New From Montblanc: the 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date Watch
Wednesday - 13 April 2022
Inspired by the glacial lakes of the Mont-Blanc Massif, the new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch evokes the green algae blooms captured inside Antarctic ice, as well as three-dimensional effects that imitate blue and black glacial ice.
Released in time for Watches and Wonders 2022, Montblanc releases its new 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch. It shares some unusual dial manufacturing techniques with the newly released 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 watch. Most importantly, the new Automatic Date watch from the 1858 watch collection by Montblanc is both a sports watch and a dive watch rolled into one. Blue, green and black dial versions are available in this new design, each one equipped with an interchangeable tapering stainless steel bracelet or rubber strap for effortless switching over of the bands without the need for tools or a watch specialist. To inspire this new sports watch, Montblanc ascended the glacial lakes of the Mont-Blanc Massif via the Chamonix Valley to the Mer de Glace. What the brand found across this landscape was a breath-taking network of crystals and fissures frozen in ice for millions of years. A mix of textures, tones and shades that would prove hard to imitate in the form of a 0.5mm-thick Montblanc dial.
To achieve the desired effect across the dial of the new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch, an age-old technique was used named the gratte boise process. The technique gave the dial the sense of depth and dimension envisaged by Montblanc designers, creating a rare look that not only captures the spirit of Montblanc’s manufacture but also its hunger for exploration. What makes the design of the new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch all the more appealing is its tapering stainless steel bracelet that comes in at an unusually affordable price point. The bracelet not only secures to the wrist with an adjustment system that can expand over the top of a diving suit but also comes integrated with an easy strap changing system that requires no tools to switch the timepiece over to a coloured rubber strap option. The new Montblanc Watches and Wonders 2022 release is also certified to ISO standards and backed by Montblanc’s very own 500-hour test that ensures the timepiece lives up to its expectations of superior shock, temperature and magnetic resistance.
The case and dial
Each of the 6 new releases under the 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch category measures a 42mm diameter and sit upon the wrist at a depth of 12.9mm. Each module is crafted from stainless steel and comes integrated with 300-meter water resistance. The design’s curved horns feature polished and satinated finishes, whilst the top of the case features a rounded lens of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass treated with layers of anti-reflective technology. To match the charcoal blue, green and black dials, each model comes fitted with a respective blue, green or black ceramic knurled unidirectional rotating bezel marked with a 60-minute scale that assists with elapsed timings underwater.
The charcoal blue, charcoal green and charcoal black dials all have a lacquered surface effect that creates an icy impression, alongside rhodium coated Arabic numerals and central hands, formed into the familiar cathedral shape often seen throughout the 1858 watch series. The hands and hour markers are all treated with a blue emission Super-LumiNova coating to assist with timekeeping during the night or in low-light conditions. A date window at 3 o’clock is also present in all three models, set against a white background to enhance legibility. Flip the watch over and its caseback is adorned with a special engraving depicting an iceberg and a diver exploring the waters underneath it – an image that captures both uses of this new sports watch – a diving companion and a robust timepiece to explore with.
The movement and strap
All 6 new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watches are powered by the MB 24.17, based on the Sellita SW200 movement. It provides a useful 38-hour power reserve, comprises 26 jewels and beats at a rhythm of 28 800 vibrations per hour. Its functions include central hours, minutes, and seconds, along with a date function at 3 o’clock. As aforementioned, all three blue, green and black dial versions of the new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch come on an option of a tapering stainless steel V-shaped bracelet that secures with a double deployment buckle and a fine adjustment system. In addition to this, the models can also be purchased on a matching green, blue or black rubber strap. The bracelet or rubber strap can be swapped over easily using Montblanc’s exchangeable strap technology, enabling you to transform the look of the watch instantly without the tools or expertise of a watch technician.
If you’d like more information on the new Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date watch you can view the new selection here online, or call and speak to a member of our sales team here at Jura Watches to register your interest on 01335 453453
