Montblanc Releases Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition

Tipping its hat to a legendary movement developed by Minerva back in the 1940s, the blue and brown dialled Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second watches are available in an 18ct white gold or 18ct rose gold case and are both limited to 148 pieces worldwide. They are governed by a movement heavily based on Minerva’s Calibre NO. 48 based on the Pythagoras “Golden Ratio”.

It’s not unlike Montblanc to go delving into its treasure trove of historical pieces. It does, after all, have full access to Minerva’s archives in Villeret – an Aladdin’s cave of precise chronographs that span right back to the 20th century. Minerva began its roots crafting precise movements from 1858 onwards and soon became a renowned master in its field of expertise. The revolutionary V-Chrono shaped bridge became a distinct feature of its movements but it would be the 1920s before the company would develop its first manually wound monopusher chronograph movement for use inside a wrist-worn watch. Thereafter is specialised its refining and slimming down its movements, developing calibres like the 13.20 and 17.29.

Re-writing history

It is only right, therefore that historical legacies be brought to the forefront of Montblanc’s modern-day watchmaking. And that is partly to do with why the brand created a collection in honour of such timepieces- the Montblanc Heritage watch collection. From the family are models like the Heritage Pulsograph Limited Edition 100 – a 40mm 18ct stainless steel model inspired by early Minerva chronographs of the 20th century. The 2019 Pulsometer features a salmon-coloured dial and varies subtly from its earlier 2013 version but still features dauphine-shaped hands that are curved to echo the domed dial, topped by a boxed sapphire crystal. Other models include the recently launched Montblanc Heritage Manufacture Perpetual Calendar watch with an in-house developed movement and an additional second time zone as well as a day, date, month, leap year and moon phase function. Now it’s time to talk about the Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition 148 model. Defined by its 31.6 mm diameter, the movement can fit into a modern sized case with enough room to apply the golden pentagon. Here, a five-point branch star is obtained via the intersection of golden triangles.

The original Minerva Cal. 48 and the Pythagoras Golden Ratio

The two new Montblanc models that have recently joined the brand’s Heritage collection pay homage to the Minerva calibre No. 48 which powered the hands of the original Minerva Pythagore watch. The movement was a particularly special one to Minerva, since its bridgework drew on the proportions of the Pythagoras Golden Ratio. The “golden mean” bridges were visible inside the case of the Minerva Pythagore watch, making it a particularly beautiful movement to behold. The Minerva Calibre No. 48 was developed in 948 to be precise. The Pythagore watch by Minerva was originally developed by the then company owner and watch engineer, Andrey Frey and together, the two fitted together like a glove to a hand. The idea was to position the bridges using mathematical proportions defined by the Golden Section (φ = 1.618...). As a result, the movement boasted geometrical shapes and straight lines that became instantly appreciated by watch collectors around the world.

With that in mind, the new MB M14.08 Calibre is born – developed by experts at Montblanc and decorated with hand finishes and vertical Geneva stripes. The hand-wound movement is capable of providing an impressive 80-hour power reserve and beats at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour.

The two new Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition watches

There are two limited edition models to choose from, Montblanc has released a blue dialled version and a burnt caramel dialled version (similar to the rose gold limited edition Perpetual Calendar watch recently released as part of the Heritage collection earlier this year). Both are limited to just 148 pieces worldwide and both feature a small second sub-dial. The two watches are also crafted from different case materials. If you’re partial to watch cases with a modern lustre – the 18ct white gold model could be just the ticket for you. Likewise, the indulgent tones of the 18ct rose gold case version exude a resolutely luxurious feel on the wrist.

Both the white gold Heritage Pythagore Small Second watch with blue dial and its rose gold counterpart measures a diameter of 39mm. Despite their very manageable and compact case sizes, their slim bezels open up each dial, enabling a sense of clarity to be appreciated across the display. The hour track of both Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second watches is made up of a mix of Arabic numeral hour markers and dot indexes. These are positioned inside a railway minute scale and have been treated with Super-LumiNova. Central sword-shaped hands keep both watches feeling classic and traditional and are crafted in the same material as the case to retain a coordinated finish throughout the design.

The blue and brown Heritage Pythagore Small Second limited Edition watches are finished on a blue and brown matching Sfumato alligator leather strap to coordinate with their respective dials. To order one of the 148 limited edition models, you can call our Jura Watches sales team today on 01335 453453 or visit the product page here.

Technical specifications of the Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Seconds Limited Edition 148 watch

• Reference; 128666 – 18ct white gold case with blue dial / 128667 – 18ct rose gold case with burnt caramel dial
• Case: 18ct white gold / 18ct rose gold respectively – 50-meter water resistance – boxed sapphire crystal glass front – sapphire crystal glass caseback
• Dial: Blue / burnt caramel respectively – Arabic numeral hour markers and dot indexes– sword-shaped hands – small second sub-dial at 6H – Minerva name between 4 and 5H – grained hours ring – snailed dial centre – luminous appliques
• Movement: MB M14.08 – manual winding – designed in-house by Montblanc – 80-hour power reserve – 18,800 vibrations per hour – hand finishes and Geneva stripes
• Strap: Blue/brown Sfumato alligator leather strap respectively– 18ct white/18ct rose gold buckle respectively
• Price: £16,800
• Availability: Limited to 148 pieces worldwide