Don't despair! The Montreal is a fantastic watch, very unappreciated outside of Italy (not sure why but Montreals are much better appreciated over on vetroplastica...).

I agree the shape makes a bracelet/strap choice critical. The best is the bracelet made for the montreal, there is a "peaked" bracelet, which I like best, like the one below, but also the flat bracelet which looks great (I'll have to take & post pics a bit later this weekend if I get a chance). Here is the "peaked" bracelet :

Some non-heuer bracelets can also work, here is what I think is a bracelet from a porsche design 7750, which I think worked quite well. I've since sold this montreal and found one with a correct pvd bracelet but the porsche one worked pretty well:

I think a perforated leather strap is ok, better than NATO but not as good as metal (I since found a NSA gold plated bracelet which is even better):

Finally, I think a big hole tropic is a good solution, much better than a strap or NATO:

Keep trying, the Montreal is worth it!