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AnthonyTsai
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An In-Depth Review of the Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph

An In-Depth Review of the Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph –

"Tantalizing Tantalum"

By Dr. Thomas Mao & Anthony Tsai

© June 2009

Tantalum is Periodic Table Element #73, between hafnium and tungsten, and falls into the transition metals group.  Frequently simply unavailable for use in the high horology sector, tantalum is a sporadically ultra scarce element used in cell phones and other industrial and consumer electronics applications.  It is also highly corrosion resistant and used in surgical instruments as well as laboratory equipment for chemistry and medicine.  Tantalum does have very special aesthetic qualities of a very subtle bluish grey hue which is mesmerizing to the eyes.

(periodic table from elementsdatabase.com)

Another characteristic of tantalum is its high density.  When used as the metal for a watch case, a tantalum watch case feels heavier than a gold case of the same size, though I know of a brand who has used tantalum to make very large cases, for which the brand is famous for, and milled out much of the material when making their cases.  And as a result, their tantalum cases feel much lighter than "massive" executions.  In this case (pun intended), Montblanc used a massive case.

The first use of tantalum in timepieces came as a royal request - a European King, fond of hunting, wanted a special metal that would not glint in reflection and scare off his prey.

Notice the tantalum case isn't as reflective as the rose gold bezel.

One famous watchmaker, regarded by some as one of the two or three greatest watchmakers living, made one of his recent cases from tantalum.  With regards to case making, tantalum is extremely difficult to work with.  During a recent conversation, he told me, "Awesome metal, but never again!  It took three sets of tooling to make just the one case!" 

Subtle bluish grey hue of the tantalum case.

Now let's take a close examination of the Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph.

Dial & Hands
As you can see from the below picture, the black dial has a slight matte texture to it, very similar in look to a matte black powdercoat popularly used in the auto industry.  Given the magnification of this macros picture, one can easily conclude the printing on the dial is precise and well executed.

The Montblanc design team even chose a matching metallic rose gold print to match the rose gold bezel, rehaut rings, and hands.

The MB Tantalum is a Chronometer.

Now zooming out where we can see the entire watch face, please take a look at the circular hour markers, specifically the 1, 5, 7, and 11 o'clock hour markers, in the below picture.  It is my assumption there are screws underneath these four circular luminova markers.  If this is true, the Montblanc designers brilliantly blended the screws of the rehaut rings of the chronograph subdials into actual hour markers to keep intact a uniform look required for easy legibility.

Sapphire crystal has antireflective coating.

The subdial at 9 o'clock is the time seconds, 12 o'clock is the chronograph 30-minute display, hours for the chronograph is at 6 o'clock, and date display is at 3 o'clock.

All the hands and chronograph rehaut rings are plated in 18kt red gold, and the counterweight of the central chronograph seconds hand is in the shape of the Montblanc Star logo.  The hands are all sword shaped and filled with luminous paint, enabling the owner to run and read the chronograph even at night.  Although the quality of the lume is excellent, Montblanc should consider skeletonizing the main hour and minutes hand so they don't obscure the chronograph counter as the functions overlap.  With the current solid body hand design, the chronograph cannot be read easily for potentially 10 minutes every hour and for 4 hours out of each day.

Picture of the luminescent indexes, hands, and 12 o'clock bezel marker.

Bezel & Chronograph Pushers & Crown

The ratcheting of the bezel is distinct, strong, and audible.  The bezel won't turn inadvertently or turn with the slightest pressure unlike some bezels from other brands.  One of my pet peeves is having a "loose" bezel which turns at the slightest pressure.  When I look at my watch for the time, I get annoyed whenever I notice the bezel has somehow turned a couple notches while on my wrist.  I'm glad this bezel passes my test which is imperative should you decide to utilize this bezel when scuba diving.  Water resistance is rated to 300 meters, so if you use this watch for scuba diving, you'll probably have the most stylish diving watch amongst all your friends.

