Last 16 May, Nimsdai Purja, Montblanc's 'mark maker', achieved an extraordinary feat: he became the first mountaineer to climb the peaks of Everest, Lhotse and Kanchenjunga without supplementary oxygen, in a record time of just 8 days, 23 hours and 10 minutes. Added to this is a second record: the passage from Everest to Lhotse without oxygen in 26 hours. The British mountaineer of Nepalese origin tackled the challenge wearing the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph "0 Oxygen" LE290, a watch with a very unusual feature: a chronograph movement totally devoid of oxygen.
"I am thrilled to have conquered the challenge I set myself and to continue to demonstrate what can be achieved with the right preparation and focus. I am very grateful for the support of Montblanc who designed this innovative watch designed to ensure the best performance even in extreme conditions and is also participating in our collective efforts to address the problem of the accumulation of waste left behind by expeditions that are polluting the Himalayan environment," said Purja.
The removal of oxygen within the movement not only eliminates fogging that can occur with temperature changes at altitude, but also prevents oxidation. Without oxygen, all components in fact have a longer life, also guaranteeing maximum precision over time. The watch is produced in 290 pieces with a 44-mm titanium case and a blue calfskin strap, and is equipped with the MB 29.27 automatic calibre, which adds the chronograph function to that of universal time, indicated by the two rotating globes on a fixed 24-hour scale: at 12 o'clock the northern hemisphere, at 6 o'clock the southern. The glacial blue colour of the dial is unprecedented, for which an ancient, almost forgotten technique known as gratté boisé has been used, giving it an evocative icy effect.
Price: 8,100 euro.
