Mathieu Rotzer
Yet again Montblanc has produced another magnificent addition to its iconic Iced Sea collection with this bronze-tone model and black glacier pattern dial. This iconic dial, crafted using the gratté boisé technique, is stunning to look at. I found that the depth provided by this distinctive iced pattern, was remarkable. Inspired by the Mer de Glace on the Mont-Blanc, the dark black color blends elegance and everyday wearability to perfect effect. What makes the dial stand out even more on this watch is the bi-color bezel blending black & brown to give a very warm effect. This watch is definitely a must-have for any vintage design fans looking for a new piece in their collection.
Allissa Pataki
Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for (drumroll, please): the movement! The Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date – Bronze-tone dial is powered by the automatic MB 24.17/SW200, movement with a 38-hour power reserve. It displays the hours, minutes, seconds and date at 3 o’clock, while its heart beats at a 4 Hz pace. When you turn the watch around, you will be delighted (as I was!) to find a surprise on the caseback: an engraving of an iceberg and a scuba diver. Since it was done with a laser that first structures the metal, there’s a really impressive 3D relief with contrasting matte and shiny finishes. And don’t worry – despite its name, you don’t need to dive in the Iced Sea to own one!
Steven Rogers
As befits its name, the 41mm bronze-toned case of this Iced Sea Automatic Date is really cool! It’s made from cupro aluminium, an alloy that blends aluminium with copper, in contrast to regular bronze which is a mix of copper and tin. It is meant to be highly resistant to corrosion, rust and wear though its surface will still cultivate a patina over time. I tested the watch fresh out of the box and so the cupro aluminium still had a nice sheen to it.
The curved lugs wrap around the wrist really well, while the screw-down crown and screwed bronze-treated titanium caseback help give it a 30-bar water resistance. That makes this Iced Sea Automatic Date the perfect companion for iced sea diving, though I chose a far more extreme sport to try it out – desk diving!
Sophie Furley
We can’t talk about the Iced Sea without mentioning the price. I know, this isn’t really the done thing in the world of luxury, but I am going to make an exception here. For those of you familiar with the prices of watches in the steel-sports-watch segment, you will know that they can easily go up into the five digits, and bronze watches even higher. Not the Montblanc Iced Sea, however, this is a model that starts at CHF 2,915, with this bronze-toned version setting you back only CHF 3,600. But the financial magic involves much more the numbers. At this level of affordability, you are getting all the above-mentioned innovation (automatic movement, glacier dial, cupro aluminium alloy case, 3D engraving, and more), making the Iced Sea one of the most “value for money” timepieces on the market today. So, if you are currently looking for a new sports watch, this is definitely a collection to check out.
