Central to Montblanc’s identity are the mountains, which also take their name from the famous Mont Blanc peak in the Alps. It’s more than just a matter of home image: the mountain has always been a symbol of adventure, challenge, strength, and spiritual uplift.
The new Montblanc 8000 Capsule range highlights the 14 highest mountain peaks in the world. These mountains, which are more than 8,000 meters above sea level, are challenging and dangerous to climb because there is enough oxygen for the human body to survive for more than a few hours. Montblanc’s Reinhold Messner was the first to climb all 14 summits without supplemental oxygen between 1970 and 1986. Nimsdai Purja, one of Montblanc’s newest mark-makers, was the fastest person to climb all 14 summits in 2019.
The four models of the Montblanc 1858 Zero Oxygen The 8000 Capsule collection join the “Zero Oxygen” series of watches for the house, which offer many benefits for adventurers who need to use their gear in extreme environments. Oxygen-free watch cases not only protect against moisture, which can occur with sharp temperature changes in the mountains, but also prevent oxidation. Without oxygen, all parts will last longer and provide unchanged precision over time.
Each watch features a dark gray Glacier Sfumato dial, which mimics the color of rock and ice at an altitude of 8,000 meters and darkens towards the outer surface of the dial. The Sfumato effect is an ancient Italian technique in which tones and colors gradually blend into each other, creating smooth lines and blurry shapes. To create the icy pattern, watchmakers used a special technique called gratté-boisé as a base. This process takes three times longer than a standard watch face and involves more than 20 separate steps.
