Montblanc's Metamorphosis

The luxury watchmaker Montblanc pulled out all the stops to launch its most ambitious watch to date, aptly called Metamorphosis. The one-day event began with an exclusive and private viewing of the Metamorphosis timepiece at the JW Marriott Hotel, then continued on to an afternoon press conference attended by a staggering amount of media from China and the Asia-Pacific. We were treated to a 15-minute film entitled In the Name Of Love, a story about a young couple’s relationship that begins and ends (happily, if I may add) with a visit to Villeret, home of Montblanc’s watch Institute. The short film stars two of China’s most popular heartthrobs, Ri Chen and Li Yuan, directed by the equally famous Chinese director Teng Hua Tao. The day culminated with a spectacular entertainment and food odyssey that included a high-voltage interactive performance by the famed Blue Man Group attended by international celebrities, VIPs and the press.

Transformer: The 18K white-gold face of the Metamorphosis, a classic timepiece and chronograph in one, which boasts 567 specially handcrafted parts put together over six months by two master watchmakers.

Costing several million euros, the meticulously planned whole-day affair played host to 500 working media, 380 from mainland China and the other 120 from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines (The Philippine STAR was the sole representative to this mega event). Joining us were the top brass from Montblanc, CEO Lutz Bethge, president and CEO for Asia-Pacific James Siano and country managers from Asia-Pacific. Completing the impressive list was Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage, a Montblanc brand ambassador, several of the most sought-after actors and actresses from mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea and, of course, VIPs and other personalities from Beijing. A jaw-dropping 2,000 guests attended the launch party.

A New Era For Montblanc, A New Era For China

The theme of the event was reflective of the transformative feature of the Metamorphosis watch. The Tank (a former operational gas tank), where guests were treated to a night of magic, music and motion, is located in D-Park, an old industrial/manufacturing zone resurrected in 2007. Today, D-Park is the most avant-garde and fashionable area in Beijing, home to design studios, modeling agencies, galleries and a boutique hotel. The Tank itself has since been reincarnated as the venue for world-class fashion shows, art exhibitions and cultural events and is equipped with state-of-the-art sound and video technology.

For the Metamorphosis launch, The Tank was converted in 10 days into a theater of dreams, as a 130-meter surround-sound video wall played stage to stunning, metallic costume-clad dancers moving to a backdrop of fire and video footage, drummers beating on gigantic 3D drums, operatic singers filling the venue with powerful music and, of course, the live creative mime of the ubiquitous Blue Man Group, in their first appearance in China.

Even the food took on an unusual visual character. Sticks of shrimp fritters in a box resembled French fries, fruit slices looked like popsicles, “ice cream” was salmon mousse in a cone and petite “chocolate” in wrappers were actually mushroom canapés. The food and drinks flowed and the crowd was in full-throttle party mode; the out-of-this world sound and visual entertainment plus the gastronomic treats were a total metamorphic experience.

The handcrafted Metamorphosis is the world’s first “double-faced” watch. Its handsome futuristic transformer dial and two faces-two functions design allows the watch to change from a regular-style civil time display complete with hour, minute and second hand to a chronograph and vice versa, with the simple upward and downward movement of a slide on the left side, all in 15 seconds. A mechanical feat and an industrial engineering coup, the Metamorphosis is an unprecedented union of innovation and tradition in a timepiece.

Meet the press: The stars of the short film made for Metamorphosis In the Name of Love Ri Chen and Li Yuan, Mr. Cabiddu, James Siano and film director Teng Hua Tao.

The Metamorphosis is the first watch created under the TimeWriter Program (2008), a project of Montblanc Villeret, the center founded by Montblanc and Institut Minerva, a 152-year-old institution reputed for preserving genuine Swiss watch-making while focusing as well on developing new movements and adopting new technology. At Montblanc Villeret, only several hundred watches are produced every year to painstaking, handcrafted perfection.

The TimeWriter program aims to discover, foster and fund independent talents with new ideas and a spirit of dynamism. For their initial project, Montblanc Villeret tapped the creative minds of Johnny Gerardin (designer, movement constructor and engineer) and Franck Orny (construction engineer specializing in horological fabrication). The two got their inspiration to create the watch of the future from their children’s Transformer toy action figures. While the idea may have sounded crazy and impossible to transfer to watch making, Montblanc Villeret and its principals were intrigued and challenged by the possibility.

The result of this two-year collaboration is the Metamorphosis, a watch designed and engineered based on Montblanc’s “Chronographe Calibre MBM 16.29” movement with an 18K German white-gold face, 567 handcrafted parts all visible from the see-through back and four wing-like shutters that open and close to showcase its versatility as a classic timepiece and chronograph in one. Most of the mechanisms that perform the delicate “dance” of transforming its functions are so novel and innovative that they have been registered for patent protection. The Metamorphosis timepiece comes in both manual and automatic movement.

Only 28 Metamorphosis timepieces will be made globally with each watch taking six months to finish; all 28 watches will be crafted by only two handpicked watchmakers working under the close supervision of Demetrio Cabiddu, the master watchmaker at Montblanc Villeret. The first Metamorphosis timepiece will be completed and ready for exhibition by January 2011, in time for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), the biggest and most important annual watch exhibition in Switzerland.

