Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38 mm Watch Review
Building on the success of its Iced Sea Collection, Montblanc recently introduced the Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38 mm, a unisex model promising widespread appeal. Along with its characterful textured dial, brought to life using a traditional gratté-boisé technique, the watch features an oxygen-free interior and offers 300 m water resistance.
Montblanc Iced Sea Collection
Since the 2022 launch of the Iced Sea collection, Montblanc’s first range of sports divers’ watches, the awe-inspiring glaciers of the Mont Blanc Massif have continued to prove a source of inspiration to the high-end luxury marque. Courtesy of their unidirectional rotating bezels and impressive 300 m water resistance, the Iced Sea models have gained a reputation for being robust and adventure-ready as well as fulfilling the requirements of ISO 6425. Previously available only in a 41 mm housing, the Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen is now offered in a 38 mm case and comes with a choice of an interchangeable stainless steel bracelet or a matching rubber strap. Despite their new compact dimensions, the 38 mm variants still feature the brand’s advanced 0 Oxygen technology. The prevailing time is shown against a choice of two frosty vistas, blue or white, both of which are executed using a labour-intensive process known as gratte-boisé. This ancient technique involves a combination of brushing and distressing the dial surface to imbue it with depth and a distinctive texture.
Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38 mm – dial
In keeping with the rest of the Iced Sea collection, the dial captures the natural and raw beauty of the Alpine glaciers and their ethereal, almost spectral light, juxtaposed by the jagged, blinding white teeth of the mountain peaks. Indeed, Montblanc seems quite adept at replicating this spectacle with the dramatic textures of its gratté-boisé dial, now a signature of the brand. The special technique takes ‘four times longer to complete than a standard dial’, with little margin for error.
With over 30 different steps to undertake, the completion of each gratté-boisé dial must feel like a small moment of victory that’s quietly celebrated within the hushed surroundings of Montblanc’s atelier. The almost forgotten dial technique is a painstaking process that embraces the concept of a perfectly imperfect dial, mirroring the chaotic beauty of nature. The minute indentations applied to the dial’s surface invite the light to scatter and absorb as you would expect it to when hitting the faceted edges of ice. The technique has been used throughout the Iced Sea collection in various guises, including last year’s red variant, which mimicked the colour of Chlamydomonas nivalis – a snow algae that appears in curious red spots at altitudes above 3000 m across the white-dusted Alps.
The ‘Blue sfumato glacier pattern’ dial (reference 134022) creates the impression of an ‘interlocking network of crystals frozen in time for millennia’, according to the brand. The white dial version (Ref 134024) features the same glacial-inspired pattern, Iced Sea logo, syringe-style hands and a date window at 3 o’clock. Furthermore, in its quest to augment legibility, Montblanc has imbued each reference with a layer of Super-LumiNova across the rhodium-plated hands and hour markers as well as the triangular index gracing the bezel at 12 o’clock.
Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38 mm – case
The Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38 mm needs to be seen at close quarters to fully appreciate the execution of its case. The polished chamfers that run along the top of the lugs add a touch of refinement to what’s otherwise a sporty design. The satin and polished finishes across the case grant a harmonious aesthetic. At the same time, the unidirectional rotating bezel proves a crucial element for anyone keen to take this watch down to the depths it was intended for.
Despite being highly practical, with 300 m of water resistance, the bezels also prove highly attractive, complementing the adjacent dials. The bezel on the white dial reference features a ceramic insert, while the blue bi-colour bezel incorporates an anodised aluminium insert. A domed, box-shaped sapphire crystal with a double anti-reflective coating ensures that all dial details are readily visible and remain unaffected by glare. Meanwhile, the 3D-engraved caseback depicts a scuba diver exploring life beneath a glacier, a scene that has been employed on various Iced Sea models.
Montblanc recently announced that all Iced Sea watches will now feature the brand’s innovative explorer-focussed case know-how – ‘0 Oxygen’. This technology creates an environment entirely devoid of oxygen, enhancing the performance and longevity of the watch and its components by preventing the effects of oxidisation. By replacing oxygen with nitrogen, the technology also eliminates fogging. Previously, Montblanc achieved ‘0 Oxygen’ status by placing the entire case into a chamber and slowly injecting it with nitrogen gas over several hours. Now, the luxury marque has streamlined the process by extracting residual air from the case as it simultaneously injects nitrogen directly through the crown, a swifter process but without any concessions.
Montblanc MB 24.17 automatic movement
The new Iced Sea 0 Oxygen watches are powered by Montblanc’s MB 24.17 automatic movement, based on the Sellita SW200. It’s the same tried and tested movement that Montblanc has chosen for many a classical design in the past, including the Heritage Spirit and Tradition models. The balance oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4 Hz) and the movement has a power reserve of 38 hours. Additionally, the movement undergoes the Montblanc Laboratory test, ensuring it meets the firm’s shock, magnetic, temperature and water resistance requirements.
Closing remarks
While many divers’ watches can be seen exploring the world’s vast oceans, few resemble Montblanc’s Iced Sea models. Proffering 0 Oxygen Technology and characterful gratte-boisé dials, the watches deliver features that are seldom seen in the wild. Both the 38 mm blue and white Iced Sea watches are unisex, while still retaining the same rugged, sporty character of the brand’s 41 mm offerings. Beyond the functionality of these watches, various details appear inspired by Montblanc’s deep-rooted passion for mountain exploration, with the dials giving the impression of looking into the depths of a glacier. They also demonstrate a remarkable capacity to withstand both depth and altitude simultaneously, two domains where the Iced Sea watches truly excel.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38 mm
- References: White 134024 / Blue 134022
- Case: stainless steel, diameter 38 mm, height 12.3 mm, water resistance 30 ATM (300 metres), sapphire crystal to front and solid case back
- Functions: hours, minutes, centre seconds, date
- Movement: Montblanc Calibre MB 24.17, self-winding movement, frequency 28,800 vph (4 Hz), 26 jewels, power reserve of approximately 38 hours
- Bracelet / strap: Interchangeable stainless steel bracelet with taper and stainless steel double-folding clasp with fine adjustment system or colour-coordinating interchangeable rubber strap with taper and stainless steel double-folding clasp with fine adjustment system
- Price – bracelet: £3,290 (RRP as of 19.8.2025)
- Price – strap: £3,120 (RRP as of 19.8.2025)