Did you know that the luxury brand Montblanc has released a highly deep dive watch with the additional functional advantage of an oxygen-free case environment?
I didn't know either until Montblanc showed me this intriguing model, which recently joined their extensive Iced Sea dive watch collection. Overall, Montblanc seems like a brand on the move, but it has a very strong watch department. Prices for some of them are high, but overall Montblanc's watch catalog currently has much to enjoy, and this sporty model with high-end features should catch the eye of any diving enthusiast.
The Iced Sea dive watch collection is Montblanc's attempt to combine art with utilitarian purpose, and these watches excel under the leadership of Laurent Lecamp (who heads the brand's wristwatch division). Over the past few years, Montblanc has released several exclusive watches with cases from which oxygen is removed and replaced by another gas. Most of these watches were intended for high-altitude exploration (such as mountaineering), and now Montblanc combines this concept with watches designed for deep dives. I am sure that inside Montblanc they celebrate the fact that the brand has watches that can go as deep or as high as a human can. So now we have a rare example of a deep dive watch whose dial does not fog up under normal conditions. It's almost as if Sinn created Montblanc, and it's very cool.
Montblanc is not the brand from which you would expect high-performance dive watches capable of descending to depths of over 15,000 feet. The main competitors of the Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 are brands like Rolex, Omega, and Oris. Functionally, of course, no one needs such water resistance, but people also don't often need oversized tires on their trucks. It's about machismo as much as it is about tool-making or refinement. In many ways, the 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 watches are similar to other models in the Iced Sea collection, but they have a larger case and additional text on the dial. Moreover, Montblanc uses a slightly different aesthetic technique for the watch dial design called "grate-boise," which helps create the appearance of sea ice. Naturally, the entire Iced Sea collection is inspired by glaciers.
Equally interesting is the back of the case with a multicolored blue texture, which Montblanc describes as a view from underwater at the ice above the water surface. It is one of the rarest and most beautiful views that can be observed in the ocean, looking up. The case of the Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 is large but not insanely sized, given its characteristics. The watch case is made of grade 5 titanium, with a width of 43 mm and a thickness of 19.2 mm. At the same time, the case back has a more rounded shape, and when the watch is on the wrist, it does not appear that tall. As mentioned above, the watch is water-resistant up to 4,810 meters (15,780 feet).
Around the dial is a unidirectional rotating bezel, which is one of the least distinctive parts of the Iced Sea, as it seems to have been borrowed from the Rolex Submariner. In most watches of the Iced Sea collection, the bezel insert is ceramic, but in this case, it seems to be matte black aluminum. I don't know exactly why Montblanc decided to use a more "retro" material, but maybe it has something to do with extreme water resistance. Above the watch dial is a sapphire crystal with AR coating, and overall, the watch meets ISO 6425 standards as a professional diver's watch.
Inside the Iced Sea 0 Oxygen watches is a movement that I think fits well with this theme: the Montblanc caliber MB 29.29 in-house automatic movement. This 4 Hz movement has a five-day power reserve and COSC chronometer certification. I know little about this movement, but something suggests to me that it is similar to the Baume & Mercier Baumatic, which has the same characteristics and is also produced by the Richemont Group. The automatic caliber MB 29.29 offers time and date. Most other watches in the Iced Sea collection are equipped with a simpler movement with a two-day power reserve, indicating that Montblanc wanted to enhance the value proposition, as the Deep 4810 version is more than twice as expensive as the standard Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date model.
The Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 comes with a very comfortable black rubber strap on quick-release spring bars. I think if there were a blue strap option, the blue color of the watch dial would stand out a bit more. Also, there is currently no suitable titanium metal bracelet offered, although it would be very appropriate, even though these watches are already quite expensive. As a big fan of beautiful and sophisticated tool watches, I find a lot of interest in the Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 watches. Of course, Montblanc could change some things in them, but as they are currently, they are quite fun watches for everyday wear, combining practicality and the emotional appeal of a tool that can survive where you cannot.
Montblanc faces a tough challenge in convincing many consumers to take these watches seriously, as I don't think the brand has accustomed many enthusiasts to expect such products. However, if you are among the more open-minded watch enthusiasts and can afford such watches, the Iced Sea Deep 4810 is undoubtedly a charming watch capable of making your wrist happy.
- The price of the Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810 watch is 9,100 USD. More details on the Montblanc website.