Montblanc introduced the bronze cased and green dialed versiob of its Geosphere Collection at the SIHH 2019 watch exhibition. Personally, I see no harm calling the new green model, which is one of the two best colors that match with bronze (the other is brown), impressive at first sight.
The new Montblanc 1858 Geosphere model (Ref. No119909) comes in a 42mm X 12.8mm bronze case. Bronze became a very popular alternative material among luxury watchmakers in recent years. The oxidation and color change over time that occur due to the characteristics of the material, arouse interest for many watch enthusiast. However, the bronze alloy Montblanc uses stands out from other brands at this point. Montblanc’s alloy used in bronze models is more resistant to oxidation than other manufacturers’ resulting less patina and color change compared to other bronze alloys. As of its nature, bronze may cause allergic reactions for some skin types therefore the brands prefer to use stainless steel or titanium instead. Montblanc, on the other hand, made an interesting choice by going with a bronze-coated titanium case back. The engravings on the case back are simply amazing. However, the NATO style green textile strap covers the case back and prevents those engravings to be fully seen. Fabric straps are among my favorites and I think this green textile strap matches perfectly with the model. On the other hand, the strap increases the total wearing height of the model by passing over the case back. However, the wrist comfort is still at its best. The bronze buckle compliments the overall concept nicely. The model is equipped with an anti-glare coated scratch resistant sapphire crystal on the front face and is water resistant to 100 meters / 10 bars.
A green ceramic bezel compliments the green dial on the front side. The bezel can be turn in both directions and features compass signage. There are two discs representing the northern and southern hemispheres and a day-night indicator on the dial. Although Montblanc 1858 Geosphere is not a true world timer, you can still get a lot more information with a single look than reading the time. It is a model designed for travelers. It is also possible to set the day and night indicator at the 9 o’clock position to a different time zone and use it as the second time zone display. The model ticks with the self-winding Caliber MB 29.25 that beats at a frequency of 4Hz (28.800vph) and offers a power reserve of 42 hours when fully wound.
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 2019 will be produced only in 1858 units. The list price is 6300,00 USD (US list). Bronze-cased models do not appeal to everyone’s taste obviously, but the number of watch enthusiasts that are interested in them is not that low either. The model we have here may not be the ideal option if you are after a bronze watch just for the material and looks. On the other hand, if you are looking for quality, prestige or complication, this is where the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere begins to shine.
