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Two Broke Watch Snobs
Before choosing a microbrand GMT, see how Monta and Jack Mason compare in real-world wear, from bracelet feel and finishing to travel functionality and overall value.
Worn & Wound
I’ve been doing this long enough that by now I probably should have reviewed a Monta. For whatever reason, I just haven’t had the chance. It’s kind of like living in Cooperstown and never going to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Inexplicable. Of course, I’ve handled plenty of Montas over the years. They’ve been a presence at Windup Watch Fairs, and I’ve known many, many collectors who have owned Monta watches of various stripes, and I’ve tried them on and taken the requisite wrist shots at meetups and events through the years. This time around, with the release of the new Monta Noble 40, I was finally able to spend some real time with a Monta. Like all Monta watches it’s technically excellent, but the updates make it feel a little less special than its predecessor. The Noble, along with the Triumph, is the most stripped down watch in the Monta collection. It’s not a big burly tool watch, and it doesn’t have a complication beyond the date at 6:00. It’s a bit of a cliche, but you could say that it boils down Monta to its essence, which is a really solid, value oriented, everyday watch with impeccable finishing for the price. I’ll probably keep coming back to the finishing, because it’s really the strength of all Monta watches that I’ve had a chance to handle, and that’s been the case consistently since the brand was founded. They just have a very good idea of what they’re after in terms of how their cases and bracelets should look and feel, and...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Monta sized up the Noble to 40mm and the proportions look right. Available in black lacquer and sunburst blue.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Compare Tudor Black Bay GMT vs Monta Skyquest through daily wear. Decide which GMT to consider based on comfort, design, movement, and real-world trade-offs.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hands-on with the Monta Triumph Gen 2 and a side-by-side vs the original comparing size, dial, finishing, bracelet, lume, and whether the reboot is worth it.
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Worn & Wound
They say two is one and one is none. That’s how I’ve often felt about sports watches in my collection. I’m truly blessed to have a well-rounded collection of sports watches but…that doesn’t always scratch the itch. Particularly when it comes to Monta, I’ve always coveted 1-2 models at a time (and have owned several at the same time). Well, they’re certainly not helping my watch “itch” with their latest Triumph V2. If you’ve been following Monta since their early days, you’ll know that the OG Triumph wasn’t just any launch, it was the watch that set the tone for everything that came after. Back in 2017, the Triumph put Monta on the map, proving that this small independent out of St. Louis could hold its own against the big brands in the industry. I bought my own Triumph a few years ago after it had been calling my name for some time, and was lucky enough that Mike and Justin (the brand’s founders) let me customize mine with a polished bezel instead of the standard brushed one. Did my little experiment inspire them to reinvent the Triumph? jk, I’m not that influential, but it did add just enough luxury to the otherwise rugged design that I was hoping for. And it’s been fun to see them lean further into that direction with this new version. Earlier this year in Geneva, Zach Kazan and I had the chance to sit down with Monta’s co-founder, Mike DiMartini, who pulled a few early Triumph concept samples out on his laptop to show us. These were rou...
Time+Tide
American brand Monta updates its Triumph model for the first time since 2017, offering aesthetic and technical refinements.The post Monta celebrates its ongoing success with a re-designed Triumph model appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
It has been a while since I last had a Monta watch on my wrist, so it was nice to approach this one with a fresh set of eyes. As one of the longer-standing smaller brands, Monta seems to be a bit of a known quantity at this point. They have very specific targets in both what they offer and their demographic, and seem to nail it almost every time in a very calculated way. Looking for an Omega Aqua Terra alternative for a fraction of the price? Check out the Monta Noble. You have a Rolex GMT Master II on your wishlist but can’t reasonably afford it, and need an alternative option? Well, there’s the Monta Skyquest for you. Thirsty for a Rolex Submariner but only looking to spend about one-third the retail price? Then, chances are good that you have already looked at previous iterations of the Monta Oceanking. I was in that camp almost a decade ago. Staring at older versions of the Aqua Terra online while signing up to be notified of the next restock of Monta Triumph models. No, I wouldn’t consider them one-to-one comparisons, as Monta does inject a bit of their own design language into each piece. However, while so many brands introduce new models year after year, chasing trends and sales, Monta instead takes the approach of refinement. Rather than pumping them out, they take in community feedback, look at their manufacturing capabilities and target price point, and make subtle but meaningful tweaks. That is how we’ve wound up with the Monta Oceanking in its third ver...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A quick look at the new Monta Noble Voyager - Monta's latest travel-inspired iteration of their popular Noble series. Check out photos, specs, and pricing.
