Rolex
Introducing The Montblanc Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen LE290 Is A Breath Of Fresh Air
And in exciting brand ambassador news, the maison has tapped mountaineer Nims Purja.
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What We Know
What do the summits of the 14 peaks that Nimsdai Purja climbed in 2019 have in common with Montblanc's new Geosphere Chronograph? They both contain far less oxygen than the air at sea level. Of course, a lack of oxygen at elevation is predictable, but as for the watch, it's been entirely encased without oxygen. The thinking behind this is that it can both eliminate fogging, which can happen during latitude changes, and preserve the movement by preventing oxidation.
If the Zero Oxygen tech works, then the caliber MB 29.27 inside the watch will stay newer for longer. It's a complex caliber, with a chronograph function, the date at three o'clock, and a 30-minute counter. Then there's a 12-hour counter at nine o'clock and turning Northern and Southern hemisphere globes at 12 o'clock. Not to be left out, six o'clock is paired with a 24-hour scale and day-night indication. In short, exactly the type of information that's useful to a mountaineer.
Nims Purja
You might already be familiar with Nimsdai from the incredibly popular documentary, 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. It follows him and his team of Sherpas on a journey to climb every peak taller than 26,000 feet in seven months, 14 total. I won't spoil the film, but I will say that if you're a Swiss watch brand with ties to mountaineering then Nimsdai is the climber you want representing your brand. If you've seen the "traffic jam" photo on Everest, then you're also familiar with the work of Nimsdai.
What We Think
On the caseback, you'll find a depiction of Mt. Everest, a scene that Nimsdai is intimately familiar with. The caseback pays homage to another great mountaineer on Montblanc's roster, Reinhold Messner. It highlights the route he took on his ascent in 1978. In 1980, he became the first person to summit Everest solo.
According to Montblanc, Nimsdai will wear the watch on an Everest expedition this month.
While I personally find the zero oxygen aspect of the new Geosphere Chronograph a bit over the top, I consider Montblanc signing Nimsdai as one of the greatest "gets" in the modern watch landscape. There's a distinct sense of authenticity with Nims, and his mission is progressive and exciting. He's known for returning the glory of conquering the Himalayas back to the Sherpas. On top of that, he served as a member of the UK Special Boat Services, and prior to that, he served as a Ghurka.
He's the real deal. I'm paying more attention to what Montblanc is doing simply because of the brand ambassador. Solid move on everyone's part.
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The Basics
Brand: Montblanc
Model: GeosphereChronograph 0 Oxygen LE290
Reference Number: 129624
Diameter: 44mm
Thickness: 17mm
Case Material: Titanium
Dial Color: Black and blue
Indexes: Super-LumiNova blue line luminescent Arabic numeral
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap/Bracelet: Blue Sfumato calf leather strap with titanium buckle
The Movement
Caliber: MB 29.27
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph with world time complication
Power Reserve: 46 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800vph
Jewels: 33
Pricing & Availability
Price: $8,600
Availability: Through Montblanc and authorized dealers
Limited Edition: Yes, 290 pieces
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