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Movement holder

Minerva arrow-shaped chronograph bridge

Probable

The arrow-shaped chronograph bridge that has been Minerva's visual signature since its 1920s chronograph calibers, sometimes called the devil's tail. Recorded as a component because it is the single most reliable identifier of a Villeret movement, and because it is visible through the display back these references always carry.

Part reference

Brand
Montblanc
Maker
Montblanc Manufacture Villeret (Minerva)
Material
Hand-finished German silver or brass

Documented variations

Classification

FactoryDocumented as shipped from the factory for this reference and period.PeriodNot original to this watch, but correct for its production period.ServiceFitted by the manufacturer's own service network. Not a defect.AftermarketThird-party part. Affects originality, not authenticity.ModifiedGenuine parts in a configuration the factory did not sell. Affects originality and value, not authenticity.CounterfeitDeceptive reproduction intended to pass as genuine.UnknownEvidence on file does not settle the question.

  • Present, hand-finished, on a Villeret caliber

    FactoryProbable

    Whole production

    The arrow form with hand-applied bevelling: bevel width varying slightly along its length and internal angles brought to a crisp point. Nothing in Montblanc's volume production carries this bridge and no generic movement does either.

  • Absent on a watch presented as Villeret Minerva

    CounterfeitProbable

    Whole production

    Conclusive. A Villeret piece without a Minerva caliber behind its display back is not a Villeret piece, whatever the dial, the box or the paperwork say. This is the strongest single check on the brand.

Documented on these references

Provenance of this record

Sources & Evidence

Secondary sourceSpecialist publication

Specialist material on Minerva, its Villeret manufacture and its chronograph calibers

Established horological publications and auction-house research

Accessed
2026-08-19

Cited for

This referenceProbable

Last verified: Not yet reviewed