For many collectors, Montblanc is synonymous with fine writing instruments and leather craftsmanship. Less widely understood is that the maison is also home to one of Swiss watchmaking’s most historically significant manufacturers: Minerva, which I have had the privilege of visiting.
Founded in 1858 in Villeret, Switzerland, Minerva built its reputation on highly sophisticated chronographs and movement innovation long before joining the Montblanc universe. Today, that same historic manufacture remains a centre of excellence where traditional hand-finishing, in-house movement development, and small-scale artisanal production continue under Montblanc’s stewardship. Every movement is still assembled by a single watchmaker, preserving an approach increasingly rare in contemporary haute horlogerie.
This year, Minerva again shows why it deserves serious attention from collectors, as Montblanc unveils three remarkable timepieces that showcase the manufacture’s heritage, mechanical ingenuity, and aesthetic daring.
The Unveiled Secret: A New Dimension
Minerva’s The Unveiled Secret returns in a newly proportioned 39mm case, bringing greater wearability and a fresh visual identity in a rich wine-red colourway.
The reduced dimensions from the original 43mm version required the development of an entirely new patented calibre, the manually wound M13.26, designed specifically for the smaller case. This monopusher chronograph reverses the traditional movement architecture, placing its intricate chronograph works on the dial side for full visibility.
Crafted mainly from rhodium-plated German silver, the movement is painstakingly decorated and finished by hand. The result is mesmerising. Through an open-worked dial reduced to three suspended rings and an outer chapter ring, the movement’s architecture becomes the visual focal point. The signature Minerva arrow, the distinctive V-shaped chronograph bridge (inspired by a naturally formed shape in the nearby mountains), and the beautifully finished balance assembly are all on display.
The deep wine-red dial treatment, echoed by a matching alligator strap, introduces warmth and modernity to a movement ingrained in traditional chronograph watchmaking.
There are two limited editions: an 18-piece solid rose-gold version set with 84 brilliant-cut diamonds on Minerva’s signature fluted bezel, and a 58-piece two-tone edition pairing a rose-gold bezel with a stainless-steel case.
The Unveiled Crownless: Reinventing Interaction
Perhaps the most conceptually fascinating of the trio is The Unveiled Crownless, Minerva’s first crownless wristwatch.
It draws directly on Minerva’s history of bezel-activated functionality, dating back to the 1920s, when military pilots’ watches were designed for use while wearing gloves.
Here, the signature fluted bezel is the key to the watch’s winding and time-setting functions. A discreet lever integrated into the caseback switches between modes, preserving the symmetry of the 41.5mm case.
To achieve this, Minerva developed the entirely new Calibre M15.08, a manually wound small-seconds movement offering an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Running at a traditional 18 000 vibrations per hour (2.5Hz), it features rhodium-plated German silver bridges, Geneva striping, hand-polished bevelled edges, and a free-sprung balance with an in-house hairspring.
Aesthetically, the watch channels vintage Minerva references from the 1950s. Its dark green guilloché signature gold-coloured dial, with gold-coated indexes, yellow-gold-coated hour, minute and seconds hands, and perfectly balanced crownless silhouette, delivers classical elegance with quietly radical engineering beneath.
It fastens with a dark green alligator leather strap and a triple-folding clasp with a fine-adjustment system.
The Unveiled Chronograph: Mechanical Theatre
If the Crownless is restrained innovation, the Unveiled Chronograph is an unapologetic spectacle.
Limited to 30 pieces, this 43mm yellow-gold monopusher chronograph offers an expansive view of the reversed Calibre M17.26 through an almost invisible sapphire dial and five apertures cut into the mid-case.
This unusual architecture allows light to illuminate the movement from multiple angles, creating visual depth rarely encountered in traditional chronograph design.
Its latest execution introduces rich, brown-coated bridges and plates, paired with a matching sfumato alligator strap that adds dramatic contrast to the warm yellow-gold case.
The familiar brown-coated, V-shaped Minerva bridge dominates the dial side, while the cathedral-style hour hand and syringe minute hand (both luminescent), along with the fluted bezel, reference chronographs of the 1930s.
Comprising 291 components, the manually wound calibre offers a 50-hour power reserve. It incorporates the precision-focused details collectors expect from Minerva, including a free-sprung balance and extensive hand-finishing throughout.
Why Minerva Matters
These three timepieces are a reminder that behind Montblanc lies one of watchmaking’s most authentic manufactures, one that still creates movements by hand in the same Villeret building where Minerva began 168 years ago.
Adding to their collectability is their presentation in a box with a secret opening system that creates a playful experience for the owner. Its natural walnut veneer forms the base for a stainless-steel plate featuring an engraving of the Minerva manufacture and the RFV logo with Minerva’s arrow. Villeret’s location is also shown on the latch, which includes an engraving of the village’s coat of arms.
For collectors willing to look beyond the familiar names dominating haute horlogerie conversations, Minerva offers something increasingly rare: true manufacture credibility, technical originality, and historical legitimacy.
In a world crowded with heritage storytelling, Minerva’s is the real thing.
