Editor’s Note: Thanks to friend of the house and guest contributor Adam Soshnick for this review. Adam’s earlier review of the Monta Ocean King can also be seen (link at bottom of page).
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Establishing a unique identity in a crowded marketplace isn’t easy.
Nevertheless, that didn’t stop St. Louis’ Monta Watch from setting out to do the impossible, taking the basic building blocks of a brand and transforming them into something fresh. The brand’s first effort, the Ocean King, was admittedly only a minor success, but the 300-meter dive watch proved what the Monta could do, in terms of attention to detail and craftsmanship. Now in 2017, the second year of Monta’s existence, a real bread-and-butter watch is essential to propel the brand into overdrive—as in, a watch within reach of a wide range of buyers.
Enter the Triumph. A field watch, the Triumph’s case comes in at a reasonable 38.5 millimeters, a choice worth nothing for its restraint and simplicity. On the wrist, the watch sits comfortably thanks to relative thinness and an ergonomic bracelet design. What’s special about the bracelet, too, is its flexibility and ability to place each link completely flat on top of one another—unheard of in this class of watch and certainly only potentially seen in far more dear timepieces.
Design-wise, the Triumph features beveled edges and polished chamfers—two elements important to Monta watches. A strong design language is crucial, after all, and many of the great, time-tested companies strive to incorporate some semblance of familiarity into their offerings. Next to the Ocean King, the Triumph looks like the thinner, smaller, yet just as robust, brother: the two are connected by common aesthetics and, like Rolex, feel matched in quality, no matter the price.
Not unlike the industry’s best, the indices add great depth to the dial and catch light with preciseness astonishing at the Triumph’s price point. Made of platinum, each marker compliments the dial’s sunburst finish, which fluctuates between being extremely discernable to subtleness perfect for those looking to avoid flashiness in their watches. And with that comes a dial that changes shade depending on lighting—giving the Triumph a personality all its own.
Powering the Triumph is the Sellita SW 300, a movement with striking similarities to ETA’s famous 2892. With effectively the same proportions, the Sellita is a direct replacement for the ETA and shares many similar finishing techniques, including perlage and Geneva stripes on the rotor. Like the 2892, the SW 300 is Selitta’s high-grade movement; meaning finishing is at its best for mass production and chronometer timekeeping is well within reach. Monta ensures that every Triumph keeps time to a high standard.
Like the Ocean King, the Triumph will be produced in small numbers, with early adopters having the chance to choose the number of their watch. Preordering also brings a reduction from the normal prices ($1,550 on bracelet, $1,385 on leather, and $1,265 on rubber), which is nice perk for those confident enough to back the watch before release.
So what does all this mean? Well, with attention to detail a cut above the competition, coupled with an appealing price point, the Triumph is a finely executed watch, attainable to a wide range of buyers. In a world where prospective buyers often balk at paying money for a watch with no “provenance”, the Monta is priced competitively and looks like a bargain if one takes into consideration the finishing, clever design, and materials. Another job well done, Monta.
You can see Adam’s Feb 2017 review of the Monta Oceanking watch here>>
All photos are (c) Adam Soshnick.