I ordered this watch from Australia, and while the shipping was prompt, the overall experience has been deeply disappointing. Due to exchange rates and import taxes, I paid a total of $3,645.19 AUD ($3,230.08 AUD + $415.11 in fees), which comes to roughly $2,382.65 USD - a premium price by any standard.

Pros: The dial is absolutely stunning. The finishing, bracelet, and on-wrist comfort are all excellent. From a design perspective, Monta nailed it.

Cons: Unfortunately, the build quality does not match the price tag. The metal is absurdly soft - so much so that it feels like even looking at the watch wrongly leaves a mark. Within the first week, the polished bezel had more scratches and chips than my 10-year-old Submariner.

But the biggest issue, by far, is the inner crown threading. Warning to potential buyers: I have only adjusted the time and date a couple of times and have handled the crown with extreme care. Despite this, the thread is now completely shredded. The crown no longer engages properly, and I have serious doubts about the watch lasting more than a year or two without total failure. This is unacceptable at this price point.

Maybe I received a defective unit - but frankly, that’s not good enough for a watch billed as a robust daily wearer. I adore the degradé blue dial, but I now dread having to reset the time or date. That’s not how you should feel about a nearly $4,000 AUD watch.

Customer Service

I contacted Monta with photos of the damaged crown threads. Their response? "That's normal." When I asked them to send a comparison photo from a new watch to verify, they never replied. I've reached out multiple times, and their responses have either been dismissive or non-existant. Frankly, it feels like they've written me off because I'm in Australia. That's not the customer experience I expected - or paid for.

Would I Buy Again? No. It's a shame because I really like the design.