The perfecting by watchmakers of an Annual Calendar complication (Quantième Annuel in French) means that watch owners now only need to give a thought to their date settings once a year, carrying out a simple manual operation on the morning of 1st March. During the rest of the year, and for as long as the watch is wound and working, this sophisticated mechanism will automatically ensure the required settings of all calendar displays (day, date, month and moon phase).

An Effective Annual Calendar Complication

For the Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Annuel Vasco da Gama Diamonds watch, the calendar displays (i.e. the day at 9 o'clock, date at 3 o'clock and month at 12 o'clock) are governed by an Annual Calendar complication. This mechanism automatically controls the number of days to be displayed according to the length of the current month (i.e. 30 or 31 days), but nevertheless requires a manual setting in the case of February, which has 28 or 29 days depending on the year in question. Montblanc has also opted to include a moonphase indication in this model. Operated by an independent gear-train, this original display is set separately from the annual calendar complication.

An Original Moonphase Display

The unique moonphase indicator is embedded in a depiction of the starry firmament in the Southern Hemisphere. The Southern Cross is readily visible, especially the delicate reddish colour of the star named Gamma in this distinctive constellation. If one looks closely, one can also see the Cross’s other three stars Alpha, Beta and Delta, along with other stars as they appeared to the Portuguese seafarers in 1497. To display the phases of the moon, the beautiful blue-lacquered constellation holds an aperture for a golden turning disc below featuring the moon in the night sky. The emulation of the heavens was created with the utmost fidelity.

An Elegant Case

The Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Annuel Vasco da Gama Diamonds, featuring a silvery-white dial with a delicate sunburst pattern and appliqué indexes, is fitted with a 40 mm-diameter case with a thickness of only 9.5 mm, crafted in 18 K red gold. Its classic lines are enhanced by the presence of a bezel set with 72 brilliant-cut diamonds. Projecting a thousand points of light at the slightest movement of the wrist, they shine out like the glittering stars of the constellations, and in particular like those of the Southern Cross against the backdrop of the Milky Way. As a result of this association with the stars, the Montblanc Heritage Chronométrie Quantième Annuel Vasco da Gama Diamonds is naturally affiliated with to the São Gabriel, the flagship on which Vasco da Gama traced his route with the aid of the stars making up the Southern Cross. This is also the reason why this new series, with its sapphire crystal case back decorated with a sketch of the historic sailing vessel and the intrepid discover's signature, is launched in a limited edition of 90 pieces. This highly symbolic number corresponds to the southern-most visibility point of the Southern Cross constellation at 90°.