Monta Closes A Chapter With Opalin Gilt Skyquest

This generation of the Monta Skyquest receives its final iteration this week with the introduction of the Opalin Gilt Skyquest, a special 50 unit run of the brand’s take on the GMT. We first reviewed the Skyquest back in 2018, when it was just their third watch, and found plenty to enjoy within the small details, from the finishing of the case and bracelet, to the small ramp up in the 24 hour hand. The Skyquest is going out in style with the Opalin Gilt limited edition, and it’s a fitting nod to those same details that got Monta to where it is today. 

The Opalin Gilt Skyquest stands apart from prior iterations of the watch thanks to a white opaline dial and gilt accents, as you might have guessed. It also gets a bi-color bezel with red on the bottom and blue on the top half, almost like the colors you’d find on a can of Pepsi. The even numbers of the 24 hour scale are marked on the bezel, while the odd numerals appear within the dial on a steep rehaut. The ramped 24 hour hand remains, with a bright red triangle tip.

The steel case remains untouched, still measuring 40mm in diameter and a surprisingly svelte 11.9mm in thickness. The long, shapely lugs give it a bit more presence on the wrist than you expect from a 40mm watch, but it’s still easily wearable. Those lugs still get a polished bevel on both their exterior and interior angles. There’s a big visual punch packed into this frame, and the white/gold color scheme paired with the red and blue bezel are not short on drama. 

This watch may or may not be a nod to the famed albino GMT Rolex reference 6542 that may have been made in very small quantities in the ‘50s. That watch is a story for another day, but the Monta is working on a similar wavelength. In addition, Monta will be producing just 50 examples of this Skyquest, making it quite the rare bird as well. 

While this is the final representation of the Skyquest, this merely marks the closing of a chapter. Later this year, Monta assures us, a new Skyquest will be announced, likely with a revised design language and dial options. While this will be a welcome addition, let’s hope some of the small details that lent this watch some personality all its own will be carried over. 

Monta will begin taking pre-orders for the Opalin Gilt Skyquest tomorrow, Friday, April 22 at 12 noon Pacific Time, just after the opening of our San Francisco Windup Watch Fair. The pricing is set at $2,190, and deliveries are expected to start in June. If you’re in the Bay Area, we invite you to see this watch in person, along with the fine, St. Louis based people behind the brand. Monta.