Following up on the 37mm Captain Cook vintage diver collection from 2017 (along with a contemporary 45mm version), Rado has released a 2019 limited edition that pushes the retro vibe even further. Most of what made the 2017 models so appealing returns, but the brand found inspiration from a vintage Captain Cook piece that had developed an eye-catching patina on the dial. The previous 2017 models h...
Guido Terreni, Managing Director of the Bvlgari watch division, presents MONOCHROME some of the most striking and exclusive creations of the brand, including Bvlgari's most expensive watch to date or a collection of Monete Octo watches, featuring ancient Rome coins.Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – Thanks for having us at this Bvlgari Brand Event' in Capri. Can you tell our readers what Cinemagia?i...
Vertex is a one-of-a-kind brand, resurrected from the past, now back in business with some pretty cool toolish, military-inspired watches – and clearly, they are more than legitimate in this field! With a solid “Dirty Dozen” background behind these watches, the modern pieces done by Vertex have to be ready for action… And the brand’s latest piece is no exception to th...
The Fine Watch Club is an international multi-brand watch club aimed at anyone with an interest in luxury mechanical watches. Based in Geneva, it was created by our colleague Brice Lechevalier, an entrepreneur and watch enthusiast (co-founder of GMT magazine in 2000). Guided by his passion for watches and taking advantage of his excellent relationships in the industry, he envisaged a club that wou...
Earlier this year at Baselworld, Bell & Ross presented the BR 03-92 MA-1, a classic square-shaped BR 03 model with a khaki and orange colour scheme poached directly from the US Air Force MA-1 bomber jacket of 1958. With its contrasting matte khaki ceramic case and vivid orange accents, this time-and-date model drew crowds to the stand and became an instant hit. Finally available in shops and o...
Cory Richards is an exceptional individual. Part of Vacheron Constantin’s campaign “One of not Many”, Richards was a brilliant kid, dropped out of school, got into alcohol and became the first American to summit an 8,000m peak in winter time. This photographer, adventurer and mountaineer has climbed Mount Everest twice. But this year, along with climbing partner Esteban “To...
Summertime and the livin' is easy As the holiday season is fast approaching, it's all about making your style cool and effortless, but also having watches that can survive adventures (a splash of mojito, perhaps?). To help you out, we have rounded up 5 watches that will make great daily beaters for sunny days, without breaking the bank.Note: this selection is based on a consensus among the MONOCHR...
In 2004, an Austrian couple, Maria and Richard Habring, embarked on a surprising but successful horological journey by creating their own brand named Habring2. Fifteen years is a relatively short period of time but has proved enough to accomplish their goal: to become a true Austrian watch manufacture, respected and capable of producing great watches. To celebrate this anniversary,? Habring2 are u...
Today, Omega unveils a watch that will make history in the diving community, a hell of an impressive piece, the result of years of experience in the field of professional dive watches. Omega has just announced the existence of an extraordinary watch that made the world's deepest dive to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench. Meet the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, a watch te...
Last week, during an event on the island of Capri, watchmaker/jeweller Bvlgari unveiled a collection of impressive high-end jewellery watches, including an extraordinary and unique Serpenti Romani secret cuff watch. ?A glamorous exhibition of the brand’s incredible designs and savoir-faire, there were some other watches that caught MONOCHROME’s eye. As part of the “High-End Watch...
Following a total revamp and expansion of its premises, Chopard reopens its Bond Street flagship boutique and celebrates with eight very special models of its L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer model. ?The ultra-thin white gold L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Royal Arms of England features a hinged officer-style caseback that has been appropriately decorated to mark the occasion.A lesson in style and mechanicsIn 1996 ...
Patek – Hand-Wound – Chronograph: three words that give you an immediate indication of what to expect. Classic, iconic, timeless, desirable, historic. This watch, a manual-winding chronograph by Patek, is a perfect example of the grail watch for many collectors. So, you can imagine that when it comes to replacing it, the brand simply cannot afford to make mistakes. And since there̵...
Gauging the performance metrics of the company, Jean-Christophe Babin's role as CEO of Bvlgari since 2013 has been an impressive success. Bvlgari's watch collection is enjoying a rinascimento?of sorts, in particular with the spectacular Finissimo' saga. During the Cinemagia event, the brand's Haute Joaillerie and Haute Horlogerie presentation in Capri, we were able to sit down with Jean-Christophe...
Last year, at the SIHH 2018, Audemars Piguet presented a case study, a concept watch made to show the brand’s savoir-faire in terms of watchmaking: the Royal Oak #RD2, also known as the world’s thinnest self-winding perpetual calendar. Impressively complex inside and very familiar outside (clearly it had all the traits of a Royal Oak watch), we knew this piece was not going to remain a...
Oris expands its Big Crown Pointer Date collection with the incorporation of this model with an oxblood dial. An unusual colour that is rarely seen in watchmaking, we think it works extremely well in this context. The technical specifications, the styling of the 40mm steel model and even the price have not altered, but the intense, dark red dial proves that there is plenty of room for a bolder col...
