Monta’s Oceanking shows us that sometimes the best dive watches aren’t the ones trying to be different
Tom AustinThe modern dive watch is one of the most crowded categories in watchmaking. Whether you’re spending $500 or $15,000, you’re likely to end up looking at the same familiar ingredients: a steel case, black, diver-style dial, ceramic bezel, and a chunky, versatile bracelet. Standing out isn’t easy, particularly when so much of the formula has been refined and perfected over the last couple of decades or more. Monta’s answer isn’t to reinvent it; instead, the St. Louis-based brand has spent significant time refining the parts that enthusiasts actually interact with.
There are dive watches, and there are proper dive watches. For a watch to become the latter, the bezel should have that satisfying, crisp action; the bracelet needs to adjust easily; the clasp should actuate properly; the crown seating should inspire confidence; and the finishing should hold its own against watches costing considerably more. The Oceanking is the result of that philosophy. On paper, there are no miraculous additions never seen before, but on the wrist, it becomes obvious why collectors speak about Monta with the kind of enthusiasm they do. This is a watch comprised of dozens of small decisions that come together to create something remarkably complete.
The case
The Oceanking measures 40.5mm across, 12mm thick, and 48mm from lug to lug, placing it firmly in the sweet spot for a functional diving tool that can be worn as an everyday stainless steel sportster. The numbers don’t sound out of this world, but when worn, the Oceanking feels reassuringly solid, yet resists becoming an oversized slab, which several chunky divers fall foul of. The finishing is well executed, with crisp transitions between brushed and polished surfaces, culminating in a heavy, flowing chamfer that runs along the case flanks. It’s good to see an additional level of attention to detail on a tool watch case at this price point, rather than just simple sharp corner breaks and heavy brushing all over.
The bezel deserves particular praise, as this newest iteration of the Oceanking features a 120-click rotating dive bezel with action among the best you’ll find in this category, complete with a ceramic insert featuring new indices, typeface, and a luminescent capsule pip at 12 o’clock. The large, aggressive, coined edge of the bezel is great if you’ve got slightly larger fingers and thumbs, and that should help if you’re operating it with gloves on, too. The Oceanking’s case isn’t all show and no go, either, delivering a solid 300 metres of water resistance thanks to a screw-down crown that feels reassuringly tight to operate and is protected by a pair of subtly curved crown guards.
The dial
Monta has wisely resisted the temptation to overcomplicate the atypical diver-style dial on the Oceanking. Yes, we have a gloss black surface with bold, applied hour markers filled with lume, but there’s just enough space to ensure it’s not overcrowded. The broad, Super-LumiNova-filled handset offers excellent contrast and ensures that telling time at a glance is simple. There’s a date window at six, which aligns well enough with the other hour markers that it doesn’t look like it interrupts the dial too much compared to other divers on the market, and it keeps everything satisfyingly symmetrical.
Dial text is kept to a minimum, with the classy Monta logo at twelve standing proud and a polite, classic reminder of the water-resistance rating underneath. One of the coolest features has to be the red “Oceanking” text beneath it, though, because history tells us that a dive watch with red text is immediately cooler than one without. The entire dial serves as a reminder that great design doesn’t always require bold creativity. Often, restraint is the harder thing to achieve, and Monta’s managed that well, delivering a functional divers dial that doesn’t look derivative or trying to be something it isn’t.
The movement
The Oceanking takes the confident decision to use a solid, plain brushed case back, hiding the Monta M-22 automatic calibre beneath it, so for a hands-on, there’s not much to see. That’s not because the M-22 isn’t a pretty movement; in fact, with rhodium plating, a bespoke engraved rotor and gold details, it’s actually a rather pleasant movement to look at, but in the style of some of the best divers on the market, Monta didn’t feel the need to showcase it visually. Instead, the movement’s technical features speak for themselves. Based on Sellita’s excellent SW300 architecture, it delivers a 56-hour power reserve while beating at 28,800 Vph, and is regulated in-house to an accuracy of +/- 7 seconds in five positions before leaving the factory. It’s Monta’s flagship movement and offers dependable performance that exceeds what many buyers would expect at this price level.
The bracelet
If there’s one element that elevates the Oceanking above many of its competitors, it’s the bracelet. Dive bracelets remain one of the hardest things for smaller brands to get right, and while that has been improving significantly in recent years, Monta has managed to excel with this interpretation. The classic three-link design features links that have all been carefully machined and finished with clear attention to detail, meaning the bracelet articulates over the wrist perfectly and, importantly, quietly.
There are no sharp, awkward edges, and the micro-adjustment on the clasp allows tool-free, on-the-fly adjustment without removing the watch; a neat feature you rarely see these days. The weight of the bracelet balances the stocky proportions of the head of the watch, too, which is very important on watches like this, so it’s a comfortable wear no matter what you’re putting it through.
The verdict
The Oceanking isn’t likely to win any awards for the originality of its design, but that’s absolutely fine. Traditional dive watches have followed a blueprint that is now around 70 years old, with modern dive watches reaching a point where they’ve been refined to such a degree that it’s near impossible to achieve absolute uniqueness while being respectful to the formula and remaining technically functional, in the best sense of what a dive watch should be. The Monta Oceanking focuses on doing that, while executing the fundamentals to an exceptionally high standard, and delivering a complete ownership experience without asking you to spend significantly more money. It’s not trying to reinvent the dive watch; rather, it’s trying to be one of the better examples, and after spending time with it, it’s difficult to argue that Monta hasn’t succeeded.
Monta Oceanking 60-minute with Date pricing and availability
The Monta Oceanking 60-minute with Date is now available to pre-order at the Time+Tide Studio in New York and the Time+Tide Shop. Price: US$2,550
| Brand | Monta |
| Model | Oceanking 60-minute with Date |
| Case Dimensions | 40.5mm (D) x 12mm (T) x 48mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres, screw-down crown |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Black lacquer |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel, three-link, folding clasp, micro-adjust |
| Movement | Monta M-22, Sellita SW300 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 56 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | US$2,550 |