Worn & Wound
Monta has announced an upgrade to their popular Noble collection today with the Noble Voyager. This new watch expands on the Noble concept, which is an old-fashioned luxury sport watch with distinct refined details that place just a click outside the “tool watch” category, by adding a GMT complication. This, of course, makes complete sense for a sports watch that was conceived to go anywhere. Now, when you go there (or, anywhere) you’ll be fully able to monitor an additional time zone. The execution here is quite subtle, and unless you were really searching for it, it would be easy to miss the GMT complication entirely. Monta has chosen to make the 24 hour hand a skeletonized clone of the local hour hand rather than a more traditional long hand with a broad arrow tip, or something of that nature. This helps to keep the Noble Voyager’s dial clean so that the drama of the lightly textured dégradé dials (in green or blue) remain intact. This was always my favorite design element of the original Noble, and I’m glad to see that Monta has held this over from the time and date versions of the watch. Besides the additional hand and a 24 hour scale at the dial’s perimeter, this is still very easily recognized as a Noble. The Noble Voyager’s case has nearly the same dimensions as the time and date model, measuring 38.5mm in diameter and 47mm lug to lug. The difference comes in the case height measurement, which is 10.7mm on the Noble Voyager compared to 9.7mm on ...
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Worn & Wound
It was early summer in 2020 and it felt like the entire world was on fire. The Coronavirus was running rampant, and the Quebec Government had instituted draconian lockdown measures, which included a nightly curfew. If residents were not in their homes by 8pm, fines were issued. It was a horrible time. My wife and I had no choice but to work from home, and both of my boys were attempting homeschooling for the first time. My oldest was in his second year of college and my youngest was in his last year of high school. We all struggled with this new way of doing things. On the bright side however, all this togetherness allowed me to introduce my kids to some of my beloved film franchises. We went through all the Die Hards, Lethal Weapons, Beverly Hills Cops and Aliens. The latter really stuck with them and my oldest found a video game called Alien Isolation, which he insisted we try. So, we did. Coincidentally Monta had sent me an OnceanKing to review and to this day, in my brain, this watch is linked to the Alien franchise and the great time I had with my boys kicking Alien posterior! I really, really liked the Monta OceanKing version II, nevertheless it was not without its flaws. Some of which have been addressed with the new version III which I’ve been lent for review. So, let’s dive in and see what they have done. The dimensions have remained very similar, with a diameter of 40.5mm (down from 40.7mm), a thickness of 12mm (same as the previous model) and a lug-to-lug le...
Worn & Wound
Monta surprised Windup Chicago attendees this weekend with the surprise unveiling of a new colorway for their popular Triumph model. The Triumph is the brand’s take on a classic military field watch, so the new green dial feels like a natural choice for the way it evokes uniforms and other military iconography, and brings an even more tool-like feel to the Triumph. The Triumph has been around since 2017 and is one of the longest standing Monta references. When it was introduced at Baselworld that year, a sunburst green dial was among the variants on display. This new version is a very different take on the color, however, with a more pronounced olive tone and a lacquer finish. Hands, hour markers, and Arabic numerals are all in a crisp, high contrast white, with the hands and markers at 12, 3, 6, and 9 given a rhodium plating for increased legibility. Aside from the new dial, this is the same Triumph that Monta fans have come to love over the years. It features the same top notch finishing that Monta has always been known for, which in the case of the Triumph means a case that’s entirely brushed, except for thin chamfers on the bracelet, bezel, and lugs. The case measures 38.5mm in diameter and is just 9.7mm thick, but still has a full 150 meters of water resistance thanks to its robust construction and screw down crown. The military green dialed Triumph is a limited edition of 95 pieces, and is now available for pre-order at a price of $1,700. It’s also worth ...
Hodinkee
With this update, Monta makes subtle aesthetic and technical refinements to its signature diver.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Monta just announced the third-gen version of their signature dive watch, the Monta Oceanking. Get a closer look at this flagship diver.
