Some cool precision turned components suppliers photos:
Montblanc Watches
Image by antefixus21
Montblanc Flagship Boutique 151 Bloor Street West Toronto ON Canada.
Montblanc Wrist Watch wall display case.
Chronograph – Nicholas Rieussec time piece.
Swiss created.
Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Automatic Watch Assessment
WRIST TIME Reviews
20 COMMENTSJANUARY 3, 2011 BY ARIEL ADAMS
This watch assessment is going to be a bit different than how I normally do them. Why? Simply because shortly before the evaluation I was really capable to pay a visit to the manufacture producing the movements of this watch. That encounter offered me some specific insight that allowed me to comprehend this timepiece far more.
I know there is a lot of talk on the "manufacture" movement. In fact, a current panel discussion I had with fellow watch specialist journalists allowed me to recognize that there is no strict definition of "watch manufacture" or "manufacture movement." This definitional ambiguity hurts my potential to clarify issues appropriately, but let it be stated that Montblanc tends to make the movement in each of the Nicolas Rieussec watches themselves. Of course there is some help from suppliers, but this is about as "in-house" a job as most men and women want it to be. My understanding is that the elements of the movements are produced at the Valfleurier facility in Buttes Switzerland. The pieces are then sent to Montblanc Le Locle for assembly and testing.
What fascinated me most about the Montblanc manufacture in Le Locle Switzerland was just how modern it was. I mean it is accurate that several watch manufactures feel like you are in some combo of a hospital and science lab, but the machinery available to the watch makers at the Le Locle facility was impressive. I have a bigger function length post on this topic that will come out quickly – but in short, when it comes to the Nicolas Rieussec line of timepieces, Montblanc relies on a clever atmosphere that combines the human approach of watch makers with the precision help of machines.
A handful of instance of this synergy among man (or lady) and machine? Right here are two. 1 of the pictures here is of a machine that robotically applies lubricant to designated spots in a watch. Such lubricant need to be precisely applied with an precise amount. The more consistently applied the greater. Even though a human assembles the movement, a robot is used to apply the lubricant better and with more precision in terms of quantity than any human can do regularly. One more example is a machine that allows a watch maker to adjust the screws on a balance wheel and test the accuracy of the rate in genuine time. Generally the machine combines a magnifier, pc controlled screw driver, and a watch movement price tester in one particular. Even though it is operated by a individual, the machine makes it simple to adjust a traditional weighted balance wheel to its most precise weight distribution in the escapement assembly.
One particular of my favourite pictures right here that illustrates the culture of the manufacture is the image of the watch tools with the pc mouse. If you appear closely you’ll also notice the presence of a Montblanc pen. Each perform station provides watchmakers a laptop terminal as effectively as watch generating tools. Whilst I have observed this prior to, it surely is not common.
With their movements all produced in Switzerland by Montblanc, the Nicolas Rieussec collection presently consists of a few watches. My main concentrate here is on the Automatic Chronograph that also has a GMT and date complication (that I tested). The movement is known as the R200. The two manually wound variants (with slightly diverse functions) are the R100, R110, and R120 (a restricted edition that utilised a silicium escapement). I am not going to go overboard with technical information, but the movements represent an intriguing medium between the ultra-higher finish, and mass manufactured pieces.
The R200 has a lot of impressive functions on paper. Notable to the watch nerd is that it has a column wheel primarily based chronograph that uses a vertical clutch. These functions offer you far more durability and precision when utilizing the chronograph. There are very few European chronographs that function both of these features. I must also note that some of Seiko’s greater-end chronograph movements also feature column wheels and vertical clutches, as do pieces by brands such as Patek Philippe and (the former) Daniel Roth. Why all the focus on the chronograph? Effectively that is the new signature complication of Montblanc. The brand latched on to the complication for good explanation (as well as to Mr. Nicolas Rieussec). "Chronograph" literally signifies "time writer." What is Montblanc identified for? Yes, creating pens. Sound as well very good to be accurate to have a watch in your collection that is a "time writer?" So the emphasis on this complication make perfect sense. Nicolas Rieussec is guy credited with "inventing the chronograph." Montblanc adopted him.
A although ago Rieussec designed a device that looks like an early seismograph. It was a clock with a stop and begin function that pulled a disc of paper along a smaller sized writing tip. This device was the very first known "chronograph." It was meant to measure time in horse races and actually "wrote." The appear of the chronograph on the watch is taken from this early device. Montblanc keeps replicas of them about the manufacture for inspiration. Each and every Nicolas Rieussec watch makes use of two discs that move along stationary hands to show the chronograph time (up to 30 minutes). These are also monopusher chronographs that use a single pusher to cycle by way of "start, stop, and reset" functions for the chronograph. The pusher is large, simple to find, and placed at the 5 o’clock position on the watch. Do not miss the exposed synthetic palette rubies exposed on the top of the chronograph dials.
