he oldest known system of writing is called Cuneiform and can be traced back to Mesopotamia (historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system) around 3200 B.C.E. This writing system was recorded on damp clay tablets using a reed stylus that would create wedge-shaped standardised symbols. During its 3000-year history, cuneiform was used to write around 15 different languages and recorded everything from temple activities and business records to myths, epics and personal letters.

In 2300 B.C.E., a high priestess named Enheduanna took writing to a new level. She was the daughter of Sargon of Akkad, the king who established the Akkadian Empire, and during his reign, he appointed her to the position of high priestess of the moon god Nanna in the Sumerian city of Ur. It was in this role that she started to write religious poetry and hymns to the goddess Inanna, the patron deity of the Empire.

Her texts are the earliest known example of first-person writing, and it is believed that she may also be the first known writer to claim authorship of their work. At some point in her life, she is ousted by a Sumerian king and forced into exile. It is during this period that she wrote the poem The Exaltation of Inanna where she describes the coup and her pleas to the goddess Inanna for reinstatement. This very personal poem would go on to become an important text in scribal schools, being used and studied for over 500 years. It was reproduced countless times and over 100 copies are still in existence today.

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Montblanc’s Meisterstück writing instrument, and the Maison’s long-standing connection to writing, Montblanc’s watch designers joined forces with Catherine Mittermayer, Professor of Mesopotamian Studies in the Department of Ancient Sciences at the University of Geneva, to pay tribute to Enheduanna and her place in literary history. Their homage comes in the form of a new Limited Edition Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Skeleton that includes numerous high-end ornaments inspired by the high priestess, her work, and her era.

Limited to 10 pieces, this 44.80mm, 18-karat yellow gold timepiece is adorned with an onyx dial that is engraved with an extract from one of the Temple Hymns of Enheduanna. Instead of the traditional logo, the Montblanc name has been translated into Sumerian with the symbols for white, and mountain at the end of the text.

The hymn’s closing words have also been engraved on the 18-karat yellow gold case band, which attributes this text to its author: “The compiler of the tablets was Enheduanna. My king, something has been created that no one has created before”.

Below the off-centred dial, an 18-karat yellow gold engraving of Enheduanna sits elegantly above the Exo-Tourbillon. As she is the high priestess of the moon god Nanna, the crescent moon is displayed at 12 o’clock, horizontally, as it appears in this part of the world. The moon also recalls the horns of a bull, a popular representation of Nanna, which is also depicted at 3 o’clock. Completing these historic details, a frieze inspired by the Royal Game of Ur, an ancient Mesopotamian pastime, appears behind the bull. The existence of this game is known thanks to two trays discovered in royal tombs in Ur. Last but by no means least, engravings of Sumerian numbers have been etched into the seconds counter, along with the number 10, which refers to the limited edition of 10 pieces.

The patented Suspended Exo Tourbillon complication was developed entirely in-house by the master watchmakers at the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret and required three years of development. The “Exo” is derived from the Greek for external or outside and refers to the large balance wheel with screws, which is positioned outside of the tourbillon’s rotating cage. The idea of the Montblanc engineers when developing the innovative, patented Suspended Exo Tourbillon was to create a minute tourbillon that would be more visible, further revealing its beauty. This particular patented construction of the Suspended Exo Tourbillon allowed the watchmakers at the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret to have a large and impressive balance wheel and eliminate the need to increase the size of the movement or the case. The massive balance wheel is raised 3.2mm higher than the dial and appears to be floating above it. In terms of performance, this innovative, patented mechanical architecture of the Exo Tourbillon saves more energy than a conventional tourbillon as the cage is smaller in size and free of the weight of the balance wheel.

Following pure horological tradition, the hand-wound Manufacture German silver skeleton movement – calibre MB M16.69 – is entirely decorated in the Montblanc Manufacture in Villeret and comes with an anthracite ruthenium treatment on parts of the movement, giving the historic scene a contemporary touch.

This limited edition timepiece comes in a special presentation case that continues the celebration of Enheduanna and her place in literary history with an interpretation of the Great Ziggurat of Ur. Covered in stone, the outside of the case is etched with two extracts of Enheduanna’s Temple Hymns. When opened, the cover can be used as a base for displaying the watch in the owner’s home or office.

This limited edition of 10 pieces is a genuine celebration of the history of the written word and reminds us of the importance of writing and its connection to Montblanc. What better way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Meisterstück by paying tribute to the woman who is believed to have been the first to turn writing into an art?

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Reference 133616

Movement

• Montblanc Manufacture Calibre MB M18.69
• Manufacture hand-finished manually wound movement
• One-minute patented Suspended Exo Tourbillon Skeleton
• Dimensions: Diameter = 41.95mm; height = 6.45mm
• Number of components 188
• Number of rubies 19
• Power Reserve: Approx. 50 hours
• Balance: Screw balance, diameter = 14.5 mm; moment of inertia = 59 mgcm2
• Frequency 18,800 A/h (2.5 Hz)
• Hairspring: Hairspring with Phillips terminal curve

Dial view

• Plate: Open-worked anthracite ruthenium-coated German-silver, stretched stripes on both sides, hand-chamfered edges
• Displays: Off-centered hours and minutes, small second at 6 o’clock Patented Exo Tourbillon (one revolution per minute to indicate the seconds) with one arm-bridge at 6 o’clock, mirror-polished Exo Tourbillon cage with the number 10 written in Sumerian

Caseback view

• Bridges: Open-worked anthracite ruthenium-coated German-silver, stretched stripes on both sides, hand-chamfered edges
• Going-train: Habillage Gold-coated, circular grained, chamfered, diamond hubs on both sides
• Barrel: Mirror-polished winding pawl shaped with the Minerva arrow

Habillage

• Case: 18K yellow gold, polished case
• Crystal: Domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating
• Back: 18K yellow gold sapphire crystal case back with simple anti-reflective coating
• Dimensions: Diameter = 44.8mm; height = 15.1mm
• Water resistance 3 bar (30m)
• Crown: 18K yellow gold with Montblanc diamond
• Dial: Dial in Onyx stone on a 18k white gold base, engraved with an extract from a Sumerian text by Enheduanna, Montblanc written in Sumerian at the end, hand-engraved 18K yellow gold ornaments and 18K yellow gold hands.
• Wristband: Black calf leather strap with interchangeability system and a 18K yellow gold triple folding clasp.
• Limited Edition 10
• Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500H