Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition

Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 700

Montblanc celebrates the geology of the Mer de Glace in its latest Iced Sea timepiece.

Glaciers in Motion

Over centuries, the slow movement of glaciers has carved some of Earth's most stunning geological features. As glaciers form and recess, they expose and relocate fertile soil. In the process, many of the felled trees become preserved as subfossils and are pushed into a glacier's moraine, the dense mass of sediment a glacier deposits at its outer edge.

With its latest Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 700 timepiece, Montblanc pays homage to this special geological form also found in the Mer de Glace—the largest glacier on the Mont-Blanc massif. Its geologically complex moraine, developed over time, has been captured in the dial of the timepiece with shavings of preserved trees found at the glacier.

This special model is offered in a limited edition of 700 pieces, a number selected as a reference to the 7km length of the Mer de Glace.

A Dial of Ice and Wood

The Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 700 features a striking dial embedded with fragments of ancient wood, often millennia old, that have been preserved while trapped in glacial ice.

To create this complexly layered dial, Montblanc's watchmakers first worked with mountaineers in France's Chamonix valley to source subfossil wood from the Mer de Glace's moraine, a large layer of natural debris pushed against Mont Blanc's northern slope by the glacier. The sourced wood is then cut into shavings and arranged in a seemingly random, yet carefully distributed, array. The result is a natural-seeming pattern of scattered subfossil wood.

Next, a transparent resin is applied over the wood shavings, thus forming a sheet from which the dial is made. Finally, this resin surface is treated with a frozen finish that mimics the look of striated crystalline patterns of ice.

Bright white Super-LumiNova® fills the applied hour markers on the dial as well as the hands, while the Iced Sea logo is highlighted above the 6 o’clock marker.

An Exclusive Bezel

The Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 700 frames its wood and ice-effect dial with a feature-rich brown ceramic bezel. Clicking with precision 120 times per rotation, the bezel is further distinguished by its laser-lowered section of textured ceramic between the 0- and 15-minute markers. This treatment removes a thin layer of the scratch-proof ceramic, leaving a segment that is visually and texturally distinct from the highly polished surface of the remainder of the brown bezel—a feature that aids scuba divers who often use this area of the watch’s timing bezel to track decompression stops.

The laser-engraved markers on the bezel appear in stark white, while a luminescent pip allows for precision timing deep underwater or in low-light settings. The bezel's coin-edge and slight overhang from the case provide enhanced grip with bare fingers and even through neoprene gloves.

A Case for Adventure

The Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 700 features a 41mm stainless steel case that allows the watch to withstand the demands of high-pressure underwater. The timepiece is equipped with up to 30 bar (approx. 300 meters) of water resistance with subtle chamfering and elevated finishing along the subtly curved lugs.

Notably, the case is also fitted with Montblanc's 0 Oxygen technology. By removing oxygen from the case, the risk of condensation inside the case is mitigated, allowing enhanced performance in conditions where drastic fluctuations in atmospheric pressure and temperature are common.

To make Montblanc’s 0 Oxygen technology accessible to all owners of previous Iced Sea models, the Maison offers a dedicated upgrade service, which can be enquired at a Montblanc boutique.

On the caseback, a 3D laser-engraving portrays a scuba diver and an iceberg, continuing the narrative of ice and exploration on each side of the watch.

Stainless Steel Bracelet

The stainless steel bracelet of the Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen Limited Edition 700 is polished and brushed to compliment the case. Easily removed and replaced with Montblanc's quick-change strap system, this bracelet also adds the convenience of a fine adjustment system within the folding clasp.

Mechanical Prowess

At the heart of this timepiece is Montblanc's Calibre MB 24.17, an auto-winding mechanical movement featuring hours, minutes, center-seconds and a date complication. The MB 24.17 offers approximately 38 hours of power reserve, beating at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour).

The screw-down crown provides access to setting the date (middle position) and the time (second position). In the second position, the second-hand stops (hacks) for exact alignment with a reference time, such as an atomic clock.