Time is precious and it's on your hand

Have you been working right through summer without a break and want to make it up to someone special who you've been neglecting? Then a Dh350,000 Montblanc watch is the perfect peace offering.

The German company, best known for its exquisite writing instruments, was founded in 1906 by stationer Claus-Johannes Voss, banker Alfred Nehemias and engineer August Eberstein.

Montblanc, which began life as the Simplo Filler Pen Company, produced high quality pens and its first model was the Rouge Et Noir. This was followed by the pen that was later to give the company its new name, the Mont Blanc, in 1910.

After the company was acquired by Dunhill in 1977 it diversified its product range and started making a wide variety of luxury items such as watches, jewellery and leather goods. The company's symbol, a stylised white six-pointed star with rounded edges, represents the snowcap of Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc.

The company adopted the emblem in 1913. And at this April's Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva the company presented a new watch that has the famous Montblanc diamond – which is shaped like the logo – as its centerpiece.

The Dh348,000 watch, reference number 102368, is made of 18-carat white gold and white diamonds and plays around with the Montblanc star to startling effect. The Montblanc diamond is set in a mother-of-pearl dial and the shape continues beyond the dial in a wavy pattern on the casing and strap.

"The focus of the watch is the exceptional beauty of the Montblanc diamond," Montblanc Regional Brand Director Joe Nahhas told Emirates Business.

"The 0.1088 carat Montblanc diamond forms the centre of the seemingly pulsating Montblanc star.

Bands made up of 482 top Wesselton diamonds weighing a total of 1.82 carats undulate in waves across the mother-of-pearl dial and onto the 18-carat white gold case and strap. And a further Montblanc diamond of 0.055 carats lights up the winding crown.

"This watch features the sophisticated and creative decorations of the first-class art of jewellery. Each diamond was individually selected by experts until a complete set of precious stones was compiled.

"The quality, colour, cut and size are a perfect match," he said.

This work alone took several weeks, which was then followed by hundreds more hours as the jewel setter placed the stones.

This required the utmost concentration and care, particularly on the dial as mother-of-pearl is extremely fragile and can break easily. The 18-carat white gold gives the casing and strap a warm glow and, together with a new, filigree Montblanc decoration, the outer links of the strap are set with top Wesselton VVS diamonds.

"This is the only way to ensure that the watch radiates magic and fascination in the diamond glow of the Montblanc star," added the regional brand director.

"This solitaire has a unique cut – the patented Montblanc cut. Intricate calculations and the experience of the best stone cutters were necessary to define the shape and angle of the 43 facets, which create a perfect star – the Montblanc star."