Four generations of freak

Gen 1s had the 7S26, like the SKX, with the seconds printed under the indices. Cool. Gen 2, around 2012, moved to the 4R36 and got those wonderful sawtooth indexes. The Gen 2s are the most freaky Monsters you can get, and they're the ones to go for. The Gen 3 arrived in 2014 with the 6R15 and 50 hours of power reserve. This one's been running between plus one and plus two a day for three days, which is quite remarkable. Don't be fooled, though. I've got other 6R15s that run terribly. Then the Gen 4 went back down to the 4R. Ugly. Stay away from the new ones, bros.

My pain and my pleasure

All stainless steel. Just under 43 mm, 13 mm thick, 47 to 48 lug to lug: very wearable. Drilled lugs, which are great until you want to change your strap. The mix of brushed and polished surfaces is excellently done, polished sides, brushed top. Very striking. It's a real piece. Look at him.

And the brushed steel bezel? Absolutely wonderful. It feels really nice, it's pleasing to turn, but it's not the easiest, because it's partially shrouded at the north and south, so you have to grip it from the sides. Unsigned crown, lovely knurling, no wobble, screws back in as easily as it came out.

Midnight blue and a supernova

Unfortunately it's Hardlex, not sapphire, with a cyclops, but it's a small one and you don't really notice it. The dial is a midnight blue, so dark it's almost not blue. Matte and flat. I love it personally. The chapter ring is notched out around the indices, framed in high polish, quite lovely. Alignment? Not even once, bro. Not the worst, but far from the best. Monster rocket hands, and tons of loom all over the place. Charge it up and a supernova explosion has happened within my windscreen.

The weird little freak link

It's a great bracelet: one-piece links, polished centre, brushed and polished flanks, solid links and solid end links. But it's 20 at the lugs, flares to 23 at the first link, back to 20 at the clasp, and on the other side there's an 18 mm freak link. I don't get it. Stamped clasp, get rid of it. The dive extension is complete shite, but you'll never use it, so just pretend it isn't there.

Verdict

Next to my SKX it's the same size but looks bigger. Next to the Marinemaster 300 it's bigger but looks smaller. It's all an illusion. What a piece. Not for everybody, but I quite like it. Thank you to Mr Jun for supplying it. Never give up, bros.