Montblanc introduces its new Boheme watch collection

Aug 28, 2014,20:24 PM
 

Last week Ken's interview with Olivier Laurian provided an interesting data point.

The gender ratio of the buyers is 50:50 in Japan while it is 60% women in South Korea.

Many traditional watch brands have tried to bridge the gender gap without success but here we see that Montblanc has a distinct advantage being a "luxury Lifestyle" brand.

It is no surprise that Montblanc decided to continue its recent transformation by creating a new woman's timepiece collection.

The Boheme collection made its debut today in Shanghai with the usual Montblanc pomp and circumstances









I think Montblanc fell into the same trap as their competitors with their previous watches:  they offered "jewelry watches" thinking that this was what their female shoppers wanted.

For example, the Star Moonphase is simply too feminine.


The Princess Grace de Monaco has refined design but it is completely uninspired from a watchmaking prospective...it uses a quartz movement.

The Boehme collection is meant to satisfy the discerning and astute female cliente who wants a "serious" watch without having to "dumb down" into a men's watch with a smaller diameter.

I think this new collection is quite attractive...let's take a look.

First is the new Boheme Perpetual Calendar Jewellery.


It utilizes the same movement as the new Heritage Perpetual Calendar recently review by Oliver, the MB 29.15.  Take a look at what happens to the appearance when a smaller 36mm case is used.  We were right!  The perpetual calendar counters are no longer clustered around the center.  This is a more balanced design and should have been the aesthetic for the Heritage Perpetual as well.  The diamond bezel and curved Roman numerals make this model instanteously recognizable as a watch made for a woman but without the usual horological compromise.  Since the MB 29.15 is also one of the easiest perpetual calendars to set and adjust, this will satisfy one of the biggest requests from women: make mechanical watches convenient.

Second is the new Boheme Date Automatic

Inspecting the movement data, this watch appears to be powered by the same base Sellita SW200 movement as the Heritage Moonphase except, obviously, with a date module only.  While not necessarily the most interesting timepiece from a mechanical prespective take a look at what Montblanc designers did.

A simple curve to the date display, stylized  roman numerals, some bling, and two colored straps ( a la Alain Silberstein) makes this a relevant watch hitting all the right notes with today's fashion trends.  They also kept the size small at 30mm to better fit a woman's wrist proportionally.


To satisfy the woman who says there can never be too much bling, Montblanc also delivers!


What do you all think of this new collection?

Here are the official press releases below.

Enjoy, Mike


An elegant and self-confident expression for the contemporary Bohème lady: the new ladies watch collection by Montblanc


In presenting the new Montblanc Bohème collection, Montblanc gives a new expression to its passion for fine watchmaking. Designed for women, the Bohème line combines distinctive style, elegant design and respect for the watchmaking tradition.

 

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All the traditional codes of fine watchmaking with a clear feminine expression have transpired into this collection created for contemporary and sophisticated women with authentic and strong personality. It is rare for a watch to express the grand complications of fine watchmaking in such a feminine way: beyond its aesthetic beauty, the Montblanc Bohème collection, with its self-winding calibre, date or perpetual calendar, welcomes women to fine watchmaking who want to express their femininity in the true Bohème spirit.

The new Montblanc Bohème Ladies timepieces attain their unique character through a refined attention to detail that enriches the codes of fine watchmaking with superb elegance and femininity.
The floral Arabic numerals with their sensuous curves are discreetly raised by a minute scale displaying the beautiful character of a “filet sauté”. The finely guilloché 60 or 90-facet or diamond paved dial serves as a backdrop to the race of the hours and the minutes. The leaf-shaped hands assert their blued or their red gold profusion with strength and refinement.

With the simple elegance of its case with a diameter of 30 or 36 mm, and its delicately curved, bevelled horns, in red gold or stainless steel, the Montblanc Bohème collection bears the hallmark of authenticity.
This classic elegance can be enhanced individually by choosing diamonds for the bezel or the mother-of-pearl dial and by selecting a leather or stainless steel wristband. In addition, the contemporary Bohème lady can express her passion for fine watchmaking by wearing a grand complication timepiece.
The new Montblanc Bohème collection embodies ultra-femininity, independence and sophistication.

Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery 

While this model epitomises the contemporary Bohème spirit, a combination of sophistication, individuality and audaciousness, its movement, the Perpetual Calendar, raises it to a whole new dimension. This grand complication with its timeless charm is manufactured with the utmost mechanical expertise and combines the highest expression of the expertise and experience of the watchmakers with elegant femininity.

 

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The indications of the Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery timepiece are harmoniously spread out on the highly sophisticated silver guilloché 60-facets dials: month and leap year cycle at 12 o’clock, date at 3 o’clock, moon phases at 6 o’clock and day of the week at 9 o’clock. While this feature ensures it can be read with ease, the extremely complex movement means it will require no manual adjustment until the year 2100. However, should correction be necessary in the event that the timepiece has not been worn for a long time, tiny correctors hidden inside the watch allow for fast and easy adjustment.

To house the self-winding calibre MB 29.15, which can be admired through its sapphire crystal glass, the dimensions of the red gold case have been designed to 36 mm. As an utterly guarantee of the outstanding quality, each Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery timepiece undergoes 500 hours of rigorous tests at the Montblanc Manufacture in Le Locle before leaving the workshops to

mark time on the beautiful wrist of a contemporary Bohème lady.  A woman who, apart from the performance of this extraordinary timepiece, will succumb to the charm of the bezel set with 60 sparkling diamonds and of the winding crown adorned with a uniquely shaped patented Montblanc Diamond in the form of the Montblanc emblem.

