I’ve talked quite a bit about some of the design and production challenges and decisions that Monta has made so far, and this should provide some context for the time, effort, and cost that goes into creating a new watch brand. However, there was still an obvious disconnect in Monta’s pricing and marketing strategies when they first launched, a disconnect they seem to have recognized and are beginning to address with a reduction in prices being the most visible of those changes. As someone who had a healthy amount of skepticism for the Oceanking when it launched, I was eager to find out why Michael and his team believed their pricing was justified. In a surprising and refreshing sign of honesty, Michael admitted that to a large degree it wasn’t and that they had jumped into Monta without the appropriate amount of due diligence.
When they decided to start Monta, the assumption was that their experience with and audience from Everest could be smoothly leveraged into a successful watch brand. While they always planned to sell watches through their website, that was never their primary distribution channel. Like the Everest straps, they wanted to sell the Oceanking and all future watches through retailers. I’m sure many of you can already see where this is headed. Quite quickly, Monta found themselves, to quote, with “their teeth kicked in,” as they got squeezed from both the retailer and customer end. Retailers either did not want to hold inventory in what had been a punishing year for watches or wanted higher than usual margins. Customers, specifically those who are used to buying online, shied away because of the price which at $3,500 included traditional retailer margins.
Monta’s experience at Baselworld 2017 was the final straw, as they were surprised to find that while they received the cold shoulder from almost all the retailers they approached, many individuals and walk-ins expressed serious interest in the Triumph and about as many left with an Oceaking. After this experience, Michael says that he and his partners took some time and decided to abandon the retailer model and shift their focus to a primarily e-commerce approach. This allowed them to quickly slash prices and is what accounts for most of the change in price. The other decision was to switch movement suppliers.
While the Oceanking in its current form will continue to use the Eterna 39A movements, all future Monta watches starting with the Triumph will use Sellita movements. This helps Monta reduce prices a little more, but more importantly addresses concerns regarding the longevity and ease of service and repair for the watches. While Monta plans to stick around for the long run, the team realized that customers retained some skepticism and rightfully so. A popular question they received was regarding service and maintenance in the event that Monta is no longer around. So, while Monta works on building a track record and reputation, their watches will be equipped with movements and assembled with methods that make them easy to maintain and service by any qualified watchmaker.
My conversation with the team leads me to believe that while they may have rushed into Monta with blinders on, they are also willing to listen to their audience, make changes as necessary and are intent on sticking around for the long run. During our discussion about the recent price cuts, Michael explained how they realized this was unfair to customers who had bought the Oceanking at its previous much higher price. To compensate these customers, Monta is offering either a refund or will allow the refund amount plus an additional $200 to be applied towards the purchase of a Triumph.
Monta have also been ramping up efforts to get watches into the hands of interested individuals by attending social events such as Red Bar meetings (Justin, one of the partners is the founder of Red Bar St Louis) and hosting events of their own all over the place. This was their final lesson from the last 8 months – people want to touch and feel what they’re buying at this price point.
Speaking of touching and feeling, I was able to spend a week with prototypes of the new Triumph Field watch, specifically the black and green dial variants. I talked about some of the case and dial details earlier and the images throughout the article should serve as a good visual aide. The case measures 38.5mm and looks and wears slimmer than its thickness of 10.8mm. The long lugs mean that it will adapt well to larger wrists (I have a 7” wrist for reference). While the prototype pictured here has a double-domed crystal and a black date wheel, the final version will have a flat sapphire crystal and a white date window. Apparently, this was a result of feedback received at Baselworld, which must again mean I’m in the minority that prefers the double-domed sapphire crystal and black date wheel.
The Triumph is powered by a Sellita SW300-1, an alternative to the ETA2892-A, which is a reliable and robust movement that is well-known by most watchmakers and is a step above in timekeeping performance and quality than the ETA2824 or Sellita SW200-1. Unlike the prototypes, the final production pieces will have a decorated movement visible through the exhibition case back. There are four dial variants offered – matte black, green, anthracite, and blue. All colors except the black variant have a sunburst finish, something that is unusual in a field watch but suits the watch quite well. In addition to dial choices, you will be able to pick between an Everest rubber strap, Everest leather strap, and a bracelet or have all three, if you so desire. In addition, all watches ship with a NATO strap as well.
The Monta Triumph Field watch opens for pre-orders in August with deliveries starting in November at a pre-order price of $1,265 which includes the watch on a rubber strap, a NATO strap, pouch, and presentation box. The leather strap option will cost $1,275 and the bracelet option will be $1,435. While all options are excellent, my personal favorite is the anthracite dial on a black rubber strap. montawatch.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Monta
>Model: Triumph Field Watch
>Price: $1,265 – $1,435
>Size: 38.5mm wide, 10.8mm thick
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Someone looking for an interesting take on a field watch, at an affordable price point.
>Best characteristic of watch: The ergonomic crown and rhodium-plated hands and markers.
>Worst characteristic of watch: The long lugs and strap design can make the watch a difficult fit for small wrists.
