Introducing The Montblanc Metamorphosis II, A New Mega Chronograph From The House Of Minerva

September 28, 2014

Remember 2010's incredible Montblanc Metamorphosis?C you know, the crazy in-house chronograph with two completely unique faces? Well, we are pleased to say that today were covering the Metamorphosis II (and other notables) live from Hong Kong at Watches and Wonders (be sure to stay tuned for more great updates). But first, let's get into what this new mega-complication means.The Metamorphosis II took four years to develop, which means that the group went to work immediately right after the release of the first Metamorphosis in 2010.? Montblanc took a formal path with this watch, whereas its predecessor was definitely on the sporty side (haute sporty). The case is highly polished rose gold with curved/hooded lugs C the surprise here is that it measures in at a whopping 52 mm wide by 15.8 mm high. This is in part due to the crown doubling as a mono-pusher and a rather high concave bezel. Regardless of its feuilles-shaped hands, those dimensions stretch even the most informal definitions of formal.?Like its predecessor, the watch is a regulator. There is a central minute hand and running seconds at the center of the dial, and there is an hour subdial at 12 oclock. ? The slider at 10 oclock, which looks like an activator of a minute-repeater, actually activates the metamorphosis. The subdials at 12 and 6 oclock actually split in half and retract into the case. This reveals two new subdials underneath. An hours subdial in Roman numerals at 12 oclock and a 30-minute counter wheel at 6 oclock. The running seconds at the center of the dial springs to a 12 oclock chronograph position and awaits activation by the mono-pusher. When youre done timing, use the slider again to re-cloak the chronographsub dials and have the seconds hand catch up to its proper running seconds position. All in all, rather cool theatrics.?The dial is gold-decorated throughout. And if you count, youll find eight different decorations on it. Theres satin finish on the classic time hour subdial, grain dorge (barley) guilloch on the center part, a fillet saut (raised edge) on the periphery of the entire dial, and a straight satin finished decorated date. Then after sliding into the chronograph mode, the hour dial now has a hand guillochd-spiral with a satinated tour around it, the subdials have dark Clous de Paris guilloch margins, and, as a cherry on top C theres the contemporary touch of a sapphire-crystal bridge that spans from 5 oclock to 7 oclock.? The manufacture movement MB M 67.40 is a hand-wound chronograph with horizontal clutch and column wheel. The main plate is of rhodium-plated nickel silver with circular graining on both sides. Geneva stripes decorate the Rhodium-plated bridges. It has a total of 746 components C 494 of which are dedicated to the metamorphosis function C and one of which is dedicated to a classic devils tail Minerva bridge.Montblanc has limited the manufacture of the Metamorphosis II to just 18 pieces (thats 10 less than its predecessor). Pricing has yet to be released, but it wouldnt be surprising if it is in the range of its predecessor C ballpark of $200,000.Below is a video on the Metamorphosis II prepared by Montblanc and you can read more here.