Still a Top-Tier Microbrand Watch? Testing The New Monta Triumph vs The Original

The long-awaited reboot of the Monta Triumph has finally launched. That watch is so well named because, as Monta approaches its tenth anniversary as a watch brand, the first generation Triumph sustained and elevated the brand at a time when they needed a victory. As opposed to an evolutionary redesign, Monta has chosen to completely rethink and reshape almost everything about this watch. I’ve had the Gen1 Triumph on wrist before and, for this review of the new version, I was fortunate enough to borrow a friend’s Gen1 for a proper comparison.

Quick comparison – Gen1 Versus Gen2

The first thing I noticed was the heft of the new Triumph in comparison to the original. It is noticeably thicker by over 1mm and has a case that is about 2mm greater in diameter. Most of the additional thickness comes from the taller bezel and crystal. In spite of the increase in the case size, the lug-to-lug distance is just a hair below 48mm which makes this new Triumph very wearable for those with a small wrist (in my case, 6.5 inches).

The dial feels far more open thanks to the removal of most numerals and the relocation of the minute track to the chapter ring. The dial text is slightly smaller which also opens up dial real estate and contributes to a more elegant look.

The new Triumph gains crown guards for additional protection and also loses the slender lugs of Gen1 for a less elongated case shape. The bezel and case sides are now fully polished rather than brushed, dramatically increasing reflectivity.

Both generations use the Sellita SW-300-1automatic movement, now with a 56-hour power reserve in the Triumph Gen2.

Now, let’s get a little more granular about what these changes mean and how they affect the aesthetics and wearing experience for a potential buyer.

Dial and hands

When I first met my wife 41 years ago, I was attracted by her face, especially her eyes, smile and cheekbones. Individually, those features were nice but, collectively, they expressed her sparkly personality. For me, it’s not much different with watches. Generally speaking, the dial is where I fall in love with a watch. Does the dial holistically pull me in? 

With the new Triumph, the dial appearance was not the first thing that I noticed….it was those large applied numerals at 3 and 9. They are such a departure from the prior version. While not eye-popping, they dominate the dial in a way the original never did—every glance starts with those bold 3 and 9 markers. Their placement balances the dial on an east-west axis but leaves me wanting a numeral at 6 as well. Ditching the date window for a 6 o’clock numeral would have been ideal, but that forces a tough design choice. I do like a date complication and considering Monta’s growing presence with retail jewelers, I suspect that many of those customers do as well.

While Monta is not promising a no-date variant down the line, it is almost a given that we will see other dial colors in the years to come. For now, the black dial is a good way to launch the second-generation Triumph.

Monta continues to use sword hands on the Triumph but they have been properly sized to fit the proportions of the enlarged dial. The hour hand is a little fatter and slightly longer while the minute hand grows by a full millimeter so that it meets the minute track hash marks.

For dial lume, Monta uses BGW9 Super-LumiNova on the hands and applied markers to great effect. On a bedside table, the glow was excellent throughout the night and rivaled that of the LumiBrite on my Seiko SRPL15 dive watch.

Case and crown

With its polished finishes, larger size and clean dial, the Triumph establishes a more refined presence but also loses some of the charm of the seminal version. The case has grown in size and thickness which will please customers who like a larger watch. Conversely, if you thought that the Gen1 Triumph was the perfect size, you may not be as keen on this new version. Even with the upsizing, it actually wears quite well and Monta has wisely kept the lug-to-lug distance in check. Water resistance is enhanced from 150 meters to 200 meters which is well into dive watch territory.

The 316L stainless steel case feels very well made. As you would expect, Monta uses sapphire crystal on the front and also for the display case back.

Crown guards are a welcome addition but they have the unwanted effect of making the crown more difficult to use. Interaction with the crown is slightly more challenging, especially for the sausage-fingered among us.

Bracelet and clasp

Monta bracelets are known for their thoughtful design and supreme comfort. The fully brushed bracelet on the Triumph helps make this watch a pleasure to wear. No nonsense, no rattling or squeaking and—after weeks of daily wear—not a single pulled hair. The clasp is very secure. In fact, it requires an extra effort to lock it down but once you hear the satisfying snap of the flip lock, you won’t think about it again.

A proper fit is easily achieved, in part because Monta includes two half-links, but also due to the three-position, quick-adjust feature built into the clasp. I simply sized the bracelet to fit my wrist until I was comfortable, which left me with two additional positions that I could adjust on the fly as my wrist expanded during physical activity. For an additional measure of comfort, the bracelet tapers from 20mm down to 16.5mm.

Wearing experience

The bracelet, the case size and ideal lug-to-lug distance all combine to make the Triumph an exceptionally comfortable watch. It has a pleasing heft on the bracelet yet never feels obtrusive. It’s a watch that I could wear all day long no matter the activity. The applied markers and additional polishing move this Triumph into a dressier territory than Gen1 but it still works as a legible field watch. It will be interesting to see what additional color ways Monta considers in the future.

Should you buy one?

The new Triumph does everything that could be expected of a modern field watch. High legibility, robust construction and superior water resistance are all hallmarks of this watch. This newest version has elevated the Triumph with additional polishing, a cleaner dial and more wrist presence. Personally, I would like to see a numeral at the 6 position as I think it would better balance the overall dial appearance. For me, those large numerals and the addition of more polished surfaces pulls the Triumph away from its Gen1 roots. To paraphrase the words of Monta’s Justin Kraudel, the new Triumph might be more appropriate on an officer’s wrist.

At the time of this writing, Monta is offering an introductory price of $1,550. for early adopters, so don’t delay if you are considering a purchase. After the preorder window closes, the price will be $1,850., which remains competitive.

Pros

• Typical Monta quality and attention to detail
• Uncluttered dial
• Excellent lume
• That bracelet
• Compelling introductory price

Con

• Loses some of the charm of Gen1
• Crown is harder to manipulate
• A little less svelte for some