The New Limited Edition Montblanc TimeWalker II TwinFly Chronograph GreyTech.

During the SIHH watch fair in Geneva, Frank Geelen of the watch blog Monochrome got his hands on time with the new Montblanc TimeWalker II TwinFly Chronograph GreyTech, one of the highlights of the show. The watch is a new ‘Monochrome’ version of the stainless steel TimeWalker TwinFly that Montblanc introduced last year.

The new Montblanc Timewalker Twinfly Chronograph “GreyTech” is a Limited edition (888 pieces) and has a 43mm titanium case, automatic mechanical Montblanc caliber LL1100 (column wheel, flyback chrono). The watch is expected to be available in autumn of 2012.



Geelen's review of the new watch:
"The Montblanc TimeWalker II TwinFly Chronograph GreyTech features the impressive in-house movement, calibre MB LL100. Like the first calibre-family, which is used in the magnificent Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph, it has a double mainspring barrel offering a power reserve of 72 hours and a twin flyback chronograph that is controlled through a column wheel and vertical clutch!

The in-house movement is very impressive and when considering the price of the TwinFly, it’s even better. The specifications and the fact it’s an in-house movement, are usually not found on watches in the same price range.



The case of the Montblanc TimeWalker II TwinFly Chronograph has the familiar TimeWalker design with skeletonized lugs. This particular GreyTech version, which is limited to 888 pieces, has a monochrome design. The dial is skeletonized to reveal the date wheel, which is grey with black numerals. The design of the case is in two tones of grey, both being the result of a different finish. The crown features the well-known Montblanc logo.



With a diameter of 43 mm it wears great and if you’re afraid it might be too large than by all means go and try one at a local AD. Because the case tapers from top to bottom, it wears relatively small, which is further enhanced because of the quite short lugs. Altogether it wears very comfortable. The material of the case, titanium, also adds to this because it’s quite light.



The Montblanc TimeWalker II TwinFly Chronograph GreyTech comes on a grey alligator strap, with a skeletonized titanium clasp.



The design of this version is quite distinct; sporty with an elegant touch. Not everybody likes a sporty watch and not everybody is into watches with a titanium case. During the SIHH I met several journalists, friends and other guests and discussed the timepiece with them. To my surprise everybody liked the watch and even before showing the watch, people were already staring at my wrist.



On Monochrome you can read a more extensive review. The conclusion will be the same; I’m (still) very impressed by the Montblanc TimeWalker II TwinFly Chronograph and I think the GreyTech with its ‘Monochrome’ design looks absolutely stunning." -- Frank Geelen for Monochrome



Specs:
Case: titanium
Diameter: 43mm
Height: 15.3mm
Water resistance: 30 meters
Movement: MB LL100 automatic
Jewels: 36
Frequency: 28’800 V/pH
Power Reserve: 72-hours
Functions: hours, minutes, flyback chrono, GMT, date
Strap: alligator strap

source: Montblanc

Montblanc Unveil's Two-Faced Watch, The Metamorphosis

above: The Montblanc Metamorphosis in action

One of the most talked about and exciting new watches at this year's SIHH was Montblanc's TimeWriter 1: Metamorphosis. One watch, that through methods from the art of automaton construction, changes into another watch, right before your eyes.



By moving a slide down or up, this timepiece changes from a wristwatch with hour, minute, second display to a chronograph and vice versa.




TimeWriter I: One watch – two faces


The first watch of the TimeWriter series, the Metamorphosis, is based on the Montblanc chronograph calibre MBM 16.29 and derives its name from its unique dual functions and faces: By moving a slide down or up, the Metamorphosis changes from simple time indication to a chronograph and vice versa.

The first face: The Classic Time
In the standard timekeeping mode, the watch displays hours, minutes and date and has a rather conservatively elegant appearance with Roman numerals in classic silver and black colours. The lower half of the dial displays an unusual circular date display.



A sliding mechanism starts the transformation process of the watch: By pressing the slide on the left-hand flank from “10” to “8” the watch starts with its metamorphosis process that lasts approximately 15 seconds and magically transforms it from the time indicating mode into a chronograph.

The second face: The Chronograph
The metamorphosis itself can best be compared to a scene change at the theatre: wings of the dial open up, slide under one another, and disappear to the left and right beneath the middle section of the dial.



After the transformation, this masterpiece of mechanical timekeeping presents a face devoted entirely to the chronograph function. Emphasising the watch’s second function as a sports timer, the face displays Arabic numerals with red markers. The subdial, in the form of a rotating disc, now takes the stage as the minute counter. The existing hands and dials assume new roles as part of the chronograph.

The two inventors, Johnny Girardin and Franck Orny, came up with the idea of a timepiece that could literally and mechanically change its appearance before our very eyes. For over a year, they worked alongside the designers and watchmakers in the Institut Minerva de Recherche en Haute Horlogerie to transform their initial idea into a watch.


above: the inventors of the Montblanc Metamorphosis Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin

Although the principle of a watch with different functions is nothing entirely new, the way in which the Montblanc Metamorphosis transforms itself from one watch face to the other, has never been seen before. It is a highly complex process, involving 50 individual components that move technically synchronously. The mechanisms involved in this process are so new and innovative (The complication adds 315 extra parts to the original 252 parts of the Minerva Kaliber 16-29 hand-wound movement) that they’ve been registered for patent.

The Metamorphosis watch will only be available in a limited edition of 28 pieces. Price is still unknown as of yet.


all information and images courtesy of Montblanc.