A Legacy In Ink

Brimming with historical and cultural significance, Montblanc’s new Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph limited edition cross-pollinates the brand’s histories in horology and writing instruments.

-  Alvin Wong

ALWAYS GAME FOR a theatrical presentation, Laurent Lecamp, the managing director of Montblanc's watch division, is in his element when presenting the new Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph limited edition watch.

"Are you ready?" he asks, pausing for dramatic effect. Without waiting for an answer, Lecamp reaches for a tiny ultraviolet (UV) torch and shines it across the watch's dial. As he does so, illustrations on the black dial are illuminated with an ethereal blue hue, glowing and disappearing just as quickly with the movement of the UV light.

"It is a secret," says Lecamp when asked about the dial's unusual luminescence. Unlike regular SuperLumiNova treatment that gets 'charged up' and stays illuminated in the dark, the version on this watch glows only under the presence of UV light.

What is more obvious, however, is the dial's artwork. The design is a blueprint of Montblanc's iconic Meisterstück fountain pen from the 1920s-including the dimension table of the Montblanc logo that features on the cap of every Meisterstück and on the crown of Montblanc timepieces.