Montblanc’s anniversary Rouge et Noir collection captures the brand’s pioneering spirit, says executive vicepresident of sales Nicolas Baretzki.
Stop any man in the street, ask him to name a luxury pen maker and the answer is invariably “Montblanc”. This, despite the fact that there is no shortage of high-quality pen makers from France, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Such is the hold that Montblanc has on the public consciousness. To think that when Montblanc’s founders — banker Alfred Nehemias, engineer August Eberstein and stationery trader Claus-Johannes Voss — began their enterprise in Hamburg in 1906, they traded under the name “Simplo Filler Pen Co”: not exactly a name that rolls off the tongue easily, nor one that sticks in the mind.
The Montblanc moniker did not come about until 1910, when they decided to use the Mont Blanc massif — Europe’s highest peak — as an emblem to signify their lofty ambitions: to become the world’s preeminent maker of writing instruments. What prompted the name change? A transatlantic voyage to the US, which the trio embarked upon soon after the business began.
The trip was a huge eye-opener. With the US at the forefront of science and technology, the trio witnessed numerous mechanical innovations that gave them the impetus to design their own technical breakthrough: a fountain pen that did not leak. While this seems like a given today, back then, it was a huge improvement over existing styluses.
This safety fountain pen, named Rouge et Noir for its black ebonite (a material that contains natural rubber with sulphur and linseed oil) barrel and red cap head, made its debut in 1909. “That was the beginning of a big success for Montblanc, and it is still a major part of our activities — and a major asset of Montblanc — that you can carry a fountain pen without damaging your clothes when it leaks,” says Nicolas Baretzki, Montblanc’s executive vice-president of sales, on a visit to Singapore in
To celebrate Montblanc’s 110th anniversary this year, a contemporary reinterpretation of the Rouge et Noir collection is being introduced. Compared with the vintage models, pieces in the new Heritage Rouge et Noir series sport longer, slimmer silhouettes and modern piston technology. Montblanc took over the Aston Martin showroom on Chang Charn Road for a week in May to stage this launch as part of its annual Black and White Weeks.
Top of the line are what Montblanc calls “High Artistry” pens. These artisanal pieces showcase crafts such as engraving, goldsmithing and gem-setting. Of the four models that Montblanc produced, two of the most exclusive pieces were sold out. One was the €1.2 million ($1.8 million) Ultimate Serpent Limited Edition (LE1), a one-piece wonder carved from a single block of rose gold and decorated to the hilt with black-and white diamonds. Its crowning glory? A whopping 6.15-carat Montblanc Diamond studded in the pen cap, the stone held in place by a skeletal setting.
The other was the Imperial Serpent Limited Edition 3 (LE3) in solid white ruthenium- coated gold. This edition has a snake motif entwined around its cap and barrel, its own undulating form encrusted with diamonds and sapphires. The surface of the cap and barrel is designed to resemble snakeskin, while the cap is fitted with a 2.25-carat Montblanc Diamond.
What visitors did get to see were the Royal Serpent Limited Edition 10 (LE10), a slightly more feminine version of the LE3 with rubies in place of sapphires and a pavé motif of the Montblanc Diamond rather than a single stone; and the Serpent Limited Edition 110 (LE110), made of PVD-coated titanium with an engraved whitegold serpent coiled around the cap and barrel.
Also on show were pieces from the regular collection, which comprises three models: the Special Edition, crafted from black resin and lacquer; the Special Edition Coral, made from coral resin and lacquer, and featuring a bicoloured nib; and the Limited Edition 1906, hewn from ebonite as in the original from 1909. The material has a unique matte finish that provides a firm grip.
Central to the Rouge et Noir collection is the snake motif, which is both decorative and functional — the snakehead forming an ideal clip. However, the serpent is also strongly associated with Bvlgari, which has its iconic Serpenti line of watches and jewellery. Is there a risk that customers could be confused, we ask Baretzki. “No, because anyone can use an animal motif,” he replies. “It can be legitimate in many brands. The serpent is part of our history. It was used a lot in the 1920s at Montblanc. We also had an Agatha Christie Writers Edition pen some years ago [1993].
“If you think about the complexity of the serpent, it creates a kind of skin on the body of the writing instrument, giving the impression that you’re looking at the body of a living animal. For us, it was a chance to show our competence in all the different activities of the maison, from design and engineering to materials and gem-setting.”
Snake charmer
Pens, of course, are not the only instruments that make up Montblanc’s modern universe. The maison’s Villeret timepieces are highly sought after by collectors, so naturally there had to be a Villeret edition to anchor the anniversary celebrations. That privilege fell to the Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique, a piece first unveiled — to critical acclaim — in 2011. This year’s remake, the Villeret Tourbillon Bi-Cylindrique 110 Years Anniversary Limited Edition, available in only three pieces, boasts a decidedly lifelike 3D engraving of a serpent coiled inside the case.
As for why this particular piece was chosen for the anniversary — out of many others in the Villeret portfolio — Baretzki explains: “There were many reasons. First, the competence of watchmaking at Montblanc has increased tremendously since the Villeret manufacture [formerly known as Minerva] was acquired in 2006. One of the competencies at Villeret is this pre-industrialised way of watchmaking, with a single watchmaker doing everything from A to Z. This is very unique.” In bigger industrial facilities, watches are produced by several technicians and watchmakers in an assembly line using a mix of high-tech machinery and hand tools.
