How Horology Helps is an ongoing column in support of what we deem to be the most important contributions to social, medical, environmental, and scientific efforts coming from the world of horology.
A Personal Connection
Back in 2002, I lost my great aunt Aroxie Bedrosian to breast cancer. She was a spinster, living alone in Fresno California in the inherited house of my late great-grandparents. Quiet and proud, she suffered in silence thousands of miles away from her closest kin back in New York. By the time she asked for help, it was already too late.
Today, my wife gets a mammogram every twelve months. Well, almost. Despite her being a highly-educated medical professional, I still have to nag her past the brink of my sanity to get her to make an appointment. The highest probability of beating cancer is detecting it as early as possible.
Why Pink?
The color pink’s link to breast cancer awareness is the combination of two things happening in the early 1990s. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation started handing out pink ribbons to participants in its charity races. Simultaneously, breast cancer survivor Charlotte Haley sent out cards with a peach ribbon attached to raise awareness. The idea gained momentum when Self Magazine and Estee Lauder established “150 Pink” as the official color of breast cancer awareness.
Pink is not an easy color to get right on a watch dial. Nezumi Studios submitted various pink-hue sample dials for approval by MGM Studios for its Pink Panther collaboration. Monta experienced similar challenges with its dial marker to produce the correct shade of pink needed for the dial on this limited edition Noble. When matching colors to intellectual property, if you don’t nail it, the branding is lost.
The Monta Noble pink dial utilizes the same 38.5mm 316L stainless steel case as the current regular production models (blue, silver, and anthracite). The Noble is powered by the mechanical caliber M-22 automatic (ETA-2893 base). Bracelet aficionados will note the fully articulating links and tool-free micro adjustment clasp.
The pink Monta Noble, ref. P70BCLT00ST is the same price ($1795) as the regular production colors. 10% of the profit from each of the pink watches sold will generate over $20,000 for Monta to donate to several cancer foundations and charities (listed below if you would like to donate).
This special release is a limited run of only 115 pieces for the Monta Nobel pink dial. If just one watch of that batch encourages someone to get started on a breast cancer screening cadence, it’s fair to call the release a success.
National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.