Montblanc was one of the first luxury brands to enter the smartwatch arena, starting with an electronic strap accessory in 2015 and introducing the Summit smartwatch in 2017. Last year's update, the Summit 2+, provided direct cellular connectivity, meaning you can stay connected even when away from your smartphone. This year, the Summit Lite model has been released, featuring an eco-friendly aluminum case with a fresh, relaxed design at a great price - better than the Summit 2+, which is actually steel, and several new fitness-focused apps proprietary to Montblanc.
Lite in the name refers to the case, which is lighter than steel since it is made from aluminum - recycled aluminum, in fact - with either a matte black or silvery-gray finish. The box it comes in is made from 100% recycled paper, which is also environmentally friendly.
The watch case is 43 mm, which theoretically makes it a men's watch, but I wore the Summit Lite for a week, and on my wrist, it didn't seem larger than my 40 mm daily wear watch. At least partially, this is due to the flexible rubber strap that wraps around and holds the watch snugly to the wrist. Additionally, the large case allows for a bigger display, which is an important necessity for smartwatches; you want to be able to read information at a glance. The readability is further enhanced by the apps being arranged in an arc-shaped scrolling menu rather than a grid where everything is crammed onto one screen, as many smartwatches do. You can scroll through the menu by rotating the central crown or by touching the screen. It's better to use the crown, as manual scrolling may cause your thumb to obscure the display.
Pressing the middle button displays the list of apps, while the top and bottom buttons can be customized to launch functions or apps. Although the screen is bright enough, it is equipped with a light sensor, so it automatically adjusts the brightness when necessary. It is covered with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass, used in smartphone and tablet screens. It has a clear 1.19-inch AMOLED display, and if you scroll through it in Daily Style mode, you can view several options from Montblanc's distinctive dial collection to decorate your screen. Montblanc claims there are thousands of possible dial configurations.
The Summit Lite software runs on Google's Wear OS, including a full ecosystem of apps and services, which by itself can include many fitness apps. Additionally, there are four Montblanc proprietary apps: Cardio Coach, which offers training recommendations based on personal fitness levels, along with live coaching advice - it will guide you on what to aim for in terms of heart rate intensity and duration of the next activity; Sleep Tracker, which measures sleep stages, including REM sleep, sleep quality, and efficiency; the Stress app, based on heart rate monitoring, which can advise on breathing exercises or help dictate training strategies; and the Body Energy app, which informs you of your energy level based on three other elements - sleep, activity, and stress level. This is a lot of information and very useful for those following fitness goals. It can suggest how much energy you're expending, how much you need, and when to push harder.
The battery lasts for about a day or a day and a half, and when it runs low, a power-saving mode is activated, allowing only time viewing. When the power-saving mode is activated (automatically when the battery runs low), the smartwatch functions are automatically disabled, extending the battery life. Tracking occurs the same way regardless. Recently, I've been cycling on a stationary bike more than running, so I've been comparing the Summit Lite's readings with the data on my bike's display. The heart rate and calorie readings on the watch were slightly higher, but they were more consistent, so I prefer the watch.
The Summit Lite is water-resistant up to 50 meters, making it a sports watch, which means you can use its features while swimming. The watch comes with both a rubber and a textile strap. The beveled lugs slightly soften the design and add a nice touch of luxury to the functional modern sports watch.
The price of the Summit Lite is 860 dollars, which is an excellent price compared to other smartwatches, including the steel-cased Summit 2+ priced at 1170 dollars. Overall, it is an indispensable addition to any elite watch collection for those who need detailed tracking of their workouts. You can find more details on the montblanc.com website.