The Tudor Heritage Black Bay needs no introduction anymore. Despite?its short life (launched in 2012), this watch made it to the status of modern icon, known by most, respected by many, envied by some. This?watch?has been the main contributor to Tudor’s recent success, and the brand quickly capitalized on this status,?creating many variations. The latest to date will surprise, not because of...
Here it is… The big moment of the year for watch brands, watch journalists and watch collectors. Tomorrow, at precisely 12:00, Baselworld 2017 will open its doors to journalists, meaning that most of the new watches will be launched at this exact time. Today, we are on the road to Baselworld 2017: 5 journalists, over 100 meetings, many articles already scheduled for the entire week… He...
Last year, same moment of the year, same place, IWC introduced what we thought would remain some limited edition watches, the 3?Ingenieur Chronograph Special Editions for?Goodwood. Well, it seems that reactions of collectors were good – and we have to agree with them, these watches, with their vintage-inspired design, echoing the first versions of the Ingenieur, and their brand new in-house ...
In just a few days from now, on Wednesday?22 March (official press day), Baselworld, the main watch event of the year, based in the city of Basel, Switzerland, will open its doors. At exactly?12:00, most major brands ( , Omega, Tudor, all brands from the Swatch Group, Seiko) as well as the representative of?the independent watchmaking industry will reveal their new collections. Before we can all d...
Surprisingly, just a few weeks after the SIHH 2017, and without showing it to the press, Vacheron Constantin is today introducing a new iteration of the?Traditionnelle World Time. No complaints yet, as we’re not going to hide our pleasure to see this watch, a well-known piece (explained here), back – and with an incredibly detailed dial, done by the hands of trained craftsmen, in ename...
Rebellion Timepieces was born from the love for mechanics. That's their DNA and their watches strongly show this link with the automotive industry. The new Rebellion Predator 2.0 GMT keeps the spirit alive, as it is deeply infused with the passion for supercars and turbo-charged engines, in a truly unique way. Gentlemen, listen to the rebel inside, fasten your seat belts and get ready for a wild r...
While not new, the concept of the?Ulysse Nardin Classic Sonata still is captivating, as being one of the few alarm watches on the market, and one with quite some great features. Indeed, the piece de resistance is the chiming system of this watch, as you’ll get your alarm chiming with a cathedral gong (something usually reserved to super-high-end minute repeaters). Previously introduced in a ...
Pre-Baselworld 2017 – Anonimo goes back to its roots to better reinvent itself. To start the celebration of its 20th anniversary this year, the brand reissues the Vintage model of its Militare line: same features, same aesthetics enhanced with a hint of modernity and that unique Italian je-ne-sais-quoi…Anonimo was founded in 1997 in Florence after the Vendome Luxury Group, now Richemon...
Recently, in a long documentary, we went through?the ins-and-outs of anti-magnetism in?watchmaking, illustrated by the brand that simply masters this concept, Omega, and their hyper-strict testing and certification procedure, the Master Chronometer. You thought that the 15,000 Gauss resistance of these watches was already impressive… Wait for this: Omega actually tested a watch, a prototype ...
This year, one of the most iconic watches ever created will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Its name: the Speedmaster. As you can imagine, with such a long history and so many iconic versions,?every new Speedmaster carries the spirit and design inspiration of the models that came before. As a preview of the future collection that will come at Baselworld 2017, the Biel-based brand shows this concep...
The Omega Master Chronometer is about the pursuit of the best possible movement. Not the most complex movement, not the one with the most features, or the craziest complications. No. With the?Master Chronometer, Omega wanted to create a standard movement that will?perform to the same high level in every situation, in every environment, in every possible condition. Heat, cold, magnetic fields, shoc...
Hamilton is usually not a brand we cover much on Monochrome, maybe because they are positioned a bit on the lower side of the range, with various quartz offers. Yet, from time to time, the previously American brand, now under the umbrella of the Swatch Group, can surprise us, especially when look at their rich history. This year, for the upcoming 2017 edition of Baselworld, the brand will have som...
When you think Faberge, you hardly think about?watches. And even more, you hardly imagine a hyper-innovative chronograph movement, which in some ways revolutionizes centuries of stop watches… However that is exactly what Faberge introduces today: a movement with a brand new display, a brand new architecture and a brand new clutch, solving many of the traditional chronograph issues. Faberge&#...
Oris’ motto is “Real watches for real people“… and it’s not just a marketing gimmick (which happens rather often in this luxury watches industry, to say the least). Don’t be surprised to see that Oris watches are worn by ambassadors that are just a bit further away from red carpets than most brand ambassadors. For instance, take a look at the Rega Altimeter, or ...
If some of you might know this watch manufacture by now (thanks to a?coverage here, at Monochrome),?Ateliers deMonaco is clearly not the most famous of them all… Which, in all honesty, is rather a pity, as the brand has a lot to offer. Forget about the affiliation with the Frederique Constant Group.?Ateliers deMonaco plays in a different league (with a collection that comprises tourbillons, ...
