By: Roger Ruegger
After Richemont’s acquisition of Fabrique d’Horlogerie Minerva SA from G. P. P. International SA in 2006, the luxury goods holding company made the decision to use the legendary manufacture’s knowledge and resources to increase Montblanc’s movement competence. Twenty years later, the brand is officially returning with its own stand-alone collection and a crownless innovation developed for The Unveiled Crownless (Ref. MB137544).
The Roman goddess of wisdom (amongst other things), and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy appears to have been heard: while still operated by Montblanc (which obviously is continuing its watch collection as well), Villeret-based Minerva gets to stand on its own feet again. One of the first releases to carry the revered name on the dial is a 41.5-mm dress watch without crown. Here, the fluted bezel is used both for the manual winding and time-setting functions of the watch.
In 1927, Minerva had developed one of the first watches to include bezel-activated functionality. In the last years, the bezel has been positioned as a distinguishing feature for select Minerva co-branded models, both in terms of functionality and also visual appearance. Following the introduction of a bezel-activated chronograph in 2023 (for Montblanc), Minerva now gets to unveil its first three-hand dress watch that can be wound and set via the bezel (as shown in the video).
In order to move the manual winding and time-setting functions to the bezel, Minerva had to develop a new caliber: the M15.08, a time-only, manually-wound movement with small-seconds. It combines a power reserve of 80 hours with a traditional beat rate of 18,000vph (2.5hz) and is made entirely in-house in at the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland. It consists of 139 components and features bridges in rhodium-plated German silver decorated with polished bevel edges and Geneva stripes, and a free-sprung balance wheel with an array of finely tuned regulating weights mounted to an in-house hairspring. The regulator takes the signature shape of Minerva’s arrow.
The watch combines traditional dress-watch elements with a case diameter of 41.5 mm (the case thickness is 12 mm, including the 18K rose gold fluted bezel and crystal). The opaline-textured center dial is set into an outer ring of guilloché engraving onto which the faceted hour markers are applied. These indices are tonally matched by the rose-gold coated beveled hands, a nameplate “Villeret 1858” on the mid-case, and the fluted bezel.
Discreetly placed at the 3 o’clock side of the caseback’s stainless steel frame is a lever for switching the bezel’s function between winding the movement (lever in) to time-setting (lever extended).
Speaking of hidden features: The Unveiled Crownless from Minerva is presented in a box featuring a secret opening system (a bit like a Japanese Puzzle Box). The box’s walnut-veneer is topped with a stainless steel plate with a special engraving of the Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland, in addition to the historical RFV logo (Robert Frères Villeret) with the Minerva arrow.
Ref.: MB137544
Dimensions: ⌀ 41.5 mm; thickness: 11.99 mm
Case: stainless steel with rose gold bezel, sapphire crystals on both sides; WR 30 m
Movement: M15.08 with 80 hours of power reserve
Strap: Dark green alligator leather strap, semi-matte finish and stainless-steel triple-folding clasp with fine adjustment system
Warranty: 24 months
Price: €39,000 / $38,000
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