Swiss luxury brand Montblanc has announced that Minerva, a historic name in high-end watchmaking founded in 1858, will resume independent production after nearly two decades of operating as a subsidiary producing co-branded watches. Since Richemont’s acquisition of Minerva in 2006, the brand was integrated into Montblanc’s watch division and mostly functioned behind the scenes as a workshop for specialty pieces.

In April, Montblanc unveiled a strategic shift, separating Minerva as a stand-alone brand focused on creating artisanal, limited-edition timepieces. This marks a return to Minerva’s roots in the Swiss watchmaking town of Villeret, where the new collection, named Unveiled, was launched. The collection features four models, crafted with traditional techniques and heavily emphasizing hand finishing.

The move reflects evolving collector preferences, according to Laurent Lecamp, managing director of Montblanc’s watch division and newly appointed chief executive of Minerva. Lecamp indicated that collectors increasingly seek brands with clear identities and heritage, favoring artisanal craftsmanship over technologically driven designs.

Montblanc and Minerva will maintain operational ties, sharing leadership roles in production, development, and after-sales service, alongside utilizing Montblanc’s established retail network of boutiques and online platform for sales. Despite this operational overlap, the two brands will target different market segments: Montblanc focusing on more accessible watches often priced below $5,000, while Minerva will pursue the ultra-luxury segment.

Industry observers welcomed the decision. Frank Geelen, founder of Monochrome Watches, described the previous fusion as problematic, noting Minerva’s reputation for exquisitely finished, hand-wound chronograph calibers that did not align well with Montblanc’s broader range. Jack Forster, a veteran watch critic, said the premiumization trend in watchmaking favors elevating historic brands like Minerva into distinct, high-end entities with growth potential.

The Unveiled collection’s pricing starts at $38,000 for the Crownless model, which replaces a traditional winding crown with a bezel-operated mechanism, to $85,000 for the Unveiled Secret Limited Edition, an 18-piece run featuring a partially visible reversed chronograph movement. Lecamp emphasized that these features are based on traditional Minerva designs and will serve as brand signatures. Later this year, Minerva plans to introduce nine highly complicated pieces, the first estimated to cost approximately 350,000 euros ($408,100).

Despite enthusiasm from management and some experts, skepticism remains. Collector and author Jeff Kingston questioned Minerva’s ability to reestablish itself independently, highlighting the advantage of smaller, maker-driven independent brands that offer a more personal connection with customers. Additionally, Oliver R. Müller, founder of watch consultancy LuxeConsult, wondered whether Minerva can genuinely function autonomously in a saturated luxury market or if it would ultimately play a secondary role alongside Montblanc.

Montblanc’s watch division has gained traction in recent years with midrange mechanical models like the Iced Sea, which Lecamp says has drawn interest from collectors in 21 countries. He acknowledged that although some remain unaware of Montblanc as a watchmaker, the brand’s credibility is growing. Lecamp believes that Minerva’s limited annual production—believed to be fewer than 1,000 watches—aligns with current collector demand for exclusivity and heritage.

The resurgence of Minerva aligns with a broader industry trend of reviving historic brands and emphasizing elevated craftsmanship and pricing. This premiumization strategy aims to position legacy names in distinct niches amid fierce competition in the luxury watch sector. Montblanc’s decision to reinvigorate Minerva signals a renewed commitment to combining tradition with innovation in Switzerland’s competitive haute horlogerie landscape.