ince Laurent Lecamp took the helm of Montblanc’s watch division in 2021, the brand has more clearly structured its activities around two pillars: on the one hand, Montblanc - whose catalogue ranges from the sporty Iced Sea to the Nicolas Rieussec and its grand complications - and on the other, Minerva. The latter will now be managed as a distinct entity within the Montblanc maison - a major announcement at the start of 2026.

This development, the result of several years of groundwork, will delight the collector community, long awaiting the return of dials bearing Minerva as the sole signature. A new chapter thus begins for one of the most prestigious names in Swiss watchmaking history, particularly renowned for its chronograph expertise, and now overseen by Laurent Lecamp alongside Montblanc-signed timepieces.

“Minerva at its Villeret manufacture and Montblanc in Le Locle—two entities within the same maison, each with its own legitimacy and identity,” he summarises.

The fluted bezel, a functional signature

The watch embodying this renaissance is the Unveiled Crownless, distinguished by its absence of a crown. This launch does not represent a rupture; on the contrary, it is the culmination of developments initiated under the dual Montblanc/Minerva identity.

It all began shortly after Laurent Lecamp joined Montblanc, when, while researching Minerva’s history, he came across a 1927 patent - later discussed with journalist Giesbert Brunner, author of a reference work on the brand. The patent concerned a functional fluted bezel designed for pilots.

Using an indicator, the bezel allowed pilots wearing thick gloves to easily adjust an internal timing ring to track the stages of their flight plan - an essential navigational tool. Laurent Lecamp chose to revive this concept, with its distinctive fluting, transforming it into both an aesthetic and practical signature - one that is instantly recognisable as Minerva watchmaking in the 21^st century.

The fluted bezel first appeared on models featuring inverted movements—another Minerva hallmark. Then, from 2023 onwards, functionality took centre stage with the Unveiled Timekeeper, a chronograph operated via the bezel.

The Unveiled Crownless follows directly in this lineage: all functions - winding and time-setting - are now controlled via the bezel. The transition to a sole Minerva signature has thus been both gradual and entirely natural.

Minerva The Unveiled Crownless, the first model of this new era to bear the Minerva signature alone. Its distinctive aesthetic stems from the absence of a crown, with winding and time-setting functions controlled directly via the bezel.

The perfect circle of the Crownless

Bezel-based setting eliminates the need for a traditional crown, resulting in a strikingly distinctive aesthetic defined by a perfect circle. Without this graphic “protuberance” (apologies to crown enthusiasts), the watch achieves complete symmetry - an exceptionally pure identity further enhanced by the carefully executed dial design. Its restrained elegance echoes Minerva timepieces of the 1950s, with guilloché engravings and opaline textures.

Everything is about balance: the recessed small seconds at 6 o’clock visually counterbalances the vintage Minerva logo and the applied rose gold Arabic numeral “12” above it. The indices harmonise in tone with the faceted rose gold-plated hands, the “Villeret 1858” plaque on the caseband and, of course, the emblematic fluted bezel.

But how exactly does this 18-carat rose gold bezel function? The answer lies in a subtle interplay between concealment and revelation - true to the “unveiled” concept. A discreet lever on the caseback, when deployed, activates the time-setting function, just like a traditional crown. For winding the manual movement, with the lever in its inactive position, simply rotate the bezel to the left.

And what happens when the bezel is turned to the right? Nothing… or rather, something quite unexpected. “It’s a calming, meditative, centring function: turning the bezel becomes a gesture one can perform while waiting, for instance. We paid particular attention to the ergonomics and smoothness of this motion.” A function that soothes the mind - perhaps one of the understated roles of mechanical watchmaking in our noisy 21^st century.

The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless is housed in a 41.5 mm stainless steel case. With a height of 12 mm, including the 18-carat rose gold fluted bezel and crystal, it retains the balanced proportions of a classic dress watch.

1944

©Archives Europa Star

1945

©Archives Europa Star

1954

©Archives Europa Star

1961

©Archives Europa Star

1963

©Archives Europa Star

A brief Minerva retrospective through the decades in Europa Star: while the brand is particularly renowned for its pioneering role and specialisation in chronographs, it has also produced highly elegant dress watches - of which The Unveiled Crownless is a worthy heir.

©Archives Europa Star 1973

Characteristic attention to detail

The sapphire caseback reveals the richly decorated Calibre M15.08, featuring a small seconds display and entirely manufactured in-house - including the hairspring - at the Minerva manufacture in Villeret. The power reserve reaches 80 hours, which, given the traditional frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz), reflects the substantial size of the barrel.

Comprising 139 components, with bridges in rhodium-plated German silver shaped in elegant curves and adorned with polished bevels and Côtes de Genève, the Calibre M15.08 follows the classic Minerva architecture and is hand-finished throughout. It is the brand’s fifteenth manufacture calibre.