By the time of its Beijing launch this month, the first of the series had already been reserved and paid for by a serious watch aficionado and collector. Thirteen more pieces have been reserved, at a price of 200,000 euros each.

Man With A Brand-Changing Mission

For a man who was hosting one of the biggest, if not the biggest, luxury brand launch in Beijing, Lutz Bethge (pronounced “bekke”), CEO of Montblanc, was a picture of calm. During our exclusive interview, he looked very dapper in his dark suit, was jovial and very engaging and showed no signs of fatigue despite having just arrived the night before from Europe, immersing himself in a late-evening meeting then starting the day of our interview with early morning meetings as well.

If anything, he was very bullish about the future of Montblanc. Although he was mum about sales figures, Bethge was very confident about Montblanc’s watch-making business and hopes that with the Metamorphosis timepiece, the company will earn its bona fides in mechanical watch making and solidify its position as one of the greatest luxury watchmakers in the world.

Innovation Meets Tradition

High wattage: Actor Nicolas Cage smiles and waves to the crowd with his Korean wife Alice Kim at the Metamorphosis launch.

THE PHILIPPINE STAR: Montblanc has always been famous as a pen-making company. Was it difficult to make the transition to creating luxury timepieces?

LUTZ BETHGE: No, it was actually easier than I thought to enter the watch market because our clients followed us from the very beginning. When we entered the watch market, we made a clear commitment to master watch making. After all, our company’s DNA has always been exquisite, top-quality craftsmanship.

When we started making timepieces, we made our mark with chronographs, but in the past several years, we shifted towards mechanical timepieces. With the Rieussec timepiece, we suddenly saw significant growth in the number of new customers who were really watch customers rather than Montblanc brand customers. We hope with the Rieussec, the Metamorphosis and all our future timepieces, we can raise even further the watch-making profile of Montblanc among connoisseurs.

Why did you choose China to launch the Metamorphosis timepiece?

The story of China, just like the Metamorphosis, is all about change: China’s transformation as an economic powerhouse, its emergence as a stage for art, culture and luxury are all in accordance with the values of Montblanc as a brand. Besides, China is now the world’s fastest-growing market for luxury goods.

The TimeWriter Program is a new undertaking of Montblanc to give exposure and financial support to talented individuals. How do you select the recipients of the project?

There was a time when we thought of setting up a panel to review the proposed projects of these individuals, but with the watch-making industry being such a small one, we kept hearing of many fresh and exciting prospects even before we could formalize the process. In the end, we went with our instinct, what we felt was right. Maybe for the next project, we may form a panel.

I’m curious, why 28 pieces, not 30 or even 50? Is there a special significance to this number?

No, not really, we just found 28 to be a nice round number; but I believe the number eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese numerology.

Are buyers required to buy the Metamorphosis timepiece according to the number series?

No, the timepieces can be purchased in random order, depending on the personal preference of the buyer. We have the number engraved on the back of the watch along with other information the buyer wishes to put on the timepiece.

If there was strong demand, would you make more than 28 pieces of the Metamorphosis timepiece?

No. Perhaps a different type of watch, but not the Metamorphosis.

What kind of man buys or wears a Montblanc watch?

Our clientele ranges from about 25 to 55 years of age although a larger part of our market is mature individuals, somewhat traditional and stand for a certain type of success.

Which is the biggest market for Montblanc timepieces?

We are in about 100 countries worldwide but currently Europe is still our biggest market. China is showing great growth potential, that is why we are proportionately investing to further strengthen our business in China. The Middle East, along with the rest of Asia, is an emerging market that is showing enormous possibilities as well.

Montblanc on their wrists: Chinese superstars and Montblanc endorsers Sun Hong Lei and Zhaowei flank CEO Lutz Bethge.

Sustainability seems to be the buzzword among large companies these days, including those in the luxury business. What is Montblanc’s position on this?

We are not a fashion brand so our corporate values and standards have always supported long-term, sustainable goals. We create products that can be kept for a very long time — generations, even. We often ask ourselves whether a certain Montblanc product will stay relevant and valuable 10, 15 or 20 years from now so while we continue to innovate the design and technology of our products, the core of our business model is to create worthwhile, timeless watches that carry sustainable value.

I read in your profile that you have been with Montblanc for 20 years now. To what do you attribute the longevity of your business relationship with the company? What is your advice to the young people who work with you?

It’s funny that you mention that because I completely forgot; I only realized it when our employees gave me a surprise party recently. I am passionate about the business I am in and very happy doing what I do. I enjoy the changes, the challenges that come with the work and I tell my employees to have fun (find joy) at work so they will be constantly motivated to do their best.

“A dream come true” is how the 55-year-old Montblanc CEO describes the day of the event.  “It is not just about the launch or the watch but also about the changes and developments that are going on around us, particularly in China,” he adds with visible optimism.

For Montblanc, it’s a time for exciting and momentous undertakings. And we can only watch as it charts a very rosy future.

* * *

In the Philippines, Montblanc is distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. and is exclusively available at Rustans’ Makati and Rustans’ Tower in Shangri-La Edsa Plaza.