Zapping Uptime Cross-commitments: Christopher Coutanceau x Blancpain
It is not the sea, but the Mer de Glace, in Chamonix, that guided the development of the dial of the Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date, presented on the occasion of this 2022 edition of the Watches & Wonders show in Geneva. Ice crystals inspired the pattern of this dial, which is original to say the least, which gives its personality to this first diver’s watch from Montblanc, which has accustomed us to claiming to conquer all the summits of the planet rather than that of the oceans. The three colors offered refer to the different shades that the ice can take, depending on whether it contains air, volcanic ash or micro-algae. On the back of the box, an engraving represents a diver under the ice.
A certified diver’s watch
Montblanc Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date +12
Credit Photo – Montblanc
This new timepiece therefore enters the great family of sports watches which do not hesitate to show themselves in town. As such, it is equipped with an interchangeable bracelet system without tools but also with an adjustment system that is traditionally found on diving watches, which allows it to be adjusted on a diving suit.
This newcomer to the collection not only has the finery of a diver’s watch, it also has the attributes since it meets the specifications of the ISO 6425 standard and emphasizes readability with large numerals, generous hands and indexes coated with a blue luminescent varnish. Naturally, we find on this piece the unidirectional rotating bezel essential for calculating the dive time.
Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea Automatic Date
41mm steel box. Black dial in blue or green.
Unidirectional rotating bezel in two-tone ceramic.
mechanical movement with automatic winding. Hours, minutes, seconds and date functions. 38 hours of power reserve.
Steel strap with double folding clasp (2,980 euros) or rubber strap 2,770 euros).
to summarize
Montblanc enters a new dimension with the first diver’s watch in its history. Faithful to the reference universe of the house, this first watch has chosen its element: diving yes but under ice, with an original dial available in three colors whose pattern reproduces the cracks of the ice on the surface of a frozen lake in the Mont Blanc.
