Montblanc continues to make inroads as a sports watch brand, adding two new models to the TimeWalker collection ahead of SIHH 2018 and debuting a new in-house chronograph movement
By Chris Hall

A year ago, we started hearing that Montblanc’s new priority in watches was to develop its presence in the crowded sports watch sector – specifically, to grab a little bit of that motoring-and-watches magic which works so well for others. It’s a hugely natural association in luxury watches (so much so that we dedicated an area of Salon QP to it earlier this year) but it’s not something Montblanc has had much truck with until now. 
Since then Montblanc has re-vamped the TimeWalker range along a motoring theme, and taken over timing duties at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from TAG Heuer. The latter is significant and impressive, even if this year you could argue Montblanc didn’t make as much of it as it could have done. Montblanc launched the TimeWalker Chronograph in gold with brown ceramic at Salon QP 2017
The TimeWalker collection can be seen as something of a synecdoche for the brand as a whole, in that it brings together the history of Minerva and the fine watchmaking taking place at Villeret with the brand’s obvious desire to become a dominant player in the incredibly competitive £2,000-£5,000 market. You’ve got immensely flashy exo-tourbillons at the top, a Rally Timer at its heart and very commercially-minded, functional pieces...