hemispheres – the northern hemisphere in the upper half of the dial and the southern hemisphere in the lower half – perform a complete rotation within 24 hours – just like the earth itself.
Equipped with a blue-green Greenwich meridian and surrounded by a fixed scale with 24 time zones with day/night display, the different time zones can be read very intuitively with the aid of the minute hand. Even in poor lighting conditions. This is because the luminous coating on the continents provides time orientation.
At the 9 o’clock position, there is also a simply designed second time zone display. Opposite it is the date display, which is linked to the local time.
Those with a love for detail will appreciate the small dots on the Earth’s hemispheres. They mark the Seven Summits conquered by Reinhold Messner and, of course, Mont Blanc.
The watchmaker has left no space unused in its visual representation of the beauty of the mountains. A glance at the titanium caseback, for example, reveals Mount Vinson in all its glory. The engraving technique used, which includes laser-generated oxidation, makes it appear three-dimensional like a photograph.
The 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson Limited Edition is securely positioned on the wrist with an interchangeable blue-green rubber strap. This makes it the first watch in the 1858 collection to be fitted with this strap material.
And even here, Montblanc has transformed mountaineering into design. The outer structure is modelled on a climbing rope. The inside is also designed like the edges of a rock for greater comfort and breathability. Like the other straps of the watches in the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen line, it has a conical shape, is easily interchangeable and is equipped with a fine adjustment system.The 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Vinson costs €9,200.
