Montblanc’s Timewalker Automatic Chronograph: For the Ones Who Like to Race

Chronographs, classic cars and motor racing have long gone hand in hand, and Montblanc’s latest TimeWalker Automatic Chronograph is designed specifically with racers in mind. 

Finding its inspiration from Montblanc’s watchmaking Minerva Manufacture, which was known as an exclusive workshop producing high-quality instruments for measuring brief intervals of time with remarkable precision, the TimeWalker Automatic Chronograph combines the legendary timekeeping mechanisms of the past with a contemporary look and feel. The 43 mm timepiece comes in an 18 karat red gold case with a satin finish for a more automotive sporty look and better resistance to scratches. The horns, with their architectural and carved flanks, are semi-skeletonized like the air inlets of a car’s body. 

The dial, with its new brown backdrop, is enhanced by the hands, minute track, numerals and indexes all in plated red gold, accentuating the vertically aligned 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters that are reminiscent of the dashboards of classic racing cars. This strong colour contrast reinforces the dynamic performance of the timepiece and underlines its sporty elegance. Other distinctive details include a central red hand recording the chronograph seconds and featuring a tip that has been sculpted in the form of the Minerva arrow, an iconic symbol for the Maison, and a nod to Minerva’s legacy and heritage. For utmost visibility, both in the day and at night, the red gold-plated dauphine hands, indexes and 5-minute marking have been coated with Super-LumiNova®.

Completing the motor racing design, the timepiece is fitted with a smoked glass opening, reminiscent of the glass windows that cover powerful V12 engines. The black calf leather strap includes perforation holes, much like the leather driving gloves used back when steering wheels were made of wood and needed to be firmly gripped.