Rather than using a metal insert or link to denote the time interval on the bezel, Montblanc finely milled out and sandblasted the numbers as an alternative.  The numerals are not too deeply milled, just enough to provide a tactile and visual contrast from the surrounding brushed rose gold.

On the side of the finely satin finished bezel at 9 o'clock is the gold "750" stamping.  The "750" is not noticeable when looking straight at the watch face; however, when the watch is on your wrist, your eyes constantly see the side and profile view of the bezel.  On numerous occasions, to my eyes, the fluidity of the lines of the bezel is interrupted by this "750" stamp.  A recommendation I have for the Montblanc design team is to move this "750" stamp to the bezel's 12 o'clock position.  Assuming the unidirectional turning bezel is at its normal position, the wearer will then never see the "750" when the watch is on his wrist since it will be hidden away from the line of sight.

I know I'm being extremely picky here, but I guess that's just part of my job as reviewer – to point out even the most minor details so any prospective buyer knows the ins and outs of this watch prior to purchase.

Below is a profile shot of the bezel at a different angle showing the bezel and automatic helium valve.

Automatic helium valve is located at the 10 o'clock position.

Both the 18kt rose gold crown and chronograph pushers are of screw-down design.  As with all the watches in the Montblanc Star line-up, in the middle of the crown is a mother-of-pearl Montblanc signet.

Rose gold chronograph pushers and crown with mother-of-pearl Montblanc signet.

The deep cutouts of the bezel perimeter provide for excellent grip when turning the bezel.

Screw down crown and chrono pushers.

Caseback

The caseback is a screwed solid tantalum caseback with the polished Montblanc Star in the center.  PuristS enthuasiasts should embrace the return of the solid caseback.  It is an element which has been avoided because of the recent consumer focus on aesthetic finish.  Finally Montblanc has recognized the functionality of a solid caseback in a sports inspired wristwatch.  Whether or not owners will ever come close to the 300m rated diving depth is anyone's guess, but at least this watch has the right components to survive the plunge.

By the way, I'm not really sure why Montblanc decided to name the watch "XXXL".  They do make smaller 41.5mm variants of this Sport Chronograph in various metals, but the Tantalum Chronograph is a mere 44mm instead of 47mm or 50mm+ that is implied with the "XXXL" size.  Maybe because of the massive weight of the tantalum case and rose gold bezel?

Movement
The Montblanc tantalum chronograph houses the self-winding Montblanc calibre 4810/501 which is the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750 movement - a tried and true tractor of a movement, loved by many who value functionality and reliability above all else.  Unfortunately, this also leads to its ubiquity, which then makes it "looked down upon" by those who value rarity snob appeal above all else.

The movement is COSC certified with the "Chronometer" designation on the dial below the date window.  Accuracy of the movement fell well within COSC specifications (~1-2 sec fast/day), and the power reserve is 48 hours.

Strap & Buckle

The rubber strap is attached to the case lugs by use of spring bars.  A handy feature of this strap is the ends are cutout exposing the release notch of the spring bars.  That way you minimize the chances of accidently scratching the inside of the lugs when changing straps.

The primary weakness of the Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph is the excessively soft, thin rubber strap - it really offers no counter balancing support or mass for what is a very heavy case head, resulting in a top side (head) imbalance that makes the watch less comfortable on the wrist than it could be.  This strap may work fine on other Montblanc watches but doesn't on this specific watch.  In my opinion, any 44mm tantalum watch should have a fairly thick strap, preferably 4mm thick, to ensure comfortable wear for the wearer.

Weighing 13 grams, the rose gold buckle is the same Montblanc tang buckle found on the Montblanc TimeWalker which we previously reviewed HERE . 

Another shot of the less reflective tantalum case.

Wrist Shots

The Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph measures 44mm with a thickness of 15.6mm.

