If I say Montblanc Meisterstuck 7035, do you automatically think “Sports Watch”?

I’d say when you think of Montblanc, your first thoughts don’t go to tough, rugged or sporty. You probably have visions of stylish, prim and proper, business-minded, and fancy or classy. I know at least I do. Many think of the brand as a pen brand and that their other offerings are inconsequential. I would refute that, but I am a lover of all things Montblanc and have been for many years. To counter my obvious bias, I decided to take a more critical look at this watch.

Instead of extoling the virtues of a watch that I love, I’ll go over standard comments and complaints about dive watches.

1. They’re too big/thick; Although that is a subjective criticism, it’s hard to argue that a 38mm diameter and 11mm height would be classed as oversized. The Montblanc Meisterstuck 7035 fits easily under a cuff yet has enough heft that you don’t need to be concerned about it in any type of activity.

2. Another diver homage; Yes, another one. The good news is that the Montblanc Meisterstuck 7035 is not a Submariner copy, but it is influenced by an uncommon Blancpain Diver. Blancpain divers have proved their mettle and are worthy divers. As a design, the indices are triangular, not round nor batons, with double triangle markers at 6, 9, and 12. The date window is at three, my preferred location, and features an inverted cyclops lens. The lens is glued to the inside of the crystal, resulting in a sleeker look. It also has a circular metal inset in the middle of the dial similar to certain Blancpains. Unnecessary detail, but it helps to provide a more unique look than most divers.

3. Brands should pay more attention to detail; Even with a date window, I find the Montblanc Meisterstuck 7035 to be very symmetrical. The tip of the hour hand reaches the edge of the metal inset, which itself almost touches the hour markers. The minute hand reaches all the way to the end of the minute markers, making reading the time with exactitude a breeze. The seconds hand has a lume pip, and the counterweight features a metal cut-out of the Montblanc logo. The style of hands used is not the typical style one often seen on diving/sports watches, but it does provide an opportunity to stuff a lot of lume in those hands. It is a stylistic but efficient choice. The aluminum bezel features Breguet numerals. They are quite classy and I think they provide a little “je ne sais quoi” to complete the look. As for the edge of the bezel, instead of having teeth all around the bezel, Montblanc decided to have a flat section (no teeth) at every hour (or 5 minute) increments. The bezel features a lume pip, allowing it to be used to time dives. It is surprising how many “dive watches” don’t have that feature! It also features the word “Meisterstück” on the side of the case, again reminiscent of the inscription on certain Blancpain divers.

4. It’s an over-engineered watch; Quite simply, there are no He valves present, whether inset into the case or additional crowns that stick out. Practically no one who buys dive watches will ever use them. The Montblanc Meisterstuck 7035 is not an “over-engineered” watch; it is simply well engineered, with a solid ETA 2892-A2 movement. It has a 200m dive rating with a screw-down crown and an inverted cyclops lens in a slim package. Nothing to complain about here.

For years Montblanc had a sports watch in their portfolio. Having discontinued the line in the last decade or so as they were consolidating their lines, I now find that the Montblanc Meisterstuck 7035 is the type of watch Montblanc is missing to complete their modern portfolio. Although they are not known for sports, I still think it would have its place. Having missed out on getting one when they were new, I had to resort to the second-hand/vintage market. The good thing with Montblanc watches is that you can typically pick one up for cheap, and you’ll have the added benefit of enjoying a watch that not everyone else has.