The Montblanc Bohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellery: a timepiece where fine watchmaking and fine jewellery are perfectly united to create a new era of feminine watchmaking.

Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic

When the Montblanc master watchmakers and artisans started their mission to design a timepiece that would attract women to the beauty of fine watchmaking in an unprecedented way, they chose to start from scratch.

 

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 They began by designing a classically shaped case, however, one to which each detail, each line, each curve adds a touch of refinement. The case is made of red gold, stainless steel or a combination of both, with a diameter of 30 mm perfectly adapted to delicate wrists. The feminine case is water tight to 30 metres and is set off by bevelled, delicately curved horns, ensuring maximum comfort.

Montblanc created a dial displaying the sophisticated codes of fine watchmaking expressed in a distinctive feminine style: a 90-facet sunburst guilloché in the centre, surrounded by elegant floral Arabic numerals with “filet sauté” minute scale, the blued or red gold-plated leaf-shaped hour-and minute-hand and the central second hand extended with the Montblanc emblem. To add a date window at 6 o’clock the watchmakers developed an elliptical opening which is perfectly integrated into the dial’s curvature. The shape of the window underlines the signature style of this Montblanc Bohème timepiece, marked by beauty and sophistication.

The hour, minute, central second and date functions are assured by a self-winding mechanical movement calibre MB 24.14, with a frequency of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour and a power reserve of 38 hours. The Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic is available with a red gold or stainless steel case enhanced by a bezel fully set with 62 sparkling Top Wesselton diamonds.

It is also offered in a pure stainless steel or in a combination of stainless steel/red gold version with a dial adorned by 8 diamonds. According to personal taste and preference, the contemporary Bohème lady can choose between a small scale alligator wristband in black, white, grey or warm aubergine or a pure stainless steel bracelet or elegant stainless steel / red gold wristband. The Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic will feature for the first time for the Maison, a shiny two color leather wristband in yellow and orange, or light and dark blue to convey a very sophisticated yet contemporary look.

 

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Today’s women embody a combination of strength of character, independence and sophistication in their private and professional life. This newly created Montblanc ladies timepiece cultivates the best of fine watchmaking tradition and visual elegance with audaciousness  and creativity. With its timeless design, refined feminine elegance and high watchmaking qualities, the Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic opens a new chapter in the history of Montblanc ladies’ timepieces.

Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery

The Montblanc master watchmakers and artisans have created a jewellery timepiece that in a very special way highlights the adorable facets of beauty, elegance and personality of the contemporary Bohème lady.

 
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The Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic jewellery timepiece created in the Montblanc manufactures in Switzerland captures attention with the alluring sparkle of 178 Top Wesselton (~0.3519 carat) diamonds that strikingly enhance the white mother-of-pearl dial of this feminine timepiece. The minute scale with its “filet sauté” design embraces the beauty of the diamond set bezel. Black floral Arabic numerals, red gold-plated leaf-shaped hour- and minute hands, and a central second hand that carries the Montblanc emblem, further reinforce the spirit of inherent elegance and equilibrium emanating from this ladies’ timepiece.

The Montblanc Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery, in a 30mm case in red gold, is surrounded by an exquisite bezel set with additional 62 Top Wesselton diamonds totalling in sparkling ~0.4588 carat.

True to the spirit of the new Montblanc Bohème Collection, the Bohème Date Automatic Jewellery timepiece embodies all the distinctive features of this line, combining feminine elegance and beauty, respect for the utmost perfection of fine watchmaking traditions and the highest aesthetic refinement.

This model reflects the Montblanc Bohème spirit in seducing ravishing beauty.

This message has been edited by mkt33 on 2014-08-28 20:31:20


More posts: Bohème CollectionBohème DateBohème Date AutomaticBohème Perpetual Calendar Jewellerygrand complications

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Comments: view entire thread

 

Very nice "Boheme" series for ladies.....

 
 By: KIH : August 28th, 2014-20:41
.. now I see... Yup, especially here, Montblanc is considered MEN ONLY brand and that must be changed. Need local ambassador depending on the market environment..... I would love to help my favorite brand, always. Thanks for the report, Mike! Ken

Not bad at all! I think this series is a winner for ladies watches

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : August 31st, 2014-19:29
I will check them out in the metal soon :) Thanks for the news Mike! I especially like the color strap combinations option. Goes very well with an elegant ladies watch with diamonds (a bit of bling but not too bling to me). The Boheme PC indeed has a more... 

Strongly reminds me of:

 
 By: Goldenlutin : September 1st, 2014-22:37
...  

Yes, very similar and obviously with Lambert in charge there is

 
 By: mkt33 : September 2nd, 2014-17:16
a migration of similar design trends. My wife noticed this too when I first showed her this new Boheme series. But in her words, not mine: " These will sell more with Montblanc than with Jaeger because there will be more women going into MB boutiques and ... 

Oh yeah, quite similar indeed!

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : September 2nd, 2014-18:00
But if the price of the MB is better (I have to check out prices first), then the MB will be preferred for my wife as she is not into WIS brands or movement finishing etc. She just wants the nice look (she says nice but she meant bling bling!) :) I have n... 

Official News Release posted on News Central

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : September 3rd, 2014-07:33
Here: Cheers robin