s always with Montblanc, let’s start at the top. After focusing on oxygen with its revolutionary “Zero Oxygen” concept – which prevents the oxidation of watch components – the brand has turned its attention to the opposite element: carbon dioxide. The new limited-edition 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen CARBO₂ is equipped with a case made partly of... CO₂.

How is this possible? Through a pioneering process that captures CO₂ from biogas production and mineral waste from recycling factories and turns it into a powder, CACO₃, through a process of calcium dissolution and carbonation. This powder is then combined with ultra-light and durable carbon fibre to create an innovative composite material, CARBO₂, which is shaped into the watch’s caseband.

Reproducing reality

“Our Mark Makers open up new routes in the mountains – and we seek to replicate this pioneering spirit in our own work,” emphasises Laurent Lecamp, head of Montblanc’s watchmaking division (see our previous issue, ES 1/24). “One of the main concerns for mountaineers today is the CO₂ surrounding glaciers. I asked my team to try to reproduce this phenomenon on the dial, which symbolises a glacier with its unique luminosity and depth resulting from the gratté-boisé technique.”

As usual, he was told it couldn’t be done. But Laurent Lecamp insisted, and a solution emerged: the carbon dioxide could be ‘solidified’ to make the case. He explains: “I’m fortunate to have a fantastic team to bring to life the innovations I ask of them, and to follow through on my ideas. Sometimes I really push them to the limit. They are engineers, technicians and watchmakers, but above all they are passionate about what they do!”

Montblanc introduces a brand-new limited edition 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen timepiece featuring a CARBO2 caseband.

By recreating the real-life environment of a glacier in this way, Montblanc has added a new and distinctive signature to its aesthetic. Beyond the technological features of the case, the CARBO₂ material has a bold textured appearance, producing dark shades according to the specific carbon fibre and CACO₃ mix, which is perfectly suited to the 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen.

Reinforcing the adventure theme, the 43.5 mm titanium and CARBO₂ case has a luminous blue outline of Mont Blanc engraved on the side, visible only to the wearer. The older a glacier is, the less oxygen it contains and the denser it becomes, resulting in a deeper blue colour. This is reproduced on the case band, shining white by day and luminous blue by night. To achieve this result, Super-LumiNova^® and a layer of protective varnish are carefully applied by hand. An image of Mont Blanc is also featured on the titanium caseback, created using Montblanc’s 3D laser technique to capture the peak’s colour, depth and realism.

The timepiece is powered by the MB 29.25 automatic movement with Montblanc’s Manufacture Worldtime complication, which includes rotating globes for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blue Greenwich meridian lines and 14 dots for every 8000 m peak. It also has a day/night display, a 24-hour scale, dual time display and date.

The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen CARBO₂ is limited to 1969 pieces, in reference to the year that Montblanc Mark Maker Reinhold Messner made the first solo ascent of Les Droites, the north face of the Mont Blanc massif. The watch is completed with an interchangeable black rubber strap featuring a pattern reminiscent of the textiles used by mountaineers, with a tapered design and a fine adjustment system.

From the peaks to the depths

After celebrating the 4,810 metres of Mont Blanc, the brand explores the concept of symmetry with the Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810, the altitude of the legendary mountain transformed into depth below sea level. “After carrying out market research on the dominant models in the COSC-certified Swiss diver’s watch segment with a 5-day power reserve, I came to the conclusion that we could create a watch offering comparable quality that was far more affordable, coming in at around 40% of the average price,” Laurent Lecamp explains.

After striving for great heights, Montblanc plunges into uncharted depths at 4810 meters below sea level with the Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810.

The brand tested the model in its own laboratory to ensure it could withstand a depth of 4,810 metres and meet the ISO 6425 standard. Indeed, the oceans have their own mountain ranges, often hidden beneath the waves except where peaks emerge as islands and archipelagos. But mapping of the seafloor remains patchy. Just last year, a team of researchers identified a hitherto unknown seamount 1,600 metres beneath the waters of the Pacific, off the coast of Guatemala.

Montblanc will have its new Mark Maker, extreme diver William Trubridge, test the watch in real-world conditions. Housed in a 43 mm titanium case with a crown guard, the new diving watch features a caseback engraved with a 3D depiction of the view divers see beneath the ice. This mesmerising effect is achieved through a process of laser oxidisation, which creates a 3D coloured relief with both matte and shiny finishes to create contrasts of colour and texture.

3D engraving of the view divers see when diving underneath the ice

Powered by Montblanc’s COSC-certified automatic manufacture MB 29.29 movement with approximately five days of power reserve, this deep diving timepiece displays hours, minutes, seconds and a date at 3 o’clock. It comes with an interchangeable black rubber strap with a V-shaped taper. Fit is easy to adjust on the wrist, even when wearing a wetsuit.

From steel to bronze

Returning to the surface, Laurent Lecamp also has several new versions of the Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date to present. “This is the only piece in the entire collection that is not in steel. It’s made from an alloy of aluminium and copper. We’re seeing more and more people start to collect Iced Sea models, and this latest model has the unique property of developing a patina over time.” This special cupro-aluminium alloy is more resistant to corrosion and rust than standard bronze (copper and tin), or brass (copper and zinc). On this model, it is paired with a black glacier-patterned dial.

The Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date collection continues to grow with two new editions that draw inspiration from the warm hues of the setting sun as it falls upon this glacial landscape.

The new bronze-toned edition comes with a new bi-colour unidirectional anodised aluminium bezel, a new Montblanc Iced Sea logo inspired by a vintage Minerva export seal, and a 3D-engraved titanium caseback with a bronze-toned coating and large scuba diver motif. It is fitted with an interchangeable black rubber strap with a brown outline.

Another new version features a brand-new burgundy dial inspired by the deep red of the evening sun as it hits a glacier. This model is paired with a black ceramic unidirectional bezel and an adjustable stainless-steel bracelet.

A promise for Minerva

Finally we come to Minerva, whose heritage Montblanc has continuously reinterpreted since acquiring the legendary Swiss manufacture. The brand is presenting a variation on its 1858 The Unveiled Minerva Monopusher Chronograph. This new 100-piece limited edition features five apertures in the case band, allowing light to flood into the hand-finished, manually wound movement so the wearer can fully appreciate its 291 components. It’s powered by the new Calibre MB M17.26.

Like the Calibre MB M16.26 that equipped the previous versions, this monopusher movement has been flipped over to display all the mechanical action on the dial side of the watch. Although at first glance the movement might appear to be skeletonised, a closer look reveals the chronograph movement on full display on the dial side.

Montblanc lets the light shine into its Unveiled Minerva Monopusher Chronograph with new sapphire windows in the caseband and an aesthetically reworked movement.

To allow the eye to explore the interior of the movement and appreciate the craftsmanship of the individual components, the chronograph complication of the Calibre MB M17.26 has been built on pillars to allow the light to penetrate. The chronograph bridge has also been placed on top of the movement, highlighting this distinctive component, patented in 1912. Adding a modern twist, the German silver plates and bridges have been coloured in a contemporary blue, contrasting with the rest of the movement and matching the blue sfumato calf leather strap.

This new limited edition comes in a 43 mm stainless steel case with an elegant horizontal satin finish. It has a white gold fluted bezel inspired by Minerva’s first fluted bezel of 1927. “As long as I’m in charge, the bezels on these models will always be in gold, out of respect for this almost century-old tradition,” says Laurent Lecamp. That sounds like a promise worth keeping!