Montblanc 1858 Limited Edition Automatic Chronograph, 42 mm, Stainless steel

Montblanc began in Hamburg in 1906 as a maker of writing instruments. The Meisterstück fountain pen of 1924 established a name later carried into its first watch range. Watchmaking under the Montblanc name began in Le Locle in 1997. Integration of Minerva from 2006 brought the expertise of the Villeret manufacture into the business. The Nicolas Rieussec chronograph of 2008 used rotating discs beneath fixed pointers to read elapsed time. The 1858 Geosphere of 2018 made two rotating hemispheres part of a world-time display. Montblanc is now part of Richemont, with watches alongside writing instruments and leather goods. Le Locle handles watch development and assembly, while Villeret preserves specialist movement craft.