Worn & Wound
Following the continued success of the second generation Oceanking, St. Louis-based brand Monta just released their third iteration of the dive-inspired watch. Making intuitive tweaks to the design, the third generation of the Oceanking shows the capabilities of Monta and that there’s always room for improvement. The first thing to notice about the new-and-improved Oceanking is the bezel. With a focus on tactility and functionality, the new bezel features a ceramic insert that’s easier to read due to upgraded indices, typeface, and a lume pip at the 12 o’clock mark. Second to that is the 120-click action of the bezel assembly, which is suspended on three ball-pushers. The configuration of this assembly is totally unique to Monta and is currently patent-pending, making it an innovative feather in the microbrand’s cap. Much of the design principles of previous Oceankings have stuck around, with small tweaks to make it all the more refined for new customers and longtime fans of the brand. The dial has refreshed lume, a larger date aperture, and new text orientation. It’s small adjustments like these that make me confident that Monta is paying attention to every single detail and working closely with their Swiss manufacturing partners to bring us something special. Beyond the visual tweaks, one can expect even more adjustments made at the technical level as well. While the case clocks in at 40.7mm (same as Gen. 2), it is 0.2mm thinner than the previous generation. Th...
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Worn & Wound
Monta releases their Noble collection of watches in 2020, opening their ethos to a new genre in the process. Right off the bat, this was the most compelling Monta I had spent time with, and a few years later, that impression hasn’t changed. The Noble is a distillation of what Monta has come to represent in the space, and sets the tone for what I hope to see from the brand in the future. You can read more of my initial thoughts on the Noble in our review right here. In my interactions with the watch since that review, I still find it to be just as compelling today, and have even found myself recommending it on occasion. The Noble has existed as a somewhat subdued sports (?) watch (outside of a single baby-blue LE), but this week Monta is introducing a new Mint dial Noble to the existing collection. The newest Noble brings a welcome shift in personality to the otherwise dapper and serious watch. The mint colored dial seems to find a nice balance between bright, and subtle. It feels like a viable colorway to play with, and while it might not jive with everything in your closet, there’s enough leeway here to have fun with. And these things are supposed to be fun, right? Given the absence of a second color, such a mango seconds hand, this feels like a great opportunity to find some complimentary strap options from that nest of spare straps you have in that one drawer. One thing I’ve always appreciated about Monta is their attention to some of the smaller details. At a t...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Announcing the new limited edition Monta Skyquest with an Opalin Silver and gilt dial. Read more for specs, photos, pricing, and availability.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A TBWS review of the Monta Skyquest GMT, updated in 2023. Read on for specs, analysis, detailed photos, pricing, and more.
Time+Tide
This has been a bountiful year for the horologically inclined, and full of surprises. We have gone shopping with the virtual Time+Tide gold credit card, and found what we think might be five of the best watches under $3kUSD in 2020. It is an eclectic selection, from established microbrands to tough divers and a flyweight … ContinuedThe post 5 of the best watches released in 2020 under $3k, including Grand Seiko, Bulgari and Monta appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
When the Monta Oceanking arrived one day, I didn’t quite know what to make of it. Luckily, I was able to secure a phone interview with Justin Kraudel, the president of Monta. Mr Kraudel is as enthusiastic about watches as any of us (perhaps more so) and was eager to school me on Monta in … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Monta Oceanking, a watch price-positioned between Seiko and Tudor appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Two Broke Watch Snobs
It’s been a long time coming. Finally, after sitting on this for a bit, I’m ready to share some thoughts about the Monta Atlas GMT. Recently, work and life have managed to brutally pull me under-but when a great watch has to be written about, I do my best to share my review when I can. Monta is the product of a new era of microbrands pushing into uncharted territory with a controversial pivot toward four-digit price points.
Hodinkee
Monta's latest GMT is a handsome and reserved take on a versatile travel-ready watch.
Time+Tide
There’s something really appealing about a well-priced travel watch, and the Atlas GMT, from micro brand Monta, certainly fits that bill. If you’re not familiar with Monta, they’re a relatively young brand inspired by the well-priced tool watches of yesteryear and, I’ve got to say, they’ve done a really good job of delivering on that … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Monta Atlas GMT appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
Teddy Baldassarre
Teddy Baldassarre is an authorized luxury watch retailer of brands like TUDOR, OMEGA, IWC, Grand Seiko, Breitling, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Zenith, Longines, ORIS, MIDO, Tissot, Hamilton, NOMOS Glashütte, Baume & Mercier, and more.
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