amanico[JLC Moderator]
344498
This Chrono has to be big. The movement is 38, 5 mm big, so it cannot be housed in a 40 mm
Nov 22, 2015,07:26 AM
Case. And it is part of its personality and DNA. These vintage Chronos were huge ( up to 46 / 47 mm, in the Forties! ).
As for the level of decoration, and your comparison with JLC, my beloved manufacture released a Duometre in a LE of 100 pieces, the UTT for the Paris Boutique. The movement is not better decorated than the not limited edition.
When Patek released 5 extra 5070 in WG, RG, YG and Pt, their movements were not better finished than the former 5070.
And if you compare the level of decoration of this Minerva movement versus the Patek Chrono movement, 5070 or 5170, with their respective price, the champion is not the one you think.
I didn't compare the Duometre à Chronographe versus the Montblanc, because their aesthetics and spirit are too far from each other, but if I had to, I would say that the the Duometre à Chronographe was priced at exactly the same level than this 1858 Chronographe in rose gold ( 30, 000 Euros ).
The Montblanc is more sculptural, the Duometre more original, with its two barrels and gear trains. The Duometre doesn't pay an homage to any wrist watch from JLC ( nor from any other brand, by the way ), while the 1858 is clearly linked to the past of Minerva.
In terms of decoration, both are very close, though.
Best,
Nicolas