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How and Why MONTA Pivoted—and Is the Triumph a Good Field Watch?

MONTA says a disappointing Baselworld helped prompt its online-only pivot, while early Triumph preorders helped the brand gain traction. Here’s how the original and 2025 V2 differ—and what buyers should check on fit, bracelet and availability.
Estimate6–8 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team
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MONTA’s co-founder says a disappointing Baselworld in 2017 helped push the young watch brand toward online-only sales, and that early Triumph preorders helped it keep going. The Triumph has since become a distinct two-generation watch: the original is 38.5 mm with 150 m water resistance, while the 2025 Triumph V2 grows to 40 mm, adds crown guards and is rated to 200 m. Whether the V2 suits you comes down to fit, dial preference, bracelet feel, and its current price and availability—not the company’s origin story alone.

Why MONTA changed its business model

MONTA co-founder Justin Kraudel’s July 27, 2021 retrospective dates the pivotal discussion to May 2017, after the company returned from Baselworld. Kraudel described the show as a “major bust” and said co-founder Michael DiMartini was weighing whether to close the young brand or invest further and move to an online-only model with Kraudel as a new business partner. This is MONTA’s account of the decision, rather than an independently established explanation of the company’s business history. MONTA’s retrospective

Direct sales and the Triumph launch

MONTA says selling directly online allowed it to remove the margin reserved for traditional retailers and lower the original Oceanking’s price. The company says it offered early Oceanking customers either a refund or a discounted Triumph, and that most chose the Triumph. Kraudel described a plan to reach buyers through social media, watch-collecting groups and customer service without a retail presence. MONTA’s retrospective

According to the same account, Triumph preorders built gradually before press coverage and YouTube reviews followed. MONTA held a launch party in St. Louis, attended its first Wind Up watch fair in New York, and delivered customer watches in November 2017. Kraudel later wrote, “For all intents and purposes the Triumph truly saved MONTA.” That is the co-founder’s retrospective characterization of the Triumph’s role, not an independently measured finding about causation. MONTA also says the Triumph began its movement partnership with Sellita and that the Noble was based on the Triumph. MONTA’s retrospective

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What changed between the original Triumph and the 2025 V2?

The V2 is not simply a new dial on the original case. It is larger, has crown guards and carries a higher water-resistance rating. Keep the generations separate when judging fit or comparing specifications.

Specification Original Triumph Triumph V2
Case diameter 38.5 mm, as reported by Hodinkee in its October 15, 2025 V2 launch coverage. 40 mm, as reported by Hodinkee at launch; MONTA’s current black-dial listing also gives 40 mm.
Thickness Not stated in the cited 2025 launch report. 10.7 mm in Hodinkee’s October 15, 2025 launch report; MONTA’s current black-dial listing gives 10.5 mm. The sources differ slightly.
Lug to lug Not stated in the cited 2025 launch report. 47 mm in Hodinkee’s October 15, 2025 launch report; 47.8 mm in MONTA’s current black-dial listing. The sources differ slightly.
Case details The cited launch report does not specify crown guards. Crown guards; MONTA’s listing describes a 316L steel case, screw-down crown with guards and sapphire caseback.
Water resistance 150 m, according to Hodinkee’s October 15, 2025 launch report. 200 m, according to Hodinkee’s launch report and MONTA’s current black-dial listing.
Movement and reserve The cited sources do not establish a complete original-generation specification here. MONTA M-22, based on Sellita SW300; automatic, date, 4 Hz and a stated 56-hour power reserve in Hodinkee’s launch report. MONTA’s current listing also states a 56-hour reserve.

Dimensions are not interchangeable across sources: the listed V2 thickness is 10.5 or 10.7 mm, and lug-to-lug is 47 or 47.8 mm. Check the exact watch and listing before buying, especially if a fraction of a millimetre matters on your wrist. Hodinkee’s figures are tied to its October 15, 2025 launch coverage; MONTA’s measurements above come from its black-dial listing. Hodinkee’s V2 launch report · MONTA’s black-dial Triumph listing

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Does the V2 fit like a field watch?

The 40 mm diameter and source-reported 47–47.8 mm lug-to-lug put the V2 on the larger side than the 38.5 mm original. Diameter alone does not determine fit: lug-to-lug span, wrist shape and how the bracelet articulates all matter. If you prefer compact watches or have a wrist where long lugs tend to overhang, the original’s smaller stated diameter may be more promising, but the available cited material does not provide its lug-to-lug measurement for a direct fit comparison.

The V2’s 10.5 mm official-listing thickness or 10.7 mm launch-report figure is relatively slim in profile for a 200 m-rated steel sports watch, but the sources do not establish a measured comparison against competing models. Try it on if possible, or confirm the retailer’s return terms and the precise generation and dial variant before ordering.

