Discussion
As posted above, i think peoples perception is affected by the pens, much as Cartier is affected by their association with jewellery. Having said that, from what i've read they both make some terrific watches. Personally, i'd love a Blanc Rising hours:
Plus it has the benefit that those who dismiss it because of the brand don't know enough about watches. The cap-doff of appreciation will come from those who know
Plus it has the benefit that those who dismiss it because of the brand don't know enough about watches. The cap-doff of appreciation will come from those who know
The short answer is 'yes'. WatchTime did a good article on it here if you want more detailed background: http://www.watchtime.com/featured/mountain-climbin...
Snubs said:
Plus it has the benefit that those who dismiss it because of the brand don't know enough about watches. The cap-doff of appreciation will come from those who know
Actually, no it won't but do continue to congratulate yourself.If you like the designs, why not. But they are hardly masterpieces, just another Richemont brand pushing hard to make something different with Valfleurier designers / CNC programmers.
Meisterstuck Heritage Range
Orbis Terrarum
Montblanc have been batting it out of the park in recent years. Perpetual Calendars, world timers, their Bi-Cylindrique with its pioneering doubled up balance springs....
Sure, the 'Tourbillon Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama' is an absolute monster to twist your tongue around, let alone partner with your wrist (47ml), but forget that for a minute and appreciate the sheer ambition of the company.
They're on a fascinating and fairly overt brand building journey, and the outward recognition of that has been some great reception at recent SIHH and Basel events. On the seven stages or whatever they call it, of brand development, towards becoming full-on high equity and fully formed, they're maybe hovering around the 'favoured' or 'distinctive' stage. Definitely eliciting customer reactions that are closer to resonance than mere salience, and that can only be done when they are pumping out visually arresting, price provoking and feature (read: complication) rich timepieces.
The little Lord Fauntleroys out there might struggle with the product continuum - eau d'homme one end, tourbillons at the other - and think there is something highly irregular about a mere 'luxury' brand dabbling in high-end horology...but the world would be a sad place if all there was, was AP, PP & VC to choose from.
Watch-land can be a bit of a parochial place, everyone seemingly hung-up on what they think are the only products a particular brand has enough equity to carry, but read for a minute James Dowling's Villeret review. An almost Damascene conversion!
Where to start? Mont Blanc make lovely pens and they have done for a long time. Mont Blanc had nothing at all to do with watchmaking, beyond the fact that some people with nice watches will have a nice pen too.
As is always the case after a 'luxury group' buy-out, the name is soon being pimped for all that it is worth and this happened to MB: leather cases, mens jewellery and eventually watches. They have no history or tradition - theyre simply seen as a high return product that can be introduced to cash-in on the established brand name.
I quite liked Minerva. I have a 12hr stopwatch / rally timer and it is brilliant, but they sacrificed a manufacturer with real history to feed a start-up cash-in with no history or tradition at all.
As is always the case after a 'luxury group' buy-out, the name is soon being pimped for all that it is worth and this happened to MB: leather cases, mens jewellery and eventually watches. They have no history or tradition - theyre simply seen as a high return product that can be introduced to cash-in on the established brand name.
I quite liked Minerva. I have a 12hr stopwatch / rally timer and it is brilliant, but they sacrificed a manufacturer with real history to feed a start-up cash-in with no history or tradition at all.
Edited by GC8 on Saturday 14th March 15:37
tigerkoi said:
Montblanc have been batting it out of the park in recent years. Perpetual Calendars, world timers, their Bi-Cylindrique with its pioneering doubled up balance springs....
Sure, the 'Tourbillon Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama' is an absolute monster to twist your tongue around, let alone partner with your wrist (47ml), but forget that for a minute and appreciate the sheer ambition of the company.
They're on a fascinating and fairly overt brand building journey, and the outward recognition of that has been some great reception at recent SIHH and Basel events. On the seven stages or whatever they call it, of brand development, towards becoming full-on high equity and fully formed, they're maybe hovering around the 'favoured' or 'distinctive' stage. Definitely eliciting customer reactions that are closer to resonance than mere salience, and that can only be done when they are pumping out visually arresting, price provoking and feature (read: complication) rich timepieces.
The little Lord Fauntleroys out there might struggle with the product continuum - eau d'homme one end, tourbillons at the other - and think there is something highly irregular about a mere 'luxury' brand dabbling in high-end horology...but the world would be a sad place if all there was, was AP, PP & VC to choose from.
Watch-land can be a bit of a parochial place, everyone seemingly hung-up on what they think are the only products a particular brand has enough equity to carry, but read for a minute James Dowling's Villeret review. An almost Damascene conversion!
Excellently put, and agree that Montblanc have quietly just been getting on with it.Sure, the 'Tourbillon Cylindrique Geosphères Vasco da Gama' is an absolute monster to twist your tongue around, let alone partner with your wrist (47ml), but forget that for a minute and appreciate the sheer ambition of the company.
They're on a fascinating and fairly overt brand building journey, and the outward recognition of that has been some great reception at recent SIHH and Basel events. On the seven stages or whatever they call it, of brand development, towards becoming full-on high equity and fully formed, they're maybe hovering around the 'favoured' or 'distinctive' stage. Definitely eliciting customer reactions that are closer to resonance than mere salience, and that can only be done when they are pumping out visually arresting, price provoking and feature (read: complication) rich timepieces.
The little Lord Fauntleroys out there might struggle with the product continuum - eau d'homme one end, tourbillons at the other - and think there is something highly irregular about a mere 'luxury' brand dabbling in high-end horology...but the world would be a sad place if all there was, was AP, PP & VC to choose from.
Watch-land can be a bit of a parochial place, everyone seemingly hung-up on what they think are the only products a particular brand has enough equity to carry, but read for a minute James Dowling's Villeret review. An almost Damascene conversion!
Like a few brands, they're quite often overlooked due to being infrequently suggested/recommended.
@GC8 - history is overrated and has absolutely bugger all to do with how good a design or engineered anything is.
Edited by PJ S on Saturday 14th March 14:16
Plenty of crap watches have lots of history, plenty of good watches have little. I don't care.
Personally I like some of MB's watches. I doubt I'd ever buy one as there's hundreds if not thousands of other watches I also like, but I've nothing against them or the fact they're a successful brand.
Crap pens though.
Personally I like some of MB's watches. I doubt I'd ever buy one as there's hundreds if not thousands of other watches I also like, but I've nothing against them or the fact they're a successful brand.
Crap pens though.
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