Montblanc 1858 Geosphere: A Tribute to Antarctic Exploration

Glacial ice, distinct from regular white ice, has expelled almost all air bubbles due to its age, density, and weight. This feature allows it to absorb almost every colour in the spectrum. The blue tone, highlighted on the dial of the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen South Pole Exploration Limited Edition, is a result of this oxygen absence. The timepiece features an iced blue bi-directional anodized aluminium bezel with luminescent cardinal points and a matching dial that showcases Montblanc’s signature glacier motif, resembling peering directly into the ice.

To achieve an impression of depth and luminosity, dial makers begin with volume stamping to create the icy pattern, followed by a technique known as gratté boisé as the base. Each layer is printed, lacquered, polished, and left overnight to dry before applying the next. This laborious process, involving over 30 separate steps, takes four times longer than standard dials.

The theme continues with a 42mm ultralight titanium case and an interchangeable tapered bracelet featuring a new full-satinated finish and a fine adjustment system. The watch also includes an additional grey textile strap with a rope pattern.

The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen South Pole Exploration Limited Edition 1990 is part of the “Zero Oxygen” series. These timepieces benefit explorers like Reinhold Messner, ensuring functionality in extreme environments. Zero oxygen inside the case prevents fogging due to drastic temperature changes at high altitudes and stops oxidation, thereby enhancing the longevity and precision of the components.

Powered by the Calibre MB 29.25, this timepiece features an automatic movement with Montblanc’s Manufacture Worldtime complication, offering around 42 hours of power reserve. The Northern and Southern hemispheres are depicted by two three-dimensional globes that rotate anti-clockwise, including a day and night indication. Montblanc has added Messner’s South Pole route on the Antarctic continent as a tribute to its legendary Mark-Maker’s expedition. Additional features include a date at three o’clock and a dual time indication at nine o’clock.

The caseback celebrates the South Pole’s beauty with an engraving of the Aurora Australis over Antarctica’s Paradise Bay, home to emperor penguins and whale watching spots, and known for its extreme cold and wind. The Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, is a colourful natural spectacle caused by the collision of electrically charged particles from the sun with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. The colours vary based on the gases involved, with oxygen producing red or greenish-yellow hues and nitrogen emitting blue light. This phenomenon is mirrored on the dial, with blue luminescence on the continents and dual time hand, and green luminescence on the hour and minute hands, numerals, indexes, and cardinal points.

Montblanc employs a unique technique for the 3D engraving on the back of the watch, offering depth and realism akin to a photograph. The titanium metal is first structured by laser-engraved decoration, then the desired finish (matte and shiny) is achieved with laser. The colours are created through laser-generated oxidation, with the level of oxidation determining the final colour. Montblanc is a leading Swiss Maison utilising this technology on such a large scale.