great specialist of chronograph timepieces, eminently recognisable thanks to its fluted bezel, the brand which Charles-Ivan Robert founded in 1858 in Villeret (where the manufacture is still based today) has influenced the history of watchmaking. Despite having changed hands several times during the course of its long existence, it can boast uninterrupted activity. Today, it is a part of the Montblanc constellation within the Richemont group. 

This heritage was precisely the subject of our discussion with Laurent Lecamp who, after experiences both with large groups and independent brands, now heads up the Montblanc watchmaking division. We talked over lunch at La Réserve on the shores of Lake Geneva, directly facing a Mont-Blanc whose immaculate icy ridge lit up the landscape on this beautiful, sunny spring day – we could not have found a more fitting symbol if we’d tried. 

Minerva models in 1944, featured in the Latin America edition of Europa Star, promoting exports of Swiss watches to the continent. ©Archives Europa Star

On one side, the spectacular, razor-sharp Alps, the territory of Montblanc whose watch dials, thanks to the special artisanal gratté-boisé technique, depict them down to the very texture of the glaciers; on the other the Jura, more rounded and less easily pinned down but appreciated for its detail and finishes – the land par excellence of fine watchmaking, where patience and passion gave rise to Minerva. “As I see it, the essence of craftsmanship is when one and the same watchmaker creates a piece from A to Z, assembles the movement by hand, takes it apart then reassembles it to make sure it’s accurate, finishes the German silver bridges and does the snailing on the ratchet wheel by hand,” says Laurent Lecamp. “That’s what we do at Villeret for Minerva, that’s the tradition we’ve inherited.” 

Unveiling the essence of fine watchmaking

The brand certainly is a treasure trove of stories and inspirations for this strategist who is now its guardian; a Japanophile, avid reader and history buff who recently completed the only marathon held in (wait for it) – Antarctica. The ideal profile for the brands in his charge. 

“To get to know Minerva, you first of all have to know its history,” he goes on. “For example, rediscovering the fluted bezel from the 1920s was just extraordinary. I’ve spent hours reading, trying to imagine how we could use these characteristic, iconic elements. I also had some convincing to do. When I announced to my teams that we were going to turn the chronograph upside down and place it on the dial side, or later, that we were going to control it via the bezel, they just didn’t understand at first!” 

Montblanc’s latest 1858 The Unveiled Minerva Chronograph showcases the Manufacture’s reversed chronograph movement in a new colour scheme which sees the addition of a yellow gold 750/1000 (18 karat) fluted bezel and brown-coated bridges and plates that complement the yellow gold-coloured gear train on the movement. Like the MB M16.26, this monopusher calibre has been flipped over to display all the mechanical action on the dial side of the watch. At first glance, the viewer may think it is a skeletonised movement, but a closer look reveals that this chronograph movement is on full display on the dial side.

But Laurent Lecamp, who has a thousand ideas an hour, is not for turning. When he sets his mind on something, he does not give up. Once his teams finally grasped his vision of things – a strong Minerva signature and differentiation through innovation and manual craftsmanship – they followed. “Anyway, without them and their skills nothing would be possible. It would all remain at the concept stage. This ‘intelligence of the hand’ is Minerva’s greatest asset.” 

This year, one of the models joining the 1858 Minerva collections is a new version of the Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Minerva Chronograph, symbolically unveiled on the gatefold of our first issue this year (Europa Star 1/25) along with its calibre: the latest in a long line of innovative movements that began with Calibre 17.29, a monopusher chronograph from 1929.

The engraved caseback features an intricate drawing of the historic Minerva Manufacture and comes with a brown sfumato calf leather strap with alligator print and a stainless steel triple-folding clasp with fine adjustment system.

It shows the movement in all its majesty, even more easily distinguishable in this iteration thanks to the new sapphire crystal apertures on the case band that let in the light, illuminating the manually wound, hand-crafted calibre. Contrary to appearances, this isn’t a skeletonised movement. Like the MB M16.26 calibre that drove the previous versions, this new monopusher calibre, the M17.26, has been flipped to reveal its 291 components in action through the dial side. “This special, patented architecture called for an additional gear train,” explains Laurent Lecamp. “There was nothing simple about it. That’s why the teams were so sceptical at first. But the result showcases the mechanism magnificently. When people see this watch, it’s so powerful it does all the convincing for us. What’s more, everything we developed here has a function. Nothing was done just for the sake of design.” 

Unmistakably Minerva 

Besides the new sapphire apertures, the chronograph complication of the MB M17.26 calibre was built on pillars. This allows the light to pass through and provides a close-up view of the movement. Also, the chronograph’s bridge, the original design of which was patented in 1912, is showcased by being placed on top of the movement. An additional touch of modernity is supplied by the German silver plates and bridges coloured in a contemporary blue, forming a contrast with the rest of the movement while harmonising with the blue sfumato calf leather strap. 

Needless to say, the Montblanc 1858 The Unveiled Minerva Chronograph has the famous fluted bezel in white gold. The manufacture was one of the first to produce this type of internal rotating bezel for countdown timing, patented in 1927 specifically for pilot’s watches. Numerous other features set this model apart: the Minerva arrow on the movement, a tribute to the Roman goddess who is always represented carrying a spear with an arrow-shaped tip; the iconic V-shaped bridge representing the view from Villeret of the mountains and Combe-Grède Gorge, the gateway to one of the highest peaks in the Jura; the bridges and plates in German silver; the snailed diamantage coquille (hand-executed on both sides of components) and the balance spring, produced, assembled and adjusted in-house and by hand which is extremely rare. 

Inspiration for the new Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph comes from an early 42mm military monopusher split second chronograph from the 1930s. This new model is housed in a 44mm stainless steel case with a fixed white gold 750/1000 (18 karat) fluted bezel. The dial features a dark burgundy colour with sunray decoration, black chronograph counters and white luminescent Arabic numerals for an elegant new look.

Minerva’s reputation as a preeminent maker of chronographs is well-deserved: in 2023 it presented a major new, patented feature, the origins of which went back to a previous innovation by Minerva from 1939 – control of the chronograph function via the bezel. On the Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva Limited Edition, one click of the fluted bezel in 18-karat white gold starts the chronograph. A second click stops it and a third resets it to zero. Its manually wound, hand-finished Calibre MB M13.21 is the spiritual successor of Calibre 13.20 of the period. This innovation reflects the spirit in which the contemporary brand intends to “transform” Minerva’s heritage – and opens up numerous avenues for development and interpretation. 

Welcome to the club 

Our discussion moves on to Japan, where Laurent Lecamp has lived and worked and whose culture still influences him: “There’s an unequalled attention to detail over there. In Kyoto there’s a temple, ryoan-ji, where I always used to go. Its rock garden is a masterpiece of design: fifteen rocks are arranged from east to west, in groups of five, two, three, two, then three, in such a way that it’s impossible to see all fifteen at the same time, wherever you stand. One rock always hides another. So I’m forever repeating to myself: look for the fifteenth rock!”

Calibre MB M16.31

Might Minerva be a mythical, even mystical, brand, as its name would suggest? Whatever the answer, to say that Laurent Lecamp is passionate about it would be an understatement, and he is far from alone: the global community of Minerva’s fans is on a par with the manufacture’s history. A members club has been formed to keep the conversation going, with the opportunity to order special editions. 

“They can look forward to more great developments at Minerva. More than ever, our thoughts and attention are going to be focused on the brand.” Just time for one last anecdote: every day, around noon, an eagle circles over the manufacture in Villeret. The watchmakers have nicknamed it Minervire, which is also the name of the balance spring they developed – as rare and precise as the king of the skies.