Beautiful watches - far exceeding the expectation for their price point
I couldn't see a review for the new MUA-A1, so thought I'd jot down my thoughts as a new owner. I originally pre-ordered the grey dialled model, and when that arrived, I was so blown away by the quality, that I immediately placed an order for the purple dialled model.
Firstly, the presentation is great, and very typically Monro. The watch arrives in its own passport-style box, on the bracelet, with an additional rubber NATO style strap in matching colours, and a spare set of quick-release spring bars. The bracelet is excellent - comfortable, beautifully finished, with a butterfly clasp to hold it securely. By far the best micro-brand bracelet I've seen so far, and it really shows the effort and design that went into this. This is often an area where micro-brands economise, but this is excellent quality, and suits the watch perfectly.
Onto the watch itself, it's fabulous. The finishing on the case is first class, with neat brushed patterns on the bezel and case. The dial has a subtle sunburst design, going from light in the centre to dark at the hour markers. The hands match the face and overall design perfectly, with orange markers at the tip of the second hand. The caseback is engraved (another nice detail which is often overlooked, certainly at this end of the watch price scale). Lume is strong, and the watch is clearly legible at night.
It sits nicely on my 7.5" wrist, and is a very comfortable watch to wear. Both on the bracelet and the supplied NATO strap, it looks great. One of the advantages of quick release spring bars is that you can swap from the bracelet to a different strap in a matter of seconds, without the need for specialised tools. A thoughtful design.
I've found that the purple watch looks best on its bracelet, and the grey looks particularly good on the NATO strap from another of my Monro watches - see attached photos.
I've been wearing both of these watches for the last week, swapping them over every couple of days, and I've had more positive comments about these watches than I have about any of my (embarrassingly numerous) other watches. With the frequent discount codes Monro gives out (I notice the current one is for 25% off), these watches are an absolute steal.
I've already got my eye on one of the new Luna models that are being released soon. Monro certainly knows how to design and release great watches for not a lot of money.