What makes the beauty of an object? Its design… Right, that was an easy answer. But if look closely, what is hidden behind the word “design”? Like in architecture, watchmaking uses shapes, proportions, perspectives, empty and?full parts, layers and steps, in order to create a three dimensional object. This is what Louis Moinet tends to do with their new watch, the?Metropolis. Mor...
This year will be a very important year for Omega, as it will be the 60th anniversary of the iconic Speedmaster (1957 – 2017) – you know, the Moonwatch,?the watch that went on the Moon and that is flight qualified by NASA… As you can imagine, the question won’t be if?Omega will?launch?or not some dedicated watches, to commemorate this jubilee. They will, no debate! The big ...
With Hublot, the word Fusion is not just the name of a watch. It is much more than that. it is a motto, a proper guideline for the design. Fusion refers to the concept of mixing materials, something that has always been in the DNA of the bold manufacture. Fusion of gold and ceramic, fusion of metals and rubber, fusion of gold and patinated leather, fusion of everything that you can imagine and mor...
Since its inception in 2015, the?TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-01 has quickly become the emblematic model of the brand, being also one of its best-sellers – which is surprising, first because of the look, rather in opposition with the previous creations, and because of its price positioning, as being one of the upper-range watches. While in 2016 it has seen an evolution with a 43mm case, the skele...
Oris Hammerhead limited edition - As sharks are facing extinction, Oris unveils its robust dive watch, the Aquis, in a limited edition to help raise funds for a shark conservation project run by the NGO Pelagios Kakunj, and supported by Oris ambassador and professional diver Jer?me Delafosse. Specific Grey dial, Day-Date display, combined with the new Aquis style.Oris just announced a revamped Aq...
A?common cliche is to let engineering and innovation in the hands of Germans / Swiss and design to Italians. Justified or not, you probably heard that dozens of times. Yet, for once, we’ll let Italians their chance to show their skills in terms of innovation… And to be honest, they might have something here. Indeed, the new?Panerai LAB-ID PAM700, presented at the SIHH 2017, is simply a...
The SIHH 2017 ended?already a few weeks ago, and our own Xavier an Brice already shared their favorites of this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. In the mean time I’ve been busy, among others with a trip to the far north of Finland with Porsche and Porsche Design. While drifting on ice with a host?of 911’s, I got?to experience how perfectly both brands match, and...
For over a decade now (designed by Bulgari’s Roman design department in 2004), the Octo has become the iconic watch collection of the brand, known for its delicate and precious jewellery creations but also now for some distinctive watchmaking products (see the Finissimo collection and you’ll understand…) Yet, as desirable this watch is, it is a razor-sharp design, with no fewer t...
It has become a recurring game for us here, at Monochrome-Watches. In the same way we just shared with you our predictions for?sister-brand , we’ll show what we expect to see from Tudor?at?Baselworld?2017. Just like previous years (see here and here), this article is?pure imagination-based and is nothing official. Yet, the watches we’ll show you don’t come out of the blue and ar...
The fact that the LVMH Watch Division, led by J.C. Biver, is quite inclined in sports partnerships is no secret. There are dozens of them. Today, the Group brings back on board one of their long-time partners,?Manchester United. Indeed, the Football Club was partnering?with sister-brand Hublot in the early 2010s, before moving to another Swiss brand. Well, the team is back in Biver’s portfol...
In?exactly?one year from now, on February 9, 2018, the?2018 Winter Olympics will open their doors in?PyeongChang, South Korea. As it is now common, the official timekeeper of the?Olympics will again be Omega Watches. Indeed, the Biel-based brand has fulfilled the role on 27 occasions since 1932. And because it has now become a very common practice (see the 2016 Rio Editions, here and here, or the ...
Fran?ois-Paul Journe has always been a bit apart in the watchmaking industry. Yet, most of his watches are easily recognizable and are imbued?with a clear, distinctive DNA. However, a specific series of watches does not respect the rule; the Vagabondage watches. Entirely different case, entirely different displays, entirely different philosophy… 2017 marks the arrival of a third tortue-cased...
Since its introduction, the Oris Aquis has always been the high-performance dive watch of the brand. Sturdy, robust, strong and powerful, this watch is?all about performance and reliability. So to say, a real tool watch, which earned the status of icon in the Oris collection. Even if it remained modern, Oris has decided to bring a new take on the?Aquis Date Collection, with subtle evolutions of mo...
This year was the year of the exceptional for Vacheron Constantin, a year of ultra-complex, ultra-rare and ultra-precious watches. The two main novelties were indeed the Celestia and the Symphonia. One is an astronomical watch with 23 complications, tourbillon and massive power reserve (6 barrels…!) The other one is no less than a Grande Sonnerie. Good for angels… However the brand als...
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton - The record-breaking Octo Finissimo Tourbillon now comes in a skeleton' version. The perfect opportunity to satisfy our curiosity, taking advantage of the now unobstructed view of the inner workings of the thinnest Tourbillon ever. A testament of the Bulgari watchmaking expertise, the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton combines several smart technical so...