Montblanc

mkt33
[PuristS]
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Montblanc Pelletteria-- What do you all think about the new "Extreme" watch strap

I remember when the collaboration between JLC and Casa Fagliano was announced in 2011.  I wasn't too excited about the limited edition Reverso but I really wanted to feel the leather strap made by the world's most exclusive polo boot maker.

Up to that point the best original straps which came with their watches, in my opinion, were from Parmigiani.  These Hermes made straps were beautifully crafted, soft, and extremely durable. 

This year, Montblanc's Timewalker Extreme came with an unique leather strap  "coated" with rubber..at least that is what I thought when I read the press release.

Robin gave us his initial impressions  of this new strap here (BTW I continue to envy my friends in Singapore where the newest offerings are available quickly ...the MB boutique in Boston isn't even on the list to get a sample)

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What I didn't know was Montblanc had its own leather workshop (Pelletteria).  I had just assumed, rather poorly, that Montblanc "outsourced" their leather work to their specifications.  Since 1935 Montblanc has been producing its own leather goods out of their workshop in Offenbach, Germany. 

In 2006, this workshop was moved to Florence, the historical center of Italian leather trade, so Montblanc's artisans could have access to the best skins from the nearby Santa Croce tanneries.

 In charge of this leather workshop is Giacomo Cortesi, who previously was the production manager for Ermenegildo Zegna. 

Like the Minerva Instut de Recherché, this facility serves as an atelier for bespoke leather pieces, a restoration workshop but more importantly a prototype testing laboratory.  Within its walls, Montblanc utilizes one arm "robots" to test the durability of shoulder straps.  There is also a climate control chamber so various leather products can be exposed to different climates to verify changes in appearance and function.

The Extreme leather line is the newest product from the Pelletteria.  The goal was to improve on the durability and performance of leather: to deliver abrasion resistance, better water repellence, and heat resistance.

The "Extreme" process starts off with a core of "vulcarbone" rubber.  Of course Vulcarbone rubber is not exclusive to Montblanc watches...in fact, it is the "go to" rubber material for all high end mechanical timepieces from Audemars Piguet to Richard Mille because of its silky feel, resistance to aging, and its exceptional mechanical and chemical properties.  This pyramid demonstrates the various elastomers on the market and their corresponding quantity and quality (TPE being the most common and lowest quality available)

Leather is then sewn on top of this rubber core and  then  the "secret Montblanc formula" is applied...a process which fuses with the leather (not just coats the surface) and gives it improved wear and tear properties. Here is a Montblanc employee showing off

It is an interesting collaboration to see...a sharing of ideas between two different Montblanc departments.

Now we need to just wait and see how comfortable this new "leather hybrid" is and whether or not it really lives up to its durability hype...I'll have more on this soon

Enjoy, Mike

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