Watch Paparazzi

Actor Cillian Murphy spotted wearing Montblanc

In a GQ editorial shoot, Cillian Murphy — best known for his portrayal of Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders — was photographed wearing the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere UltraBlack Limited Edition, reference MB128257. The pairing is deliberate in its mood: the watch's monochromatic severity aligns naturally with the aesthetic world Murphy inhabits both on screen and in his public image.

The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere UltraBlack Ref. MB128257 is built around one of the more technically ambitious complications Montblanc has produced in the modern era. At the dial's center, two lacquered globes rotate in opposing directions, each completing one full revolution in 24 hours. The circumference of each globe carries a 24-timezone scale rendered in contrasting day and night tones — a functional complication that reads explorer-tool rather than dress watch. The case measures 42mm and is crafted in blackened steel, with a black ceramic bezel and a smoked sapphire crystal completing the all-black treatment that gives the edition its name. The movement inside is the Montblanc Calibre MB 25.25, a manufacture movement offering approximately 50 hours of power reserve.

The 1858 collection draws its identity directly from Montblanc's acquisition of the historic Minerva manufacture in Villeret, Switzerland — a maison with roots stretching back to 1858. That heritage informs the line's positioning as serious tool-watch territory, distinct from Montblanc's more commercial offerings. The UltraBlack limited edition was produced in exactly 858 examples, the number itself a direct reference to the founding year, adding a layer of collector intentionality that resonates beyond pure aesthetics.

Murphy has cultivated a reputation for understated, considered style choices — rarely loud, always precise. The Geosphere UltraBlack suits that register well. It is a watch that rewards close inspection without announcing itself from across a room, which tracks with how Murphy generally presents himself publicly.

On the secondary market, the MB128257 trades at a modest premium over retail, reflecting steady collector interest without the speculative heat seen on Swiss luxury sports watches. For buyers seeking a technically interesting, visually cohesive limited edition from a manufacture with genuine watchmaking depth, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere UltraBlack remains a compelling proposition.