Turn Me On: The Montblanc Star Legacy Green Exploding Star Limited Editions
These two limited editions explore the artistic possibilities of the engine-turned dial at an accessible price point.
As the current tide in watchmaking has started to turn back toward more formal timepieces, there’s been more and more discussion about high-end finishing techniques such as guilloché.
Guilloché is a finishing technique that involves two sets of skills. First, an intricate and repetitive pattern is engraved into an underlying metal using a hand-operated lathe called a rose engine (hence the name of the process: engine turning).
Once the engraving is complete, the design is usually coated with layers of enamel that fill in the valleys of the engraved lines and highlight the design with subtle shades of color. The deeper the lines are carved, the more intense the color of the enamel becomes.
This sophisticated method is often reserved for haute horlogerie pieces, commanding high price tags. Still, the decoration can be replicated at a much more accessible price point by using a special stamp.
That is why the Montblanc Star Legacy Green Exploding Star limited edition timepieces are so exciting: The brand has once again brought the beauty of guilloché to its Stary Legacy collection via a special stamp featuring an exploding star pattern.
Star Signs
The Montblanc emblem was first introduced in 1913, representing a bird’s eye view of the Mont Blanc Mountain with its six glacier valleys. But it can also be read as a star. This iconic insignia ultimately inspired the brand’s sporty yet elegant Star Legacy watch line, which launched in 1997.
The Star Legacy collection has been marked by a few distinct details since its debut. The models feature onion-shaped crowns and polished, pebble-shaped cases derived from Minerva pocket watches of the late 19th and early 20th century. The Star Legacy is also instantly recognizable thanks to its pointed rhodium-coated, sword-shaped hands.
Montblanc clearly did not want to tinker too much with the design codes of the Star Legacy, but with some of the latest additions to the line, the brand has pushed the envelope by using decorative techniques.
For instance, in 2023, Montblanc introduced two limited edition timepieces with blue guilloché dials meant to replicate the aerial view of the Mont Blanc Mountain with an exploding star motif featuring finely etched undulating waves that radiate outward from the brand’s iconic logo.
Now, the exploding star motif is back with two new limited editions and a new green colorway.
It Takes Two
The Star Legacy Green Exploding Star Limited Editions consist of two timepieces: an Automatic Date and a Chronograph Day and Date. With each iteration, Montblanc has thoughtfully married the history and gravitas of the guilloché process with the sporty DNA of these models.
The less is more mood of the Star Legacy Automatic Date provides the hours, minutes, seconds, and date set against the stunning green pattern dial. It’s all powered by the MB24.17 automatic movement, which offers a power reserve of around 38 hours.
Alliteratively, the Star Legacy Chronograph Day & Date features the same rich green wavy textured dial as the base. However, the display is a little more complicated because of the small seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock and the chronograph counters at twelve and six o’clock. Of course, the verdant theme continues on all three sunray-green registers and the green flange.
Importantly, thanks to the domed sapphire crystal, the Chronograph Day & Night’s dial configuration is still elegant and easy to read. Meanwhile, it is powered by the automatic winding Calibre MB 25.07 movement, which provides about 48 hours of running time.
Both versions come in stainless steel cases with alternating satin-finished and polished details. Given the trend toward smaller dress watches, the generous 43mm case size makes the dials feel less fussy while still feeling dressed up.
Finally, each iteration comes equipped with the option of two interchangeable straps: one in green calf leather featuring an alligator print with a stainless-steel triple-folding clasp and the other a classic stainless-steel bracelet.
Pricing & Availability
The Star Legacy Green Exploding Star Automatic Date and Chronograph Day & Date are limited to 800 pieces each. The straightforward date version is priced at $3,345, whereas the addition of the chronograph will set you back $5,400.
To learn more, head over to Montblanc’s website.