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watch­­­­journal­reviewA DIFFERENT BREED | MONTBLANC SPONSORS THE BREEDERS’ CUP

TEXT BY: LAURIE KAHLE

As those assembled inMontblanc’s viewing suite grappled with the disappointingfinish, Jan-Patrick Schmitz, thebrand’s North American presidentand CEO, made his way to theWinner’s Circle to presentBlame’s owner with a specialedition Nicolas Rieussec stainlesssteel automatic chronograph($9,200). Montblanc produced10 pieces with Breeders’Cup–purple stitching on thestrap and a special box—two ofwhich were awarded to thewinners of the Classic andLadies’ Classic races.

“The Breeders’ Cup is one ofthe highest-level horse races,”says Schmitz. “At face value, it’s asporting event, but it’s much

more a lifestyle and culturalevent. People who enjoy it alsoappreciate fine timepieces andour culture as well. This firstrace-edition watch allows us toconnect with people who enjoythe lifestyle and want to capturethe emotion of what’s happeninghere by owning one.”

Montblanc and horse racingmay seem like an odd pairing,but the brand’s sponsorship ofthe event reflects a genuineconnection between the sportand the brand’s first in-housemovement—the hand-woundMB R100 column-wheelchronograph with vertical disc clutch, which debuted in2008’s Nicolas RieussecMonopusher Chronograph.

It was Nicolas Rieussec wholong ago conceived a practicalrace timing mechanism. At arace in 1821, Rieussec demon-strated his groundbreakingdevice, which used a clockmovement, ink-filled markersand two rotating discs—a secondsdisc that completed a revolutionevery minute and a minutes discthat made a complete rotationevery hour. By pushing themarkers onto the discs wheneach horse crossed the finishline, he was able to measurethe horses’ times with incredibleaccuracy. He had invented thefirst chronograph, or “timewriter,” and the correlation of theterm is not lost on the famousGerman pen manufacturer.

Having acquired the rightsto the Nicolas Rieussec name,Montblanc’s watchmakers drewon his machine for inspirationin creating a distinctivemonopusher chronographthat indicates elapsed timewith two fixed hands poisedabove two turning discs—theseconds and minutes counters—mounted in low-friction rubybearings. Montblanc alsodeveloped the MB R200, anautomatic movement with asecond time zone, date andday/night display, in theirwatchmaking facility in Le Locle, Switzerland.

Schmitz described the strangeatmosphere of the Winner’sCircle, where the stunned groupremained virtually speechless.Of course, once the camerasstarted to roll, broadcasting toa worldwide audience, everyonesnapped to attention. Win orlose, Zenyatta made Montblanc’ssecond sponsorship of theBreeders’ Cup the race seen’round the world with a record-breaking audience, althoughthat’s little consolation toMike Smith, who will foreverlament holding his star horseback for even a fraction of asecond too long.800.995.4810, montblanc.com

The shouts of nearly 73,000 peoplecrescendoed to a roar as Zenyatta, the tall mare with the perfect record, roundedthe corner for the home stretch in her final race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic heldlast November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. In her characteristic dramaticstyle, she quickly advanced from the back of the pack. Despite the crowd’s willing her to overtake her rival Blame, their cheers turned into a huge collectivegroan as she lost by a head in a photo finish, devastating her jockey, Mike Smith.

The running of the Classic

Michael Tabor, the winningest owner of the Breeders’ Cup year, and

Montblanc’s Jan-Patrick Schmitz interviewed at Churchill Downs

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