The Allure of Monochrome

Black and white, monochrome prints have always been considered a more formal photographic presentation. The classical photographers or fathers of photography all captured images in monochrome. Well duh, they didn't have color film. If they had I'm sure we would have seen Ansil Adams first works in color... maybe not.
There is that "thing" about black and white prints however. Words don't seem to allow me to describe that thing right now.