The "Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 1858" was released as a new model for 2021, with a limited production of 1,858 pieces. Inspired by the desert's colors, it features a dial finished in tones from brown to beige, and a 42mm bronze case. The case back is engraved with a landscape of the famous Flaming Cliffs of the Gobi Desert, paying homage to the remarkable achievement of explorer Reinhold Messner, who completed a solo 2,000-kilometer trek across the Gobi Desert in 2004. A compass rose, inspired by traditional Mongolian motifs, is also depicted.

The professional Minerva chronographs, known for their accuracy, legibility, and robustness under extremely harsh conditions, were developed for military use in the 1920s and '30s and also served as tool watches for mountain expeditions. The "1858" watch, a reinterpretation of these traditional timepieces, carries forward Minerva's history, complications, and style.

One of the key icons of the "1858" watch line is the "Montblanc 1858 Geosphere," characterized by its distinctive twin domed, rotating globes and in-house world time complication. This line is now joined by the 2021 new model, the "Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 1858," which pays tribute to the legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner's feat of a five-week solo trek across the Gobi Desert in 2004.

The first thing that catches the eye is the desert color scheme expressed throughout the watch. A gradient dial transitioning from brown to beige is paired with a bidirectional rotating, polished brown ceramic bezel. Warm rose gold-finished hands and applied indices on the dial create a perfect sense of unity with the design of this modern tool-style watch. To enhance legibility, the day/night display, cathedral-shaped hands, indices, compass, and globes are all hand-coated with beige Super-LumiNova®.

The 42mm case is crafted from micro-blasted bronze. The case back features a special engraving of the Gobi Desert landscape, along with a compass rose symbolizing wind patterns, inspired by traditional Mongolian motifs. This decoration is achieved by 3D rendering of the Gobi Desert landscape using a special technique, giving it photographic depth and realism.

Laser engraving creates the decoration and both matte and polished finishes. The final color is determined by the oxidation that occurs during this laser process. Montblanc is one of the most advanced Swiss Maisons to employ such cutting-edge technology on large surfaces, and these innovations align with the brand's spirit of exploration.

The movement is the Manufacture Automatic Caliber MB 29.25. This unique complication controls two hemispheres that rotate once every 24 hours. At the 6 and 12 o'clock positions are domed Northern and Southern Hemispheres, each surrounded by a fixed scale with 24 time zones, displaying day and night in contrasting colors for intuitive reading. Additionally, a second time zone for home time indication is located at 9 o'clock, and the date display (linked to local time) is at 3 o'clock.

This mechanism is easy to set. The first step is to adjust the rotating hemispheres by aligning the GMT/UTC line with London time (highlighted in black on the dome) using the crown in position 2. Then, adjust the minutes; the Northern Hemisphere rotates counter-clockwise and the Southern Hemisphere rotates clockwise to synchronize. The next step is to set the hour hand to local time using the quick-adjustment system, which advances in one-hour increments, using the crown in position 1. This also adjusts the date. Finally, set the second time zone for home time using the collector located at 10 o'clock.

The "Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 1858" is paired with a vintage-style brown Sfumato calfskin strap with beige stitching and is available in a limited edition of 1,858 pieces.