the shouts of nearly 73,000...

+ watch journal review A DIFFERENT BREED | MONTBLANC SPONSORS THE BREEDERS’ CUP TEXT BY: LAURIE KAHLE As those assembled in Montblanc’s viewing suite grappled with the disappointing finish, Jan-Patrick Schmitz, the brand’s North American president and CEO, made his way to the Winner’s Circle to present Blame’s owner with a special edition Nicolas Rieussec stainless steel automatic chronograph ($9,200). Montblanc produced 10 pieces with Breeders’ Cup–purple stitching on the strap and a special box—two of which were awarded to the winners of the Classic and Ladies’ Classic races. “The Breeders’ Cup is one of the highest-level horse races,” says Schmitz. “At face value, it’s a sporting event, but it’s much more a lifestyle and cultural event. People who enjoy it also appreciate fine timepieces and our culture as well. This first race-edition watch allows us to connect with people who enjoy the lifestyle and want to capture the emotion of what’s happening here by owning one.” Montblanc and horse racing may seem like an odd pairing, but the brand’s sponsorship of the event reflects a genuine connection between the sport and the brand’s first in-house movement—the hand-wound MB R100 column-wheel chronograph with vertical disc clutch, which debuted in 2008’s Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph. It was Nicolas Rieussec who long ago conceived a practical race timing mechanism. At a race in 1821, Rieussec demon- strated his groundbreaking device, which used a clock movement, ink-filled markers and two rotating discs—a seconds disc that completed a revolution every minute and a minutes disc that made a complete rotation every hour. By pushing the markers onto the discs when each horse crossed the finish line, he was able to measure the horses’ times with incredible accuracy. He had invented the first chronograph, or “time writer,” and the correlation of the term is not lost on the famous German pen manufacturer. Having acquired the rights to the Nicolas Rieussec name, Montblanc’s watchmakers drew on his machine for inspiration in creating a distinctive monopusher chronograph that indicates elapsed time with two fixed hands poised above two turning discs—the seconds and minutes counters— mounted in low-friction ruby bearings. Montblanc also developed the MB R200, an automatic movement with a second time zone, date and day/night display, in their watchmaking facility in Le Locle, Switzerland. Schmitz described the strange atmosphere of the Winner’s Circle, where the stunned group remained virtually speechless. Of course, once the cameras started to roll, broadcasting to a worldwide audience, everyone snapped to attention. Win or lose, Zenyatta made Montblanc’s second sponsorship of the Breeders’ Cup the race seen ’round the world with a record- breaking audience, although that’s little consolation to Mike Smith, who will forever lament holding his star horse back for even a fraction of a second too long. 800.995.4810, montblanc.com The shouts of nearly 73,000 people crescendoed to a roar as Zenyatta, the tall mare with the perfect record, rounded the corner for the home stretch in her final race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic held last November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. In her characteristic dramatic style, 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 collective groan 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 142 : | WATCHJOURNAL.COM Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Photos courtesy Montblanc USA

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Page 1: The shouts of nearly 73,000 peopleateliermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/REVIEW_Montblan… · connect with people who enjoy the lifestyle and want to capture the emotion

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

14204:2011 | WATC H J O U R N A L .COM

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