For those who love a good story, the one told by Montblanc is among the most unusual. It brings together a legendary writing instrument, a writer recognized by some historians and scientists as the world’s oldest author, and an Haute Horlogerie watch by Montblanc. There is no unity of time or place in this narrative: the action takes place in Germany in 1924, the country of origin of Montblanc’s famous Meisterstück fountain pen; in Mesopotamia, where the author lived around 2300 BC; as well as in Switzerland, where Montblanc develops and produces its watches.
The guiding thread is Montblanc Watches’ three-fold quest for excellence, creativity and innovation, illustrated this year with an exceptional ten-piece limited edition. The Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon Skeleton Enheduanna is as strong in symbols as it is in expertise, reflecting in several ways the strategic course set by Laurent Lecamp since he took over as CEO of Montblanc Watches in January 2021. “When I arrived at Montblanc, after an initial analysis, I told myself it was imperative to refocus the brand on its history”, he explains. “It’s a form of innovation I refer to as ‘back to the roots’. We break with current codes to return to our roots, our DNA, to recreate, readapt or re-enchant what we do with a 360-degree vision.”
A DOUBLE TRIBUTE
This 360-degree vision is an integral part of the Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon Skeleton Enheduanna. Firstly, the “back to the roots” concept is symbolically illustrated by the tribute paid to the 100th anniversary of the Meisterstück, the flagship Montblanc writing instrument collection. The watch designed by the Manufacture also celebrates the Sumerian writer Enheduanna, a princess of the Akkad dynasty who lived in the 23rd century BCE. Instated by her father as high priestess to the god Nanna in the city of Ur – home to one the divinity’s main sanctuaries in the land of Sumer – Enheduanna wrote three hymns, including two in honor of the goddess Innana. Some of her literary work has survived across successive millennia to come down to us, making her the oldest known female writer of any gender. This double tribute can be seen in the rich ornamentation of this watch, inviting one on a journey through time and history.
A WORLD OF DETAILS
The journey begins with the case. “It’s the first thing you see”, says Laurent Lecamp. The Montblanc teams designed it to resemble a ziggurat, a Mesopotamian religious complex built on a square base with several superimposed floors. This tiered marble case is engraved with Sumerian text, prefiguring all the symbolism distilled by Montblanc in the Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon Skeleton Enheduanna. “We spent over 18 months researching Enheduanna and her work, notably in collaboration with a professor in the Department of Ancient Sciences at the University of Geneva, and we have injected into the timepiece everything we know about her to date, which is still likely to evolve”, continues Laurent Lecamp.
This timepiece reveals itself as a world of details. The 44.8mm yellow gold case is finely engraved with a quotation from the author and the name Montblanc, translated into Sumerian characters. Beneath the off-centered onyx dial lies an engraving of a quotation from Enheduanna placed above the Exo Tourbillon. At 12 o’clock, a crescent moon evokes the lunar god Nanna, highlighted by a frieze inspired by a royal game of Ur, a Mesopotamian pastime. To complete the picture, the seconds counter is engraved with Sumerian numerals and the number 10, in reference to the number of timepieces composing this limited edition powered by a magnificent Manufacture movement developed and assembled in Villeret, within the walls of the Manufacture Minerva, a guarantee of precision and respect for the highest standards of Haute Horlogerie.
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