What is it about pink dials? – The Monbrey MB2 Series Kenkyū Blossom Pink

There is a good chance that, if you are opening this review, you are captivated by colours, more specifically the ones found on the dial of a watch. There are many collecting ethos among us watch nerds, perhaps different brands or watch styles that could suit a variety of situations but and lately, for me, it has been collect a range of palettes to suit my mood, who know what is wrong with us/me?

Well, given the ‘’reasonable’’ explanation above, pink has been on my radar for ages, I was never going to pull the trigger for a Rolex Oyster Perpetual candy pink on the current secondary market prices, and then there is the Grand Seiko SBGA413G although stunning, it is too big for me. While I started focusing on the other side of the spectrum (green, orange...) the elusive pink dial was out of my radar, until now.

A brand that we know, Monbrey Watches, has come in with full swing and launched their new collection: Kenkyū. The collection is a tribute to samurai history giving the dials and cases subtle nudges of angular shapes and patterns reminiscent of the era that it represents.

To my surprise, when the launch was announced, among the beautiful mother of pearl dials and jewel like pattern dial models, there was a variety called Blossom Pink. Today we have an exclusive hands-on with what could be the missing link inside my absurd obsession. Has this particular watch quench my thirst? Join me to find out.

The specifications

As the name mentions, the MB2 is the second collection from Monbrey Watches to me they are the luxury range for the brand and sitting on top of the MB1 which we also handled a few months back. The MB2 turns everything to 10 when it comes to design and refinement but keeping the price extremely affordable, more on that later.

Coming back to the watch and one of the reasons why I like it so much is the size. At 37.5 mm it feels the perfect for my 6.25-inch wrist, also is worth mentioning that the 45mm lug to lug blends well with the overall proportions. The case is a great example on how different finishes can coexist, the transitions are very good giving the MB2 a sharp profile.

The dial is the main showstopper on the MB2, I cannot speak for the other varieties, the green with gilt accents looks great and those MOP dials seems like a no brainer, but the pink dial on our sample, is just perfect. The diamond like pattern makes the watch more interesting without compromising its legibility, and we also noted this on the MB1 series, the writing is minimal, nothing detracts from telling the time, not even a date, perfect symmetry. The markers feel like a natural extension of the lumed hands which is a nice touch while keeping the design cohesive, the chapter ring is raised from the dial and only touched by the metallic pink seconds hands, in which I might add, includes a cap into the centre pinion for a perfect finish, attention to detail. At this point you might be thinking that there is quite a bit of pink on the watch, but it is far from the truth, the Kenkyū has enough steel to detract the dial for being the centre of the attraction, the colour is not the only feature of the MB2 which means that it can be worn in variety of situations.

The watch is powered by the automatic Miyota 9039 caliber, keeping the watch running well and thin. The MB2 also offers a 100 meters of water resistance via screw down crown and the antimagnetic properties that we expect from Monbrey at 4800 A/m, as you can see despite being pink, the watch is not delicate.

On the wrist

A big part of the MB2 Kenkyū is how it wears, not only was a unique selling point for me but also the reason why I haven’t been able to take it off. The concentric circles of the bezel give the watch more presence and while the lugs are angular, they wrap well around the wrist.

There are 2 key factors that the team put a lot of effort on, the first one is the thickness or lack of it. The Blossom Pink is 9.5mm tall which for an automatic movement watch with a diameter under 38mm feel right in so many ways, not to big not too small.

The second part that the watch makes no compromise is the bracelet, and although the watch looks outstanding on the supplied Epson leather strap, the full stainless stell bracelet takes thing to another level. The sharp theme continues here, and the amount brushed and polished surfaces is admirable, I cannot start to think how much time it took to finish it at this standard. The bracelet also includes a quick release mechanism with a micro adjustment inside the solid milled clasp.

Conclusions

As you can see the affair with the MB2 Kenkyū started with the dial and box that in my head needed to be ticked but that was doing a disservice on that a great watch this is and that is not even looking at the price which is 649 USD. I can tell you that at this price bracket, it is almost impossible to find a companion that ticks so many boxes, quality is not compromised and its impressive.

Also is worth pointing out that these number of details and refinements can found in brands with more than 2 collections under their belt. In my experience it takes several shots to find your design language and clientele, it seems that Monbrey has skipped a few rounds to become a well-established microbrand and the MB2 feels like the perfect vehicle. I am just hoping a red version is not on the works, I will have to jump that too.

The Kenkyū is available for a limited time 25% off Pre-order Discount with savings of US$163 off the future retail price US$649. Expected deliveries from end-March through early-April 2025

For more information visit https://monbrey.com/collections/mb2-series-kenkyu

Technical Specifications

Dimensions

·         Ø37.5mm diameter

·         9.5mm case thickness + 2.3mm box crystal

·         45mm lug-to-lug

·         Strap width 20-16mm (lug-buckle)

·         Fits from 6-inch ~ up to 8-inch wrists

Specifications

·         Regulated Japan made Miyota cal.9039 automatic calibre

·         Sapphire crystal with AR (Anti-reflective) and Anti-fingerprints coating

·         316L Stainless steel case

·         Swiss Super-LumiNova® BGW9 (Grade A) lume

on hands and dial

·         Epsom patterned Italian genuine leather strap with quick-release

·         316L stainless steel tool-free micro-adjustment bracelet

·         10 ATM / 100 meters water resistant (ISO 22810:2010)

·         ≥ 4800 A/m Magnetic resistant (ISO 764:2020)