HANDS-ON: Peak performance with the very smart Montblanc Summit 2
I’m flying off to Geneva tomorrow, for the watchstravaganza that is SIHH. And on my wrist, as I step onto the plane, will be Montblanc’s latest generation smartwatch, the Summit 2. Now, Swiss brands have been trying their luck at smartwatches for some time now, with the two biggest players in the space being Montblanc and TAG Heuer. And while the first generation of these Silicon Valley X Swiss connected devices demonstrated the steep learning curves and technical limitations of the genre, we’ve come a long way in a few short years. I tried the original Summit, and I’ve got to say, the Summit 2 is better in (nearly) every way. Smaller, faster, stronger, smarter. I’ll get to that *nearly* in a bit. Firstly, the case. It follows the same basic form as its predecessor, a chunky, 1858-esque design with an onion-shaped crown. Only here they’ve now flanked it with two programmable chrono-style pushers. The other major difference is that it’s smaller, significantly so — 42mm, down from a whopping 46mm. And while the screen is a little smaller, in this significantly refined package I do not mind one little bit. This watch is completely wearable. And while the form…
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Editor’s note: It might be hard to believe, but Bremont’s signature Townhouse event is just around the corner, and this realisation got us thinking about one of the coolest Bremont releases of last year, the new, and very fresh looking Supermarine Type S301. I wonder if we’ll see any interesting extensions to the line this year … Bremont is a brand fuelled by avgas and the spirit of Icarus. The fledgling British brand has their roots in the sky, as it were. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve neglected other spheres of influence, including motorsports and, as we can see here, diving. The Supermarine (even their dive watches have an aviation tie-in) first entered the catalogue in 2010, in the form of the Supermarine 500, a large 43mm steel piece with a distinctive ‘crown-at-two’ case design. This year the Supermarine has evolved, with several new references joining the family — the S300 and the S301. These divers — while still having plenty of Bremont DNA, such as the Trip-Tick case — are much more traditional. They’re smaller, at 40mm across, and slimmer, with a 13mm height. And if the proportions are constrained, so too is the style. The S301 plays…
By lore, a watch should not be worn with formal attire; you’re at a sophisticated evening and that is where your attention should remain. But who doesn’t love breaking the rules? Smart casual – TAG Heuer Autavia In the clothing world, smart casual is tough. In the watch world however, a sports watch hits this dress code every time. When it comes to the Autavia there’s no need to overthink the suit options, apart from whether your cuff width can fit it; otherwise you may have to roll up your sleeves, which, if worn on a casual Friday, might just be the look that you’re after. Formalwear – Seiko Presage SPB069, ‘Moonlit night’ The deep navy enamel face of the ‘Moonlit Night’ is paired here with the rich blue velvet of the dinner jacket. It’s not always necessary to match outfit and watch exactly, but in this case it works beautifully. Businesswear – Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic The beauty of grey when it comes to watches is that you can rotate your staple suit colours – navy, black and charcoal – along with many other patterns and it will always look sharp. The bright pops of blue in the hands…