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Montblanc unveils Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Versailles watch
By Shivani Dubey | 28 October 2025 | Design, Style
Montblanc has released a new iteration of its Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon, paying tribute to Versailles and the Yew Tree Ball
Montblanc has released a new limited edition iteration of its Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon that pays homage to the palace of Versailles and one of France’s most legendary masquerade balls: the “Le Secret du Bal des Ifs”, or the Yew Tree Ball of 1745, which was held in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
The Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles watch is an opulent creation, with every detail taking aesthetic cues from Versaille. The dial recreates the Hall of Mirrors on the night of the Yew Tree Ball, a feat that involves traditional enameling, micro-painting and inlaying of marble and oak. Less traditional, though equally exquisite, are the use of sophisticated 3D-modelling and laser-etching into both sapphire and brass.
The base of the watch’s dial is constructed from white gold, which is then covered with black enamel and topped with gold paillons before being baked in the oven. This enamel and gold treatment gives the effect of the candle-lit chandeliers being reflected in the windows, creating a depth to the dial.
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The archways are created from two types of stone: the milky white cacholong, a variety of opal, and sarrancolin marble sourced from the same quarry in France’s Hautes-Pyrénées region used for the marble in the original Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. For the floor, solid oak is cut and inlaid on the dial to recreate the parquet pattern.
Inspired by clocks and pocket watches from the era of Louis XIV, the time-telling dial sits at 12 o’clock as the grand visual feature of the Montblanc Star Legacy Suspended Exo Tourbillon Château de Versailles. This dial directly ties the watch to the grand traditions of haute horlogerie that were in vogue with Europe’s elites during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The story behind the Yew Tree Ball goes back to 1745, when King Louis XV of France hosted the wedding of his son, the Dauphin Louis, to the Infanta Maria Theresa Raphael of Spain. Held at the Palace of Versailles, the masquerade ball hosted an estimated 1500 costumed guests in the gilded Hall of Mirrors, and is still remembered as one of the most spectacular and historically important parties in recorded history.
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Limited to just eight pieces worldwide, the watch comes with a grey calfskin strap in alligator print and gold-coloured stitching, secured by an 18k yellow gold triple-folding clasp.
And if you thought the opulence stopped at the watch, you were very wrong, because there is a musical box that accompanies this creation, which plays the music played by the coffret was presented at Versailles to celebrate the wedding of the Dauphin Louis and his bride on that storied night in February of 1745. Thanks to an external trigger on the side of the box, the music plays and the watch turns in place as if dancing at the masquerade ball.
A watch so grand, representing such rich history, it is truly one for the ages – much like the masquerade ball it depicts.
Images: Montblanc and Patrice Schreyer