How did such a bold idea — a watch with no oxygen inside its case — come to life? It all started with a conversation that sparked a horological revolution.
“Reinhold Messner is a Montblanc brand ambassador, explains Laurent Lecamp. He was the first mountaineer to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks — over 8,000 meters — without supplemental oxygen. He achieved this between 1970 and 1986. Just imagine: being the first to reach the world’s highest summits with no additional oxygen, when scientists warned him he would never come back. And yet he did it. That’s an extraordinary achievement.
One evening in La Chaux-de-Fonds, we were discussing the concept of 0 Oxygen. I suggested to him that we create a watch with no oxygen inside. He said, ‘Well, it's a great idea, let’s do it.’
A groundbreaking challenge taking shape
Montblanc succeeded in creating, for the first time in the history of watchmaking, a timepiece that contains absolutely no oxygen. Of course, it’s not a vacuum — nature abhors emptiness — so the oxygen was replaced with nitrogen, a stable, neutral gas.
The results exceeded expectations. Consider the practical benefits: imagine flying from Switzerland to Singapore. Inside the plane, temperatures are steady at around 20°C. Step off in Singapore. With this temperature shift, condensation often forms inside a traditional watch. But with the 0 Oxygen concept, that risk simply vanishes.
Beyond practicality, longevity
Lecamp continues: “Do you know why we age? Every time we breathe, oxygen enters our cells and begins to oxidize them. The same happens inside a watch: components slowly degrade due to oxidation. By eliminating oxygen, we drastically slow down that process. It's better for the movement, for the oils, for everything. »
That’s what makes the concept not just innovative — but revolutionary. This year, Montblanc extended the 0 Oxygen concept to its Iced Sea models. Even existing owners can upgrade their watches by visiting a boutique.
Theory needs practice.
Lecamp took the concept to the ultimate test. “I ran a marathon in Antarctica with Simon Messner, Reinhold’s son. It was minus 30°C. Most mechanical and smartwatches failed under those conditions. But both Simon and I wore the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen South Pole Exploration Limited Edition. After 42 kilometers and 200 meters — and believe me, those 200 meters really matter — we crossed the finish line hand in hand. Our watches were flawless: no condensation, no failure.
Meanwhile, many other watches had stopped, fogged up by the temperature difference between the tents and the icy outdoors. Only the Montblanc pieces were still ticking.”
From the Alps to the poles, from concept to summit — Montblanc’s 0 Oxygen proves that sometimes, less really is more.
