NEW: Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen Limited Edition

The new limited edition Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen watch has been deprived of oxygen and even has the certificate to prove it.

The new Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen watch has had the oxygen extracted from it. Why? Well, no oxygen means no oxidation process of course! The delicate elements of the watch’s brand new chronograph movement are guaranteed to last longer and are better equipped to withstand the harshest of environments like drastic temperature changes that can cause undesirable fogging. To prove this, each one of the 290 Montblanc Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen watches is subject to a gruelling 500-hour test and comes with a zero oxygen certificate. But what would really test the watch beyond its means would be it to undergo its very own mountaineering expedition whilst strapped to the wrist of a true explorer. And so, Montblanc did just that.

Nimsdai Purja MBE and the new Montblanc 1850 Geosphere Chronograph 0

When Montblanc queried the idea of a mountain trek with alpinist Reinhold Messner, who is also known for his soft spot for a Montblanc watch, he instantly suggested the perfect man for the job. An extreme mountaineer named Nimsdai Purja. Having given up his role in the military to focus on extreme altitude mountaineering, Nimsdai had previously spent several years working in British and Indian army units before taking part in a trek to Everest Base Camp. Since then, he has been carrying out missions with the SBS’s mountain unit and has also broken some impressive records including summiting the world’s 14 highest 8,000-meter peaks in an astonishing seven month period.

Without supplemented oxygen, Nimsdai will now summit Mt. Everest in May whilst wearing the new Montblanc 1850 Geosphere Chronograph 0, released for Watches and Wonders 2022. Let’s take a look at how this 1858 Geosphere watch will match up to this role.

The new Montblanc 1850 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Limited Edition watch

Many things come into play when considering the performance and reliability of a watch that can live up to the expectations of Nimsdai on his ascent up to Mount Everest. The watch must keep track of precise time but should also provide the functions capable of measuring important elapsed timings whilst on the expedition. In addition to this, it should be easily readable, comfortable on the wrist and seamless to operate under tough conditions.

The brand-new MB 29.27 automatic chronograph movement

One first for this new Montblanc 1958 Geosphere Chronograph 0 watch is the addition of its first-ever chronograph movement. The brand-new MB 29.27 automatic chronograph movement offers a central second hand, a 30-minute sub-counter at 3 o’clock, a small second sub-counter at 6 o’clock and a 12-hour totaliser at 9 o’clock. To activate these chronograph functions, the wearer need only press the 2 o’clock pusher to start a timing and the 4 o’clock pusher to reset it. Elevating all these features is the mesmerising turning globes of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres on Montblanc’s majestic world time function. Coupled with this are the watch’s intuitive 24-hour scale, a date that can be referenced by a disc around the small second sub-counter, and a day and night indicator.

A legible dial

The dial of the new Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 watch is executed in a stunning glacial-inspired blue hue that brings to life the textures and abstract structures of a real-life glacier, as well as its ability to refract light under the glistening sun. No amount of sunlight will interfere with timekeeping in the design of this new Montblanc 1859 Geosphere watch, however. The entire surface of the dial is protected by a domed lens of anti-reflective and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass that also protects the display from denting, heat and moisture damage. To enhance the glacial effect of the dial, the hour markers are crafted using a time-honoured gratté Boisé technique.  The dial also features rhodium-plated cathedral-shaped hands coated with Super-LumiNova for enhanced legibility.

A comfortable and lightweight design

The new Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 watch is crafted from polished titanium, promising a lightweight feel on the wrist. As previously mentioned, the push-pieces located at 2 and 4 o’clock on the sides of the case are easy to activate, and the watch also comes with an integrated 100-meter water resistance. The case, with satin and polished finishes, is sealed once oxygen is extracted, whilst its black bidirectional rotating bezel is crafted from ceramic with a knurled finish and cardinal points to assist with keeping track of bearings. These points are also finished with blue emission Super-LumiNova for nighttime use.

Special caseback artwork

Although the dial and the case design of the new Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 watch are impressive enough, the back of the model’s titanium caseback is equally as beautiful. It bears a captivating image of Mount Everest upon its surface. Its imagery depicts the route that Messner took back in 1978, finished in a striking 3D rendering to highlight the depth and realism of the mountain. The structured metal is first engraved by a laser before being executed in a matte and polished laser-applied technique. Determined by the level of oxidation each colour is exposed to, the Mount Everest image is brought to life by an exquisite blend of shimmering shades, creating a photo-like finish.

The limited edition of 290 pieces (a nod to the 29,031 feet Nimsdai will undertake) comes fitted on a blue Sfumato calf leather strap with a lightweight titanium deploying buckle. For more information on the new Montblanc 1850 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Limited Edition watch, you can check out the spec list here or register your interest for one of these special 290 models with a member of our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453 today.