Conclusion
With a current retail price of $23,500, the Montblanc Tantalum Chronograph faces fierce competition from other watches in this price segment including watches with higher complications or in-house movements.  It even competes with its brethren – the Star Nicolas Rieussec in gold.  It is my assumption that Montblanc does not intend to target this Tantalum Chronograph at the customer base that buys horologically complicated watches such as its own Nicolas Rieussec but to dedicated fans of Montblanc Sports models and those willing to pay a premium for the special tantalum and rose gold aesthetics.  After all, Montblanc has been successful with their marketing of 'precious resin' for writing implements.  I for one personally love tantalum, and any watch model that can claim the use of tantalum immediately attracts my attention. 

To those who feel Montblanc should stick to writing instruments (I don't find myself in this camp), there is not enough to justify overcoming this resistance.  Montblanc is positioning itself to become a major contender in the watch industry.  It currently has watches in all price segments with exception to the highest tier grand complications.

The design of the Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph is classic Montblanc - love it or hate it, it is immediately recognizable and for those fans of the brand, it is that best of both worlds - familiar, yet special at the same time.

A Second Opinion on the Montblanc Sport XXXL Tantalum Chronograph

by Dr. Michael Ting

In 1820, because of the metal's unique physical properties, Anders Ekeberg named the new element he discovered Tantalum after the mythological Greek king Tantalus.  For PuristS unfamiliar with the story, Tantalus committed several crimes against the Greek gods for which he was punished in Hades.  In the same way as some are famous for their lives, and others are famous for their deaths, Tantalus became famous for the manner of his punishment in the afterlife.

It is not often I get to quote one of my favorite books but the Odyssey by Homer captures the tormet suffered by Tantalus so beautifully:

"I also saw the awful agonies that Tantalus has to bear.  The old man was standing in a pool of water which nearly reached his chin, and his thirst drove him to unceasing efforts, but he could never get a drop to drink.  For whenever he stooped in his eagerness to lap the water, it disappeared.  The pool was swallowed up, and all he saw at his feet was the dark earth, which some mysterious power had parched.  Trees spread their foliage high over the pool and dangle fruits above his head-pear-trees and pomegranates, apple-trees with their glossy burder, sweet figs and luxuriant olives.  But whenever the old man tried to grasp them in his hands, the wind would toss them up towards the shadowy cloud." (Odysseus, Homer, Odyssey 11.584).

What does this have to do with a watch review?  Nothing, except I feel perversely trapped like Tantalus amongst the recent spate of Montblanc offerings.

The Montblanc Villeret 1858 timepieces dangle above my head like the fruits teasing Tantalus.  The movements found in these watches are interesting, the aesthetic finish superior, and the vision behind preserving Minerva noble.  While they may be worth every penny, these watches are simply just out of my reach.

Now Anthony and Thomas have introduced the Montblanc XXXL Tantalum Chronograph to the PuristS community.  This watch does not bring anything new to the table:  the design is conservative, the movement standard, and even the use of tantalum as a case metal is outdated.  Yet the XXXL Chronograph is a competent and surprisingly attractive rendition of a luxury dive watch.  Like the water which disappeared when Tantalus attempted to quench his thirst, my intial desire to add this watch to my collection quickly dried up when I realized its price tag.  I could easily order a new Montblanc Star Nicolas Rieussec chronograph and pick it up from the manufacture myself with the same funds.

I can only guess at the logic behind Montblanc's pricing structure, but it does not provide enthusiasts, intrigued by the brand's potential, with a friendly entry point.  If Montblanc wants to change their brand image they need to provide an affordable yet desirable timepiece.  Then, Montblanc brand enthusiasts and watch lovers can test and fuel their newly stoked passion without too much financial risk.  The TimeWalker is not the right watch to represent the new brand positioning, but the XXXL Tantalum Chronograph could have been.  Until Montblanc recognizes that a $23,500 chronograph based on a Valjoux 7750 movement does not instigate credibility, I will remain in this tantalizing predicament about the brand:  tempted but never satisfied.

Copyright June 2009 - Dr. Michael Ting, Dr. Thomas Mao, Anthony Tsai, & PuristSPro.com - all rights reserved

Comments, suggestions, and corrections to this article are welcomed.  

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