The Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition 148 watch is directly inspired from Minerva’s rich past. Available in Two models in 18 K rose or white gold, this timepiece features the Minerva secret signature on the dial and is equipped with the new Manufacture calibre MB M14.08 with geometrical shapes inspired by the historical Pythagore movement.
In the 1940s, Andrey Frey, owner and watch engineer of the Minerva Manufacture at the time, designed a remarkable modern movement, the calibre 48 that was used in the Pythagore. The idea was to position the bridges using mathematical proportions defined by the Golden Section (φ = 1.618…).
Taking inspiration from the shape of the original movement and meticulously following the Golden Section theorem, Montblanc’s engineers developed a brand-new Manufacture Calibre MB M14.08.
They first defined the movement diameter (14 lines) so it could contain a golden pentagon, in which a five-point branch star was obtained via the intersection of golden triangles. Then the four bridges of the movement were positioned to be parallel to the section. Furthermore, other dimensions were calculated to be multiples or fractions of the golden number φ.
The hand-finishes and decoration are also designed to follow the golden ratio with vertical Geneva stripes which highlight the geometric design. Regarding the name of the calibre 14.08, the number 14 refers to the diameter of the movement in lines, and the number 8 was chosen as part of the Fibonacci sequence, which is closely related to the Golden Ratio.
Following the historical design of the collection, the Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition 148 comes with a fully polished 18 K white or rose gold 39 mm case, curved horns with facets, and is fitted with a sapphire crystal glass box for an elegant vintage look.
Inspired by historical Minerva timepieces from the 1940s and 1950, the meticulously crafted dials include technical finishes such as a two-tone decoration, a domed-shape, and lacquering.
The watches come with distinctive vintage coloured dials, such as blue or burnt caramel. These warm and intense vintage shades of brown or blue have been realized thanks to a special process that takes dexterity and time to achieve. The dial is first produced with two different motifs – a sunray decoration in the centre and a “grainé” finish on the hour ring.
After the decoration is added, a Sfumato brown or blue colour is applied to provide different shades of colour that radiate from the centre, where it is lighter, getting darker towards the outside. Several layers of translucent lacquer are then applied to the dials, allowing time to dry between each layer, to enhance the sunray pattern and create a contrasting shine on the final timepieces.
The timepieces are adorned with matching brown or blue vintage Sfumato alligator straps. Both models are strictly limited to 148 pieces in homage to the historical Pythagore movement.
Technical details
Model: Montblanc Heritage Pythagore Small Second Limited Edition 148, Rose Gold
Reference 128667
Movement
Calibre MB M14.08 manually wound movement
Diameter: 31.6 mm
Height: 4.07 mm
Number of components: 133
Number of rubies: 19
Power reserve: Approx. 80 hours
Balance: balance with screws, Diameter: 10.0 mm
Moment of Inertia: 17.5 MG/CM²
Frequency: 18,000 A/H (2.5 HZ)
Hairspring: Flat
Plate: Rhodium-Coated German-Silver with Circular Graining
Bridges: Rhodium-coated German-silver with “Côtes De Genève”, Hand-Chamfered Edges
Going-train: Gold-plated, circular grained, chamfered, diamond hubs on both sides
Displays
Hours and minutes from the centre
Small Seconds At 6 O’clock
Habillage
Case
18K Rose Gold Case
Crystal: Scratch-Resistant, Domed Box-Shaped Sapphire Crystal with Antireflective Coating
Back: 18K rose gold with inset pane of sapphire crystal
Diameter: 39 mm
Height: 9.50 mm
Water-tightness: 5 BAR (50 M)
Crown: 18 K Rose Gold with Montblanc Emblem in Relief
Pushers: Monopusher Chronograph Integrated Into the Crown
Dial
Domed “burnt caramel”-coloured lacquered dial with “Grainé” hour ring and sunray finishes
18k rose gold-coated luminescent applied Arabic numerals and dots as indexes
18k rose gold-coated luminescent bent dauphine hour- and minute-hands
18k rose gold-coated baton small second-hand
Historical Montblanc logo at 12 o’clock
“Secret” Minerva signature between 4 and 5 o’clock
Strap
Brown Sfumato Alligator strap with 18K rose gold pin buckle
Edition
Limited edition of 148 pieces
Certification
Certified by the Montblanc Laboratory Test 500
Other versions
Also available in limited edition with a 18K white gold case, domed blue-coloured dial and blue Sfumato alligator-skin strap (ident. 128666)
