The Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Automatic: remembering a moment in watching history
A moment in watch making history was made at the Champ-de-Mars racing track in Paris on September 1st 1821: accurately to a quarter of a second, watch maker Nicolas Rieussec recorded the finishing time of every horse in the Arrondissement de la Seine as it passed the final line.
The young watchmaker, who already had a royal warrant proclaiming a Watchmaker to the King, was able to do so only because of his own groundbreaking invention.
Combining the Greek words chronos (time) and graphein (to write), Monsieur Rieussec had invented the very first chronograph. (Six months later, he was awarded a patent for his brilliant idea, and – to the delight of watch enthusiasts and the possible chagrin of race-goers – the chronograph received official recognition.)
His pioneering chronograph was a wooden case, containing a clock movement that drove two rotating dials on the lid. Above them was a fixed ink-filled tip, which left a visible mark on the rotating dials to measure the time every time that a button was pushed.
Although chronographs have subsequently developed considerably, Nicolas Rieussec’s invention still serves as an inspiration for Montblanc’s master watchmakers. The principle of two rotating discs is the key element that gives the timepieces of the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Collection such a distinctive face.
The discs are securely mounted in shining red jewel bearings on a bridge that features polished and chamfered edges. The discs move along stationary hands to show the chronograph time (up to 30 minutes), while the single monopusher button cycles through the “start, stop, and reset” functions .
The bridge itself is reminiscent of the upward curves of the corners of a smile – an expression likely to be matched by that of the wearer. The MB R200 movement has two mainspring barrels for a power reserve of 72 hours, and operates at 28,800bmp.
With the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Collection – and especially with the handwound calibre MB R100 and the self-winding calibre MB R200 movements, built from first to last in Montblanc’s workshops in Le Locle – Montblanc established its credentials as one of a select group of watch brands referred to as manufactures.
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