Combining its legacy of creating luxury writing instruments with horology, Montblanc created the Star Nicolas Rieussec Monopusher Chronograph in 2008, honouring French watchmaker Nicolas Rieussec (1781–1866), renowned for the invention of the inking chronograph in 1821. This was followed by a 2011 anniversary edition, steel and red gold versions with anthracite from 2019, a 200-piece limited edition honouring the bicentenary from 2021, and the Meisterstück 100 Years edition from 2024. The latest in line is the Star Legacy Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph Limited Edition 100 (Ref. 137545). Crafted in a polished 18K Au 750 rose gold case, the watch combines a monopusher chronograph with a dual-time function and date display.

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The watch draws directly from Rieussec’s history, where he developed his timekeeping device in Paris in the early 19th century. On September 1, 1821, Rieussec first tested the invention at horse races, where it was used to record the precise finishing times of horses. The device effectively “wrote time” using ink, an approach that would lead to the term “chronograph.” Rieussec was the sixth royal watchmaker to the King of France and also recognised the commercial potential of accurately recording race results. His device used a fixed nib to place a drop of ink onto two rotating counters, one recording minutes and the other seconds, whenever a horse crossed the finish line.

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Following the successful trial, Rieussec presented the invention to the Academy of Sciences in Paris several weeks later. The members were impressed by the timing device and referred to it as a “chronograph”, combining the Greek words chronos, meaning time, and graphein, meaning to write. The invention then became an important milestone in the development of precision timekeeping.

Montblanc has incorporated elements of this history directly into the watch. The black dial uses luminescent paint to reveal archival material associated with Rieussec and his invention. When illuminated, handwritten portions of the Academy of Sciences approval document become visible alongside the silhouette of the Academy, a blueprint of the ink hand used in the original device, and Rieussec’s signature.

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The dial also features a rose gold-coloured flange with two relief sections. At 10 o’clock, it carries the inscription “Compteur de Mr Rieussec”, the official name of the device recorded in the archives. At 2 o’clock, another inscription gives the location and date of the patent filing, “Paris, le 15 Octobre 1821”.

The chronograph configuration is designed as a modern interpretation of Rieussec’s original instrument. Rather than conventional sub-dials with stationary hands, the watch uses two rotating domed discs. The 60-second counter is positioned at 8 o’clock, while the 30-minute totalizer sits at 4 o’clock. Between them is a horizontally oriented applied bridge made from blued steel that acts as the pointer, which recreates the distinctive arrangement of the original chronograph.

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The watch also incorporates a dual-time display on the non-concentric main dial. A day-and-night indicator is positioned at 9 o’clock, while a skeletonised hour hand provides the second time-zone indication. It can be adjusted independently of the main hour hand or positioned behind it when the watch is being used in a single time zone.

Rose gold-coated leaf-shaped hands complement the gold arbor caps of the chronograph discs – the central shaft or axle upon which a wheel, gear, or mainspring barrel rotates to transmit energy – and the detailed applied frame surrounding the date aperture at 6 o’clock.

Powering the watch is Montblanc’s in-house Manufacture Calibre MB R200. The automatically wound movement combines a monopusher chronograph with full dual-time functionality and uses twin barrels to provide approximately 72 hours of power reserve. The chronograph employs a column wheel and vertical disc clutch. It operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and uses a screw balance with a flat hairspring. Through the sapphire caseback, the gold-coated oscillating weight features a Grain d’orge pattern and an open-worked Montblanc emblem. The movement’s lower bridges, gear train, and escapement are also visible, along with pivot jewels, blued screws, and Geneva striping. The sapphire pane is fitted into a rose gold 750/1000 caseback and receives an anti-reflective coating on the inside.

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Made from 18K Au 750 rose gold, the case measures 43 mm in diameter and 15.01 mm in thickness. It features a domed, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating. An onion-shaped rose gold crown, bearing the Montblanc emblem, adds a traditional detail inspired by the historical period associated with Rieussec. The monopusher chronograph button is integrated into the case at 8 o’clock and is also made from the same precious metal. Water resistance is rated at 50 metres.

The watch is completed by a black calf leather strap with tonal details and a rose gold 750/1000 and black-coated triple-folding clasp. The strap itself carries additional references to Rieussec’s history and the city where his invention was developed. The underside of the strap incorporates sections of a map of Paris dating from 1821. Among the locations identified are Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Seine River, as well as 14 Rue de Marché-Palu, where Rieussec had his workshop between 1805 and 1817, and 13 Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, where he worked during the patent application for his chronograph. The upper portion of the strap depicts Le Champ de Mars, the location of the horse race where Rieussec first tested his invention on September 1, 1821, together with L’École Militaire, France’s central military school.

Price upon request.

Images: Montblanc

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