This article was originally published in the November/December 2022 issue of WatchTime print magazine.
Its name refers to one of Switzerland's most iconic mountains, Mont Blanc is a German company founded in Hamburg in 1906. He quickly became known for his high-quality fountain pens, and in 1952 his fame reached a new dimension with the introduction of his famous 149, which is still one of the brand's signature products. Did. In 1935, Montblanc opened its first workshop for the production of fine leather goods, and in 1997 the brand's first watch was born. We offered watches with both quartz and mechanical movements. The latter gained impulses when he became one with Minerva.This historically important movement manufacturing The designer, who hails from the town of Villeret in the Swiss Jura region, has enabled Montblanc to expand its collection with sophisticated in-house movements and majestic complications.
new technology
Currently, these are also the three pillars of the brand, but Montblanc is keen to add a fourth pillar to this: New Technology. According to Dr. Felix Obshonka, director of this division at Montblanc, the brand took this step because it wants to enrich the daily life of its customers with its products, and today with technologically advanced products. Because I think so. From smart watches and headphones to reinforced paper, a variety of products are being developed to provide the best possible service, with more to be added soon. Obshonka says the brand is only looking to expand into technical areas that already match his DNA of Montblanc originals.
Montblanc uses reinforced paper to digitize its underlying products. The Leather Map includes a notebook and a special version of the brand's StarWalker ballpoint pen that allows you to digitize the notes and drawings you make. A special app allows you to sync and organize these handwritten notes, cleverly combining a traditional high-quality writing experience with high-tech features. Montblanc takes a similar tack with its headphones, drawing on its expertise in the field of leather goods. The result is the lightweight aluminum wireless over-the-ear headphones MB 01 with active noise cancellation and over 20 hours of battery life.
Summit 3: Rising to new heights
In 2017, Montblanc took its first step into the world of smartwatches with the introduction of the Summit 1. This is a very bold move, one shared by only a handful of other traditional Swiss watch brands, but one that fits perfectly with their offering strategy. We offer our clients the best of the past and the present. Earlier this year, Montblanc launched the third generation of its smartwatch, aptly named Summit 3.
In a recent conversation, Obshonka pointed out the differences with this latest generation and the challenges he and his team will have to overcome to make Summit 3 a reality. Unlike mechanical watches, technological advances dictate the pace here. It's the first smartwatch to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus chip and Wear OS 3, providing plenty of performance. The improved heart rate monitor now also measures blood oxygen, and the software has a wider range of fitness features. Obshonka explains that while it is important to be on par with competitors, there is no need to outperform them in this area. What makes Summit 3 so great is the overall experience, it's more than just the sum of its parts.
size and sophistication
He and his team worked to hit the sweet spot in terms of dimensions. The battery plays a big role here, as many customers want a watch that enjoys a generous power reserve but at the same time is not too bulky. Montblanc has done just that with a diameter of just over 42 mm and a thickness of 14 mm. The Summit 3 fits comfortably on your wrist, and thanks to its slim bezel, it's almost all dial. This makes the various functions easier to read and brings to life the dial, which takes inspiration from the brand's famous mechanical models. The piston-shaped pusher is even easier to operate than the one-piece version of the previous model. The finish of the case is on par with the brand's high-end mechanical watches, and the case back is also made of this material. All my expectations came true when I opened the box containing the Summit 3. Montblanc also comes with additional straps, allowing you to change the look of the watch accordingly.
It's useless to compare
Compared to mechanical watches, smartwatches seem to be more likely to be compared to their competitors based on their performance and specifications. This automatically recognizes the cheapest version that provides the best performance for your investment as the winner. Like the TAG Heuer Connected, the Montblanc Summit 3 will not be participating in this contest. It can live up to its status quo, but its purpose is not to satisfy the tech-savvy, but rather to satisfy (mechanical) watch enthusiasts who occasionally need the extra functionality that only a smartwatch can offer. To stay true to his DNA at Montblanc, Mr. Obshonka and his team worked closely with his colleagues at Montblanc. manufacturing We combine these two worlds into one in Switzerland. As technology advances and the range of products of this kind further expands, old school and high tech will coexist at Montblanc in the future.
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