This chronograph style is the signature look of the Nicolas Rieussec collection. The time is displayed on an off-centered dial at the leading of the face. Whilst little, Montblanc really helped that dial standout and be legible. It utilizes that fancy searching font that you are going to locate on most Montblanc Star watches. I actually do enjoy that font.
On the manually-wound versions of the Nicolas Rieussec, the time dial has a third hand used for the date. On the automatic, the third had is GMT hand. Operating just like you would assume, the major time hour hand can be independently adjusted to alter the time when moving through time zones when traveling. To the left of the dial is a day/night indicator linked to the GMT hand. This beneficial complication aid you know if it is day or evening on your second timezone provided that it is displayed on the 12, versus 24 hour scale. Who’d a although this would turn out to be such a helpful travel watch? Both time zones share the minute hand. I was usually impressed by the GMT functionality of the watch and feels that the R200 movement’s use of the third hand is better than having it be a date indicator.
While the left of the dial has the day/evening indicator, the right has a date wheel. For symmetry Montblanc utilizes a window of a comparable shape, but I never much care for "open" date windows. It also does not look spectacular with the upper and decrease date getting partially under the dial – though that does in fact support with maintaining your focus on the actual date. Whilst the windows that flank the time dial look nice, I have a feeling Montblanc might perform to revise or polish the design and style in future generations of the watch.
Coming in a handful of tones, the dial of the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec is an interesting creature. It took me a although to warm up to it, but I am enjoying the design. Even though entirely distinct than other collection Montblanc provides, the Nicolas Rieussec does share the brand’s DNA nicely. Of course the crown has that lovely white Montblanc star, and the case is really a lot inspired by the Star collection. To produce visual depth, the energy element of the dial is partially "eclipsed" by a plate of Geneva stripe polished metal – plus, the dial appears to be produced up of a handful of layers. The chronograph dials are covered with a sort of want-bone like bridge that makes use of blued steel screws (blued steel is also utilized for some of the hands). This is a nice element, but I had 1 suggestion for Montblanc. Although this may possibly improve the price a bit, I feel it would be actually welcome. The bridge is produced from stamped steel. What if it could be produced from milled and hand-polished steel? It would supply a wonderful visual cue and reminder that this is a hand-assembled watch. Perhaps in the future.
Let’s visit the R200 movement once again. It is an automatic version of the R100 with a handful of addition complications (as talked about above). You can see the rotor placed over the movement, with the little Montblanc star shaped hole that is made to pass right more than the column wheel opening window. The movement has two mainspring barrels for a power reserve of 72 hours. The movement operates at 28,800bmp and can be adjusted to be very accurate. I saw a movement at the manufacture that was adjusted to operate inside significantly less than one second of deviation a day. I enjoy that the movement combines contemporary technology and traditionalism. Like I mentioned, it uses a free of charge-weighted balance spring and column wheel, enjoys helps from extremely sophisticated machinery in its assembly and manufacture.
The Nicolas Rieussec watch case is 43mm wide and 14.8mm tall. It is not a little watch, but it does put on like a medium one. Its height is visually lowered by the extremely curved lugs. Front and rear crystal are sapphire (with the front crystal possessing double AR coating), even though it is water resistant to 30 meters.
Montblanc has assured me that their dedication to the Nicolas Rieussec collection is intense. The collection will acquire far more interest in the future, which is aided by the fact that the watch is a advertising good results. One particular of the motives for this is the pricing. Whilst the watches are not inexpensive they are a lot more reasonable that you’d expect. The pieces come in gold, platinum, and steel. The gold models are in the ,000 range. Not inexpensive, but Montblanc is not asking for ,000. In fact, their platinum version is about ,000 – which in the luxury market isn’t that a lot for a platinum watch. In steel the watch retails for about ,200. It comes in a steel bracelet or an alligator strap (black or brown). I am told that quickly Montblanc will create a brand new metal bracelet for the Nicolas Rieussec collection.
All round these are enjoyable watches. The Montblanc identity is a main good, and I appreciate the visual style and functionality of the R200 movement. While special in its appears, this is an straightforward watch to wear day-to-day. Montblanc is not generating a mere collector’s piece right here. Developed to avoid boredom but preserve utility the Nicolas Rieussec watch collection is intended for all types of watch lovers to worn day-to-day.