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Dial, legibility and everyday use

The 2023 Hodinkee hands-on review praised the Triumph’s proportions and considered surface finishing, while Worn & Wound’s review of the original found the case finishing and wearing experience appealing. Worn & Wound also thought the original dial’s combination of markers and Arabic numerals could feel redundant. That is a subjective design criticism of the original, not proof that every buyer will find the dial hard to read or that the V2 shares every detail. Hodinkee’s 2023 review · Worn & Wound’s original Triumph review

For a field-style watch, judge the dial in ordinary conditions that matter to you: whether the numerals and markers are easy to distinguish at a glance, whether the date interrupts the layout, and whether the chosen dial color has the contrast you want. The supplied coverage supports a design preference trade-off, not a quantified legibility test.

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  • Take it off the beaten path with a 100 meter water rating, ultra-resistant K1 glass and day date window. Then take it on the town with an Italian leather strap and elegant all-black colorway. Have a field day.
  • Durable and Water Resistant: Water Resistant up to 10 ATM/100 Meters. For short dives, swim and surf.
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  • Caring for Your Timepiece: Your MVMT automatic watch has been crafted with meticulous attention to quality, function, and detail. We recommend a maintenance interval of every 3 to 5 years to ensure optimal performance. To keep your watch running smoothly, wear it regularly or use a watch winder when not in use. Please do not attempt to open the watch yourself.

Bracelet and adjustment

The bracelet is a notable part of the Triumph’s appeal in the independent reviews: Hodinkee praised it in its 2023 hands-on piece, and Worn & Wound praised the original bracelet’s articulation and comfort. MONTA’s current black-dial V2 page specifies a quick-adjust clasp, three micro-adjustment settings and two half-links. Those features give you options to tune fit without relying only on full-link changes, though comfort still depends on your wrist and the fit you can achieve. MONTA’s black-dial Triumph listing

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Movement, water resistance and price

Movement and reserve

For the V2, Hodinkee identifies the MONTA M-22 as based on the Sellita SW300, with automatic winding, a date, 4 Hz frequency and a stated 56-hour power reserve. The reserve is a manufacturer specification reported by the source, not a guarantee of how long an individual watch will run under every condition. MONTA’s black-dial listing also gives a 56-hour reserve. Hodinkee’s V2 launch report · MONTA’s black-dial Triumph listing

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Water resistance

The 2025 launch report gives the V2 a 200 m rating, compared with 150 m for the original. MONTA’s listing also rates the black-dial V2 to 200 m and describes a screw-down crown. A depth rating is a specification, not a promise that any aged or damaged watch is safe in water; follow the manufacturer’s care guidance and have seals checked as appropriate. Hodinkee’s V2 launch report · MONTA’s black-dial Triumph listing

Price and availability

Hodinkee reported a launch-period price of $1,550 for the first 100 V2 watches on the quick-adjust bracelet and a regular launch price of $1,850. These are October 2025 launch figures, not a current quote. MONTA’s black-dial product page showed $1,850 and sold-out/coming-soon status when accessed; that is a time-sensitive listing observation, not proof that every dial variant is unavailable. Check the live listing for the exact configuration, price and stock before purchase. Hodinkee’s V2 launch report · MONTA’s black-dial Triumph listing

Is the MONTA Triumph a good field watch?

The evidence supports a well-finished, relatively slim, bracelet-focused sports watch with useful water resistance, rather than a universal best buy. Hodinkee’s 2023 reviewer considered the original’s execution commensurate with its $1,700 period list price, while also noting that value could be challenging against less expensive alternatives. That $1,700 figure belongs to the 2023 green-dial review context and should not be confused with V2 launch pricing or today’s price. Worn & Wound’s praise for the original’s comfort and finishing comes alongside its reservation about dial layout. Hodinkee’s 2023 review · Worn & Wound’s original Triumph review

  • Consider it if: you like the V2’s larger 40 mm format, want a bracelet with several fit adjustments, and value the stated 200 m rating and 56-hour reserve.
  • Compare generations carefully if: you prefer the smaller 38.5 mm original or want the V2’s crown guards and higher stated water resistance.
  • Inspect before committing if: dial layout is a major factor, your wrist is sensitive to lug span, or the listed price and stock status may have changed.

MONTA describes its collection as inspired by classic tool watches of the 1950s and 1960s combined with modern technology; its current lineup also includes the Noble, Oceanking, Skyquest and Atlas. That context helps explain the Triumph’s tool-watch styling, but it does not settle whether its design or price is right for an individual buyer. MONTA’s homepage

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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