As we speak, I’ll be looking at a model that you just’ve not going heard of earlier than, regardless of it having existed for over a decade. Mona Watches is a Bordeaux-based model, which proudly labels itself the primary French microbrand. It has been round since 2012, providing a number of quartz timepieces with a novel design aesthetic. The most well-liked mannequin was the HMS. That is the mannequin that we witness the mechanical rebirth of right here at present. And in the event you’re studying this on Thursday, the ninth of November 2023, you occur to be doing so on the date of its Kickstarter launch. However extra on that later.
Mona’s new mechanical timepiece follows the design cues established by the model’s flagship mannequin. Essentially the most distinguished of those is the watch’s lug-free design. Now, this in itself is nothing new. The lugless design might be present in different widespread watches, such because the Seiko Tuna, the current GPHG winner from Ciga Design, Ikepod watches, and Giuliano Mazzuoli’s Manometro. It may even be traced again to the ’40s and ’50s. Throughout that point, a number of Haute Horlogerie manufacturers produced costume watches with this disco volante (“flying saucer”) design. An instance of that is the Audemars Piguet 5093. However this fashion didn’t essentially belong to anyone model. As we speak, it’s not a massively widespread design alternative (solely the great Autodromo Vallelunga involves thoughts), making Mona a reasonably distinctive contender within the microbrand house. Let’s check out the watch(es) and see what the model’s comeback has to supply.
The brand new Mona watches
Let’s begin with the fundamentals. The brand new mechanical Mona mannequin contains a distinctly lugless 39 × 10.3mm chrome steel case. This instantly makes it put on reasonably nicely on nearly any wrist. Hell, even the 49mm Seiko Tuna wears nicely. However because of its lack of bezel and ample dial, the Mona watch has a special aesthetic. It’s extra Bauhaus than it’s badass. Nevertheless it’s additionally extra refined than shouty. Contained in the case, which contains a reasonably rugged knurled end alongside its band, we discover the star of the present.
Mona’s dials are pad-printed and painted within the model’s workshop. They’re comprised of strong colours and rustic but elegant markings, with the model’s twin-flag brand at 12 and three traces of textual content at 6 o’clock. These embrace “France,” “Marque Déposée, and the Latin “vulnerant omnes, ultima necat” (“all of them wound, the final one kills”). A phrase generally discovered on sundials, this serves as a reminder that life is brief.
My favourite is the eggshell-colored dial, which contains a refined texture, blue printing, and matching arms with yellow accents. Nonetheless, 4 others can be found in blue (pictured right here), darkish inexperienced, black with a white define, and an inverse model. This final dial variant is a particular awareness-spreading “Movember” version. However all will contribute to this worthy trigger, with 5% of the complete fundraising marketing campaign pledged to the Movember charity. All 5 fashions are powered by the automated Sellita SW-100.
The watches use this reasonably minuscule motion because of the comparatively small house made accessible by the built-in lugs. Although the watch has a 39mm circumference, the motion should match a 27mm diameter equal. Nonetheless, this motion is not any much less Swiss and affords the identical 42-hour energy reserve as its bigger counterparts. The watch additionally has a flat sapphire crystal and a 100m water resistance score.
Final particulars and impressions
One other element price mentioning is the crown. It’s properly machined and comprises a small painted dot in the identical coloration because the dial. The watch’s blocky-looking arms are additionally notable, with the hour hand’s tip painted in the identical coloration because the seconds hand, like a magic wand. You’ll additionally discover the small but properly engraved case again, which indicators the motion’s proportions. General, the watch wears nicely, has all the precise specs, and has a rigorously curated aesthetic that can undoubtedly enchantment to these on the lookout for one thing departing from the norm.
I did point out Kickstarter earlier, didn’t I? Properly, that is the place the watch made its debut earlier at present. Yow will discover the brand new Mona automated watches with costs beginning at €599. The watch can be delivered in a reasonably good reusable Toyo field with a particular foam insert. Sound good? Then head on over to the Kickstarter web page to seek out out extra.
