IW INTERVIEW:
SCALING
MONTBLANC
Montblanc CEO Nicolas Baretzki tells iW how Montblanc
has conquered the horological peaks at Villeret and Le Locle.
Is Minerva now fully integrated within
Montblanc?
Maybe in the past there was some confusion, but today Minerva (in
Villeret) and Montblanc (in Le Locle) are one single entity. It’s not just
one management, but it is one way of thinking, one development team.
The Geosphere is a perfect example of a Minerva movement adapted to a
regular watch. It is not separate from Villeret anymore.
Exploration recalls the roots of Minerva. For two decades, in the
1920s and 1930s, Minerva was very active producing sports and military
watches. This was the inspiration for the new 1858 collection. Military
watches need to be extremely visible, robust and accurate. We add the
rotating bezels, the ceramic, and you really feel that you have a strong
watch on your wrist. We haven’t developed a watch to use when climbing
Mount Everest, but instead to realize the spirit of exploration. Remember,
at Montblanc a mountain is part of who we are. And these are not just
more pilot watches or more diving watches. >>
Below: Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph
SPRING 2018 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | 61