“As with all Minerva movements, the Calibre M15.08 is assembled twice, by the same watchmaker,” notes Laurent Lecamp. “Each client is given the opportunity to know and meet the watchmaker who assembled their piece.” Minerva also conducts its own reliability tests, lasting 21 days.

The regulator takes the emblematic shape of the Minerva arrow -. a motif echoed, with meticulous attention to detail, in several elements of the innovative openworked folding clasp, which incorporates a fine adjustment system for a precise fit.

The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless is presented in a new walnut presentation box, entirely crafted in Switzerland by specialist wood artisans. In keeping with the overall philosophy, the box features a hidden opening mechanism known only to its owner. A stainless steel plate engraved with the Minerva manufacture in Villeret - where the brand has been based since 1858 - adorns the lid.

The VRF logo with the Minerva arrow - one of the brand’s historic signatures - is also present. Standing for “Robert Frères Villeret”, it appeared on Minerva cases and movements until the early 20th century. The village of Villeret is further referenced on the clasp, engraved with its coat of arms. Inside, a spacious padded compartment houses the watch, accompanied by a loupe crafted from the same walnut wood.

In this 2007 article, Europa Star highlighted Montblanc’s move upmarket through Minerva. Today, both continue to maintain a strong focus on Haute Horlogerie.

©Archives Europa Star

Selected boutiques

What will Minerva’s distribution strategy look like in this new era? “We have selected 23 Montblanc boutiques worldwide to serve as dedicated points of sale, where trained ambassadors and experts will receive specialised education programmes to convey Minerva’s craftsmanship and history to our clients. At the same time, we will collaborate with highly qualified retailers operating in the realm of traditional Haute Horlogerie.” A targeted approach aimed at the collector community.

The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless is not officially limited - yet inevitably produced in small quantities - as it is conceived as a cornerstone of this new structure. It is priced at €39,000 (incl. VAT), while the average Minerva price point will be around €50,000. “This is a creation designed to endure for decades,” enthuses Laurent Lecamp.

Alongside this major launch, Minerva will introduce further novelties in autumn: following this model, complications will take centre stage, including exo-tourbillons - and a very high complication, we are promised - as well as the famed inverted movements.

Launched in 2023 under the dual Montblanc/Minerva signature, the Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva features a chronograph controlled via the fluted bezel. A single click starts the chronograph, a second stops it, and a third resets it. This model foreshadowed the revival of Minerva under its own name, now fully realised.

One may also expect the return of bezel-operated chronograph functions, although Laurent Lecamp is clear that no previous model will simply be “relabelled”: all new creations will be original. “What has been created - until very recently - under the dual Montblanc and Minerva identity will remain unique. Watchmaking history shows that such dual signatures are often highly valued by collectors, as they correspond to specific periods.”

At the same time, a museum has just been inaugurated in Villeret, and boutiques representing Minerva worldwide will feature historical pieces on a dedicated “Minerva Wall”, sharing the brand’s singular heritage.

With this renewed Minerva signature, the Montblanc maison responds both to collector demand and to a market environment increasingly favourable to historic watchmaking entities managed with exclusivity. A strategy that also extends to Montblanc itself, with the Nicolas Rieussec collection - its highest segment - taking centre stage this year.

The stated objective is clear: to reinforce the identity and historical DNA of the Minerva manufacture. A new chapter is indeed unfolding.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Movement

• Minerva manufacture calibre M15.08
• Manual-winding manufacture movement, hand-finished
• Crownless – small seconds
• Diameter: 33.3 mm
• Height: 4.07 mm
• Number of components: 139
• Number of jewels: 19
• Power reserve: approximately 80 hours
• Screw balance, diameter = 10 mm
• Frequency: 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz)
• Flat hairspring
• Mainplate: rhodium-plated German silver, circular graining on both sides, hand-bevelled edges
• Bridges: rhodium-plated German silver with Côtes de Genève, circular graining, hand-bevelled edges
• Gear train wheels: gold-plated, circular-grained, bevelled, diamond-polished pivots on both sides
• Display: gold-plated hour, minute and second hands

Case

• Stainless steel case, satin-brushed and polished
• Bidirectional rotating fluted bezel in 18-carat (750/1000) rose gold, satin-brushed and polished
• Domed box-shaped sapphire crystal, scratch-resistant, double anti-reflective coating
• Sapphire crystal caseback
• Diameter: 41.50 mm
• Height: 11.99 mm
• Water resistance: 3 bar (30 m)
• No crown
• Guilloché gold-tone signature dial with gold-plated indices
• Gold-plated hour and minute hands; gold-plated seconds hand
• Dark green alligator leather strap, semi-matte finish, triple-folding stainless steel clasp with fine adjustment system
• Certified by the Minerva Laboratory Test 500H