With six new additions across multiple collections it was a great year. Even better, they have released a perpetual calendar under $15,000. Yes, you read that right. It is now the least expensive perpetual calendar on the market. But everything is relative. $15K is still a lot of money, but much less than perpetual calendars usually are. Timewalker Two new watches can be found in this collection. This collection holds some of their best looking watches, and these new additions are no exception. Extreme Chronograph DLC This new watches enrolls the help of the "in-house" MB 4810/507 (based off of the Sellita SW500) movement to keep time. Unlike most watches with this movement, the date display is at 4:30. The watch comes with two versions, a slightly dressier version with gold hands and indices and a sportier watch with steel hands an indices. Both use the same 43mm DLC case. The watch should be available to buy in the fall of 2014. The price should be around $6,800 or just under 5K euros (official price). Click here for pictures of both versions and other useful information. Chronograph 100 This new watch has a feature found on under ~5 other watches in the world. It can measure 1/100th of a second intervals. The system they use to accomplish this feat is patented, so it will only be found inside the in-house MB M66.25 movement. The watch is run by two balance wheels. The first is running at 18,000 BPH. The second is running at an amazing 360,000 BPH. That allows the second hand to complete one lap around the dial in one second. Rather than using a normal chronograph system (that would last for just 45 minutes at a time) they opted to use a new system that is the same as a hacking system on a watch. When the chronograph is stopped, a piece of metal is pushed against the balance wheel, freezing the chronograph. When it is activated again, the piece of metal releases the balance wheel and the chronograph begins keeping time. This two-balance wheel system and the chronograph control is just ingenious. Because of the complexity of this system, two different reset systems are needed, one for the 1/100th of a second hand and one for the elapsed minutes and seconds. Pictures of the watch can be found found by clicking here. Nicolas Rieussec There is one new watch in this collection, it pays homage to the person it is named after. It is, by far, the most similar watch to the original. Homage to Nicolas Rieussec There are two limited edition versions of this watch available, steel (565 pieces) and rose gold (193, the number of years since Rieussec's original invention). The watch, like the others from this collection, is a monopusher chronograph. The pusher is located at 8 o'clock. The watch only has a minute scale on the actual time dial in the daytime, however at night the hour numerals and hands light up, a cool feature but definitely a novelty. The movement is the MB R200. Much more information can be found here. Star There is, once again, only one new watch in this collection. It is a simple watch with understated elegance, like the other watches in this collection. Twin Moon Phase The watch actually does have two moon phase indicators, but only one of them is traditional, with a subdial. The second uses the same subdial, but has a hand that points to the phase. Rather than having a hand originating from the center to indicate the date, it has a smaller subdial with this same function. Click here to discover the dimensions and pictures of the watch. Meisterstuck Heritage With four new additions in this area, they are all classy and understated. These are the watches that will be most successful in 2014. Unfortunately all the links lead to the same page with all the new watches. Perpetual Calendar The cheapest perpetual calendar available, this watch is really something. There is so much I could say about it. Things like how it works and why it is so cheap. However I must keep this brief. The watch is available in two versions, rose gold (pictured in the link) and (stainless steel, the cheapest perpetual calendar available for 10K EUR or around $14K). Pictures of the rose gold version can be found here. Automatic The simplest and most elegant of the four this watch gets back to basics with hours, minutes, seconds and a date. The clean lines of the watch are just gorgeous and it is the definition of understated. Pictures and other info can be found at the bottom of the page here. Moon Phase This watch is much like the automatic, but loses the seconds in return for a moon phase indicator. The date moves to the same subdial. The small crown and dauphine hands make this watch dressy and it will be well received. For dimensions and pictures click here. Pulsograph A vintage-looking chronograph watch, the movement is inspired by the minerva that used the same name. The single pusher is found at the 2 o'clock position. As always, click here for pictures. Villeret By far the most expensive collection Montblanc has, these watches are out of reach of many. Their new addition is no exception. 1858 Exotourbillon Rattrapante The exotourbillon is a fascinating thing. It is a tourbillon, but with a column-shaped balance spring outside of the tourbillon. Therefore it is called an exotourbillon. In addition to the regular time telling this watch also has a split-seconds chronograph and a day/night indicator. If I recall correctly it will cost around $350K. Pictures of the watch can be found here. Final Thoughts Montblanc really upped their game this year. They released watches with in-house movements rather than 2824's or 7750's. They did a really good thing and their new watches combine craftsmanship with prestige. With the help of the affordable prices, the watches will sell like hot cakes.
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Jake Fogarty is the founder of It's All About Watches and writer for most of what you will read here. If you want to contact me you can visit the contact and advertising page.
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