This review is going to be a different one as I’m about to contradict myself and I’m ok with it. I’ve been reviewing watches for the past three years. On Mainspring and elsewhere, I’ve had the privilege of getting my hands on hundreds of watches and I’ve always said and believed that the more straightforward a watch is from a design perspective, the better. This is because I like simple things including simple watches that do simple tasks. I’ve purposely stayed clear of reviewing certain models which have intricate dial textures because more often than not, I don’t find them to belong on a watch as they tend to be more gimmicky than anything else. They seem to be more about showing what can be accomplished and which others haven’t done before rather than creating something that actually makes sense. I know, this is perhaps a terrible thing to say but hey, life’s rough all over. 

But I fell for the Monbrey MB2 from the very first pictures I saw of it. This new collection comes in seven colors and two dial materials. To keep things easy for my male brain I decided to borrow the T4 Black variant because 1) I’m boring and prefer black or gray dials and anything in-between and 2) because I believe it is the easiest color to draw comparisons with utilizing the mental catalog of all watches I’ve seen thus far in the metal. Anywho. Monbrey is a young brand from Hong Kong ran by two fellas that go by the names of Austin and Henry. Their first collection, the MB1 which I reviewed a while back was an extraordinarily well-made watch. Though a tad too large for some (me.) The two friends are therefore coming back with a more ambitious collection which punches well over its gasket. So let’s dig into it. 

Specifications

The first thing you should know about the Monbrey MB2 T4 Black is that it’s a nimble piece of horology that fits my wrist perfectly. With a case measuring 37.5mm in diameter, 45mm lug-to-lug, 11.8mm thick,(including the crystal) and coming with a 20mm lug width, it just looks great on my 6.50”/16.5cm centimeter. I now know that these are the perfect dimensions for a modern watch for me. And not only does it have great dimensions, but it also comes with a case profile that visually matches its proportions and aids in making the watch technically wear well on my wrist as well as aesthetically look great on it. Perhaps deceptively so the Monbrey MB2 comes with 100 meters of water resistance (screw-down crown and case-back) and a soft-iron faraday cage* enveloping the Miyota 9039 caliber within (4Hz/41 hours of power reserve.) 

*Raising the antimagnetic properties of the movement to ≥ 4800 A/m which is the lowest figure for a movement to be officially considered being protected against magnetism. 

The second thing you should know about this model is that its packed with incredible specs for a modest pre-ordering price of $486 USD (full retail will be $649 USD.) For example, a sapphire crystal with 10 layers of inner anti-reflective coating and outer finger-print coating. (What?) A three-link stainless steel bracelet with quick-release spring-bars, screwed links, and on-the-fly micro-adjustment mechanism. Or even generous applications of BGW9 lume on the hands and in the shape of plots outside the hour markers. And perhaps more importantly, a jewel steel dial that resembles lava rock mixed with aventurine. It's a sight that only truly comes to life in person and I can already tell you that my pictures are far, far from doing it justice. So we do find ourselves with lots of solid specs and, as we will now see, ones that are paired with a design that’s both bold and refined. 

I know, “bold” and “refined” don’t really work together. 

Design

More than its specs, it was the design of the Monbrey MB2 that immediately convinced me to want to write about it. And here I’m talking about every single aspect of its appearance. Everything. The bracelet is in itself a piece of art, though of a common design, but one which has been perfectly executed and which matches the overall aesthetic of the MB2. It has a three-link “H” construction where each link is endowed with wide bevels, most of the time polished, which make the bracelet look sporty and elegant as the polished facets reflect light. The clasp is well-proportioned given the adjusting technology inside which is not always the case at this price point. And a first indication of the tremendous attention to details Monbrey put in the design and creation of the bracelet is the fact that the end-links and first links of the bracelets have matching finishes. 

What do I mean? Recently, it was brought to my nerdy attention that generally end-links found on bracelets from microbrand watches are standard and not specifically made for the bracelet. Meaning the bracelet and end-links are not made for each other but appear to be. And one can tell whether or not they are by looking at the finishing: if they match then all parts of the bracelets were manufactured for the brand. If they don’t match, well they weren’t made for each other. 

The case is also nicely designed as it comes with a modern and geometrical profile with long and angular lugs, slab-sided flanks, and an almost stepped-bezel construction. Take a closer look at how the bezel sits in from the mid-case and how unusually large it is compared to the case. And how the boxed sapphire crystal creates an additional step—or level—from the bezel. At first glance all of this looks neat though one might not know why. This is why we always need to look closely at all of the details of a watch to fully grasp the extent to which each aspect of its design and construction come together to create a unified whole. (At least, that’s what we find here.) And I for one really appreciate how the angles on the case match those found on the bracelet, so does the alternation of brushed and polished surfaces. 

Naturally, I’m going to complete this section by talking about the dial—the “star of the show” to pun it. First, I find the handset to be perfect for this model because 1) their angularism matches that of the case and bracelet and 2) sitting against the jewel steel dial they appear to be fine steel weapons. Oops, that was a silly and sad pun as jewel steel, called Tamahagane in Japanese, “is the core material used in crafting Japanese swords.” (Quoting from Monbrey’s media kit.) Anyway, the obelisk-shaped hour and minute hands are multifaceted, showcasing brushed upper sections and polished chamfers, while the needle-shaped seconds hand has the color of copper. Lastly, the applied hour markers are also stunning as they have polished chamfers and “microscale cutting line” on top. In other words, numerous super thin lines edged close together. 

The Heart of the Matter

At the heart of the matter is the fact that Monbrey created a superb second collection and one which I hope will encounter the success it so deserves. The MB2, in any of it color and dial variants, is a superb piece of horology, meticulously designed and crafted, which can be acquired for a price that is more than fair—and that is true whether you’re looking at the pre-ordering price of $486 USD or the full retail of $649 USD. Yes, objectively speaking, the Monbrey MB2 offers tremendous value while putting side-to-side its price and spec sheet. Which is what many watch enthusiasts are after. However, if you are like me, then you will also appreciate the delicate design and dial texture. Not only because they look great, subjectively-speaking, but more because they’re more complex than you might expect. 

The Jewed Steel dial texture doesn’t simply look like a rendering of something that is complex and rare, but it looks like the real deal. The attention to detail in its design and execution is something worth celebrating. And just as amazing the dial texture is, the design of the hands and hour markers is quite exceptional as well. Especially the latter. Monbrey didn’t just treat the upper sections of the markers with a brushed finish, but instead it incised dozens of super thin horizontal lines which look, at most angles, like a continuous matte surface which tells light to go fuck itself. In other words, it looks amazing and it is highly functional. And I think my latter comment is the main takeaway here: the Mombrey MB2 is beautiful, refined, and also extremely legible. 

It’s a killer combination of sorts. 

Conclusion 

The pre-ordering campaign for the Monbrey MB2 starts today, Monday, November 4, 2024, directly from the brand’s website. As mentioned earlier, you can get any of these beauties for $486 USD and each model will come with both an epsom leather strap and the stainless steel bracelet I gushed over in this review. Deliveries are expected for the end of March/early April 2025 so you’ll have an opportunity to practice patience (I know I do) and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. I love what I do because I’m a proper watch nerd and I get to experience lots of watches and oftentimes, really good releases like the Monbrey MB2. 

I suggest taking a look at the brand’s website to know more about Monbrey. 

Thanks for reading.