Innovation can be a rather confusing buzzword in the world of watches, an industry full of tradition and somehow playing on the old-school concept. Still, the Swiss watchmaking industry continues to innovate and to surprise us - and 2019 already had its lot of crazy advanced timepieces. So here are 5 developments that take mechanical watchmaking to new heights and best exemplify innovation in the ...
Today we're talking with Rob Dickinson, founder and creative director of Singer Vehicle Design and co-founder for watch brand Singer Reimagined. When we were preparing to film a video interview with Rob, some two years ago, I knew about the Singer Reimagined Track 1, that super cool chronograph featuring Jean-Marc Wiederecht's innovative chronograph calibre. But that was it, so I “Googled...
The concept of watch fairs has been a controversial topic for the past years. Obsolete, too expensive, not flexible enough… We’ve seen multiple brands leaving Baselworld or?the SIHH, and even more of them complaining about this very idea of trade fairs. Solutions were found though, with the Geneva- and the Basel-based shows uniting forces and coordinating their dates from 2020. Still, ...
There’s no need to remind you that this year marks the 50th anniversary of multiple milestones for the watch industry – including the Moon landing and the first automatic chronographs – but also the launch of one of the most iconic racing chronographs, the Heuer Monaco. Fifty years ago, this square-shaped watch, with one of the earliest self-winding chrono movements inside (Calib...
This year, as you’ve probably noticed, is the 50th anniversary of two important milestones for the watchmaking industry: the Moon Landing and the launch of the first automatic chronographs.? 1969 marked the introduction of the Zenith El Primero, part of the first automatic chronographs launched on the market. To celebrate the half-century of this iconic movement, Zenith has already released ...
Breitling announced its partnership with British motorcycle maker Norton in 2018 and the fruit of this collaboration is a double whammy treat for bikers and watch lovers alike. Released in tandem during Baselworld 2019, Breitling unveiled its Premier B01 Chronograph 42 Norton Edition watch while Norton revved up the 961cc engine of its Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer MKII Breitling Limited Edition ...
Graham celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Tourbillograph, a chronograph/tourbillon combo housed in the brand’s cornerstone Chronofighter case. With its imposing 47mm dimensions, the weight of the case has been considerably lightened with the incorporation of a carbon case. A limited edition of 10 pieces, the dial of the Superlight Carbon Tourbillograph plays with a black and golden colou...
Longines has created a new family of watches with the simple name of 1832. Up till now, there was only a three-hands and date in the collection, but today we have a new model that I believe is going to be successful: the Longines 1832 Moon Phase. The number corresponds to the year of Longines’ foundation, and we have to be thankful for the brief name – we all know the Swiss tendency to...
Knowing the time onboard a ship/vessel/spacecraft/vehicle isn’t just about knowing “what time it is”… It goes far beyond that! 18th-century maritime explorers knew that. In order to calculate their position around the globe (establishing their latitude and longitude), they needed to have one heck of a precise clock onboard – marine chronometers back then. Even though ...
For several years now, Oris has been engaged on a mission to save and protect the oceans – which makes sense given the brand’s forte for dive watches. Following the recent introductions of the Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition III and the Oris Clean Ocean Limited Edition?(both explained in this video), the brand now adds a third watch to the series, the new Chronograph Oris Blue ...
A dress watch is the epitome of elegance and every well-dressed man should consider having one in his wardrobe. James Bond might get away with wearing a dinner jacket and a Seamaster 300M, but most men don't have to abandon the casino table and engage in life and death battles. Simplicity, understatement and elegance are operative words in this genre. Unlike those loud watches bristling with compl...
The watch we’re looking at today certainly wasn’t Patek Philippe‘s main novelty of 2019. If you want some fresh, truly unprecedented pieces, you’ll have to look at the Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A, the Alarm Travel Time 5520P or the (superb) Chronograph 5172G. And so what?… Can’t we just enjoy a new edition of an existing watch, especially when it’s a C...
Following up with its exclusive collection of blue-coloured watches, the Bucherer “Blue Editions”, which include some pretty cool watches such as this Oris Chronograph or this Breguet Marine, major Swiss watch retailer Bucherer continues to expand its line-up with a high-end piece, this time in a limited edition, with various evolutions compared to the standard model. Say hello to the ...
Tradition meets innovation in this new Zenith Defy model with its dramatic setting to host two watchmaking classics: a fusee-and-chain escapement and a tourbillon. In keeping with the avant-garde spirit of the Defy family, Zenith stages the show in a gravity-defying, 3D, openworked setting that reveals absolutely everything. Available in full carbon or platinum cases, these limited editions are no...
Back in 2017, Audemars Piguet showed an innovative spirit by presenting its first full ceramic watch (bracelet included), the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in black. Needless to say, this watch is one of the hottest editions in the collection, with its unique stealth look and its complex movement. Based on this concept, Audemars Piguet introduces a new version, perfect for summer, w...