As Montblanc marks what would have been the 160th anniversary of Minerva, it looks to conquer the middle ground with some handsome complications

By Chris Hall

Introduced in 2015, Montblanc’s 1858 collection has been rightly cooed over by journalists ever since. At its core is a design that’s as vintage-inspired as any on the market, executed better than most (lack of date window; old-school logo) with enough personality running through the range for it to stand out – think the Dual Time automatic, for instance. 
The flagship is the monopusher chronograph, which has the phenomenally lovely hand-wound MB 16.29 calibre inside. It’s a direct link to Minerva’s heritage, and knowing a good thing when they see it, Montblanc has run out versions in black, blue, salmon pink, faded bronze, and even green (for Only Watch 2017).  But, all that goodness comes at a price. Each piece is limited to 100 pieces and they cost in the region of £17,000. So the 1858 collection feels like a chronograph collection, but for the majority of buyers, it isn’t. Now, that all changes as Montblanc brings out a mid-range chrono to compete at that all-important mid-market level. 

It’s called the 1858 Automatic Chronograph, and it’s available in steel or bronze. It’s a two-register chronograph with the counters at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, and notwithstanding beauty’s place in the eye of the beholder, we woul...