“[The Villeret manufacture] has the ability to create parts of the movement that very few watch maisons can do, such as the spiral/hairspring. Therefore, the Bi-Cylindrique is the best expression of this competence, of mastering this key part of a watch. It’s an emblematic high watchmaking piece that we have in our collection,” he says. Indeed, the Villeret manufacture is one of only a handful of facilities in the industry that produces its own hairsprings. And the watch has not one but two cylindrical hairsprings, arranged in a concentric configuration — one inside the other — in the tourbillon assembly.
Cylindrical hairsprings were developed to improve rate stability in marine chronometers in the late 18th century. Compared with typical hairsprings — which are flat — cylindrical ones are wound around a vertical axis in a spiral formation, with each turn being equidistant from the axis. This helps to even out any subtle shifts in the centre of gravity. In Montblanc’s configuration, the springs move in opposite directions: when one spring expands, the other contracts, further cancelling out any negative effects that gravity has on the rate. In other words, making the movement more precise.
Such a fine system at work needs to be admired, so the watchmakers fit it in a large tourbillon measuring 18.4mm in diameter and placed the tourbillon assembly in a prominent position at 12 o’clock. The regulator oscillates at a relatively leisurely pace of 2.5Hz (18,000bph), compared with the majority of regulators, which oscillate at 4Hz (28,800bph). At this speed, it is like watching a video in slow motion, allowing the wearer to appreciate every nuance. And to drum home the exquisiteness of it all, the tourbillon is held in place by a double infinity-shaped bridge, which takes an entire week to hand-bevel and hand-polish.
Speaking of aesthetics, the Bi-Cylindrique has a lot going for it. “To include a serpent in the watch case, you need to have a large watch case. The design of the watch has a very open quality, which makes it much easier to feature such a serpent,” says Baretzki. The premise of the Bi-Cylindrique, right from the beginning, is to showcase the key components of the watch, hence the enormous 52mm case with an open layout — tourbillon at 12 o’clock, dial at six o’clock, and the exposed clockwork and finely finished plates and bridges in between. There is contrast: between the black-rhodium plating on the plates and bridges, and the highly polished gears and screws. There is also irony: The dial hosts a pair of mystery hands against a mirrored backdrop — an illusionist’s masterpiece — but that illusion is broken by having the exposed gears just off to the side.
Compared with the 2011 version that was housed in a unique ovoid case, the 2016 watch comes in a more regular circular shape. Pointing to this change, Baretzki says: “Most of us wear round watches. I believe that 90% of cases sold today are round cases. We have many clients that appreciate our unusual shapes. But we also have many clients who want to enjoy the beauty of this movement in a round case.”
Bag of tricks
Rounding off Montblanc’s 110th anniversary and alluding to that epic transatlantic voyage undertaken by its founders is the Steamer Bag, a reinterpretation of the classic steamer trunk. Such luggage cases were designed for long-haul oceanic voyages and recall both the era in which the maison was founded and the glamour of early 20th century travel.
While the bag is primarily designed for men, there is no reason it cannot be carried by women. The serpent motif is at its most prominent here, its sinuous crimson body wrapping around the black soft leather of the bag. And while the interior is lined in suede, parts such as the handle and front flap strap are crafted from black snakeskin to drive home the serpentine association.
Travel is an important theme for Montblanc; a huge portion of its sales is derived from the travel retail sector, such as at points-of-sale in airports (the company does not communicate specific figures). The company is continuing to perform well despite the slowdown in China, says Baretzki. “Mainland China is very important to the maison, but not to the point where it becomes the main customer of the maison. So, we are not that [affected] by what is happening today.”
Unlike some brands that over-invested in China, Montblanc did not put all its eggs in one basket and is now reaping the rewards of a more balanced distribution. But there are other reasons it is not suffering as badly. “Montblanc has a lot of opportunities that make it less sensitive to any change of economy or customer. We are present in watches, writing instruments, leather goods, jewellery, eyewear and fragrances. For the entrepreneur who wants to dress for business, we can offer him a fountain pen, a diary, a namecard holder or a pair of cufflinks.
“We are present in our boutiques, partner stores and department stores. We are very strong in travel retail. We are very active in e-commerce. We have products that range from the very accessible to the very high-end. For a lot of customers, we are their first choice of luxury products — we are the first luxury product they acquire. We do exceptionally well in emerging markets because we combine brand awareness with desirability and affordability. For me, it’s not a question of which markets are over- or underperforming. It’s about which asset of the maison you’re using to create success in the market. Some markets are more reactive to watchmaking, digital, leather or writing instruments.”
And what of the pioneering spirit espoused by the founders? It has not dissipated one bit. “Pioneering spirit is not just about product, it’s also about distribution,” says Baretzki. The company is typically the first, or at least among the first, to enter new markets, having done so in India 25 years ago, for example. This year, it will crack the Indochinese region, opening a point-of-sale each in Cambodia and Laos, and three in Myanmar (Yangon International Airport, Swiss Time Square and Sule Square) beginning in June — a testament to its reputation as a luxury trailblazer.
Besides chronicling developments in the luxury watch industry, Aaron De Silva also runs The Time Traveller SG on Instagram (@thetimetravellersg) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/thetimetravellersg).
This article appeared in the OptionsCorporate of Issue 730 (May 30) of The Edge Singapore.