Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition

Description: White Gold Anniversary Edition Chronographs currently rank among the most avidly sought types of mechanical watches. This popularity makes it all the more appropriate that Montblanc chose to pay homage to the inventor of this popular and practical time piece by launching the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition in 2011, on its 190th birthday. The Anniversary Edition was produced in a limited and individually numbered edition: 190 watches in eighteen carat red gold, 90 watches in eighteen carat white gold and 25 watches in 950 platinum. This watch is number 59 of the 90 in white gold. Born in Paris in 1781, Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec established a watchmaking business on the Île de la Cité at the youthful age of twenty and studied with the best watchmakers of his era. He was appointed watchmaker to the royal court in 1817. Five years later, at a horserace on the famous Champ de Mars in Paris, he unveiled a wooden case containing a watch movement that powered two enamel dials and calibrated with scales for the seconds and the minutes. Above these dials he had affixed a slender hand with ink-filled nibs attached to its tip. While the dials turned, the timekeeper at a race could press a button the instant a horse crossed the finish line, thus triggering the hands to touch the dials and leave little ink marks on them. The running times of the individual horses and the time differences were literally written on the dials, and for the first time ever, the timekeeper could reliably capture the running times of all participants in the race without having to take his eyes off the sporting event to glance at his watch. This was the first time in the history of horology that an instrument could measure precise short time intervals. Rieussec not only invented a new instrument in watchmaking, he also gave it a name. Inspired by the notion “Writing time”, he called his invention “Chronograph”. The directors of the Parisian racetrack were so enthusiastic about Rieussec’s chronograph that they made it their official time-measuring device. The French patent office was similarly impressed and accordingly granted a patent on the invention of the first genuinely practical chronograph to Nicolas Rieussec on the 9th of March, 1822. In 2008, Montblanc first paid homage to the ingenious watchmaker with its innovative Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph. As on the original chronograph of 1821, the Montblanc chronograph hands do not rotate above the dials; instead, they remain motionless while the seconds-disk and minutes-disk turn underneath them. With this, Montblanc created a new face to the chronograph combining tradition with innovation. The Rieussec chronograph is the first chronograph where the time display does not interact with the chronograph function, thus providing better legibility, as well as giving the watch a strong, unique look. All subsequent Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronographs have incorporated this design. For the 190th anniversary in 2011, Montblanc launched the Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Anniversary Edition, available in a strictly limited number in 950 platinum and in 18 carat white or red gold. The right side of the case bears a nonslip knurled crown embellished with an inlaid Montblanc emblem in mother-of-pearl. The chronograph’s push-piece on the case’s flank occupies an unusual location at “8 o’clock,” where it is well protected against inadvertent triggering yet easily operable by the wearer’s right thumb. The massive precious-metal case is attached to a hand-sewn alligator-leather wristband. A double folding clasp made of the same precious metal as the case facilitates convenient closure and opening of the elegant wristband. Perhaps the most eye-catching feature of the new Anniversary Edition is its unmistakable face, which distinguishes every Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph. A very subtle, pure, yet classic guilloche pattern gives emphasis to the watch’s iconic features. An hours-circle with white or black numerals displays the time of day. At the “6 o’clock” position, the dial is traversed by the unique “smiling” V-shaped bridge which holds the ruby counter-bearings for the two chronograph-disks: the subdial at the left can tally up to sixty elapsed seconds, while the disk at the right can count a maximum of thirty elapsed minutes. Below the hour-hand and minute-hand turns a finely skeletonized date-disk, between the spokes of which can be seen a plate adorned with Geneva waves and the “MONTBLANC” emblem. The aperture in the dial beneath the date-disk offers a view into the depths of the mechanisms of this new chronograph and reveals components of the disk coupling. The periphery of the dial is adorned with a finely grained guilloche pattern known as “grain de seigle,” (rye seed). Two cartouches have been left without guilloche embellishment: one of them is marked with the word “CHRONOGRAPH” and the other with the name “NICOLAS RIEUSSEC.” The watch’s MB R110 caliber (movement) deserves special attention. Assembled from 263 individual parts, it unites all the important features of the history of the chronograph. These include classical column-wheel control, as well as a modern and nearly frictionless vertical coupling which prevents wear when the chronograph function is allowed to run for a lengthy period of time. Though it is invisible to the naked eye, the innovative profile on the gear teeth likewise helps to reduce friction and thus increases the efficiency of the power transmission. The rapid-reset mechanism for the hour and date is extremely practical for travellers who move from one time zone to another. These indicators can be reset either clockwise or counter-clockwise without affecting the position of the minute-hand. The hand-wound Montblanc movement has two barrels which together amass a 72-hour power reserve. The remaining run time is shown on the back of the watch. The back offers an impressive view through its sapphire crystal: in addition to the column-wheel, other visible highlights include the balance and its tiny adjustment screws. To enhance precision and assure the stability of the watch’s rate, the balance has a moment of inertia of 12 mg/cm2 and oscillates at a pace of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour (4 Hz). Case: 18 karat white gold Diameter : 43.00mm Height : 14.80mm Back : Sapphire Water resistance : 30m MOVEMENT Type : Manual-winding mechanical Power reserve : 72h Frequency : 28800 Alt/h FUNCTIONS Chronograph Date Day/Night Hours Minutes Power reserve BRACELET/STRAP Material : Leather Buckle type : Folding buckle

Price: 9450 USD

Location: Galveston, Texas

End Time: 2024-09-10T02:00:14.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD