Latest Watch News

The Definition of Rare - The Prototype HRV equipped Doxa 300 Professional - The First ever watch with Helium Valve - Monochrome-Watches

Jacques-Yves Cousteau is one of the greatest explorers in history and he used to refer to the sea as a great unifier among all men. For him, it was mankind's only hope. Cousteau, as we have already examined, was instrumental for sea exploration since he was active and present in the period after the catastrophic WWII. Mankind had been left in ruins and the lessons learned led towards a big sociolo...

2015-11-06

Trintec Zulu-03 Altimeter - Full Review of the first aircraft instrument watch (live photos, specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

The recent anniversary of the Bell & Ross BR01 collection, which came to light some 10 years ago, led me to a question that I couldn't answer immediately. The square Bell & Ross might be iconic at this moment in time, but is it the first aircraft instrument inspired watch? The question would slip to the back of my mind as life continued, but as luck would have it, an answer recently emerge...

2015-11-05

The fight of the Titans - Unique pieces from Patek Philippe, FP Journe & Kari Voutilainen for Only Watch 2015 (live photos) - UPDATE with results, including the most expensive wristwatch ever - Monochrome-Watches

Handling unique pieces is for us a quite recurrent privilege. I know this will sound posh, but that’s our daily job (what a difficult life you’ll admit). Well, the truth is that nowadays, many brands come with unique watches, because of?a special request or watches made to create the buzz. However, the three watches you’re about to see are not the kind of?timepieces?you’ll ...

2015-11-04

Hands-on review of the brand new MB&F Legacy Machine Perpetual, the first QP of the brand (live pics, specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

And the saga continues… After a first timepiece to launch the concept, the Legacy Machine 1, with a super-clean design and great elegance, followed by a second and more complicated watch, the Legacy Machine 2 and finally the “value proposition” of the brand, the recent Legacy Machine 101, available in two editions, including the so-cool Frost, it’s now time for MB&F to ...

2015-11-03

The Collector's Series - Watch journalist Tomasz Kieltyka and his Panerai Luminor Base 8 Days PAM00560 - Monochrome-Watches

It's been three months since we started our voyage to circle the globe in search of collectors and their stories. Amazingly it is only until this week that we came across a Panerai owner. It was in Poland when we met Tomasz Kie?tyka, the founder and other half of Chronos24.pl (we first met with Luckasz and his Tudor Heritage Chrono). He's a watch insider and a fine collector – and here is th...

2015-11-03

Review of the Extra-Flat Richard Mille RM 033 Boutique Edition (Titanium & Rose Gold) - Live photos & price - Monochrome-Watches

When the name Richard Mille comes into the game, large?tonneau shaped watches come to mind, with a sporty feeling and highly technical content. Not the usual ingredients for a dress-watch. Of course, some editions are less “hardcore” than the others, like for instance the RM 022 Aerodyne (a smaller, less rugged but still highly complicated watch) or the classical RM 029. However, the w...

2015-11-02

The Patek Philippe 1436 Split Seconds Chronograph Steel from Phillips Auction explained (live photos) - updated with results, Sold 3.3M CHF - Monochrome-Watches

Lot 169 of the upcoming Geneva Watch Auction Two by?Phillips Watches is something special, highly special. You know, when it comes to important auctions, we also tend to be realistic and not only we do introduce to you the highlights (see them here), but we also try to have a strong focus on some more accessible, yet interesting watches (what we’ve been doing here). However, handling a watch...

2015-10-30

Hands-on with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Tourbillon Chronograph (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

Everything that can be said has been said about the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak – its introduction in 1972, as a watch more expensive than any gold dress watches from the same era, an exquisite mix of luxury and sportiness, elegantly designed by Gerald Genta and a product that is now an icon. At the time of its launch, who could have thought about such a long life for the AP RO? However, the s...

2015-10-28

The Collector's Series - A seasoned collector and his rare Daniel Roth Papillon - Monochrome-Watches

In 1987, Daniel Roth left Breguet to start his own manufacture. His grandfather and great grandfather had also been watchmakers in the La Chaux de Fonds region of Switzerland. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of his own watch manufacture he created the Papillon. The Daniel Roth Papillon is a striking timepiece. It has the ability to appear round, rectangular and tonneau at the same time. It featu...

2015-10-27

The Feeling of being James Bond 007 with The Omega Seamaster 300 SPECTRE Limited Edition on the Wrist (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

Who among us has never had the dream of being bond, James Bond? No! Really? What is there not to dream about with the fast cars, beautiful women, the stylish elegance and the action… everything in the 007 movies are what every man has ever wanted to do and be (I know I have). And that’s exactly what we’ve done. Well, not entirely, but at least we had a slight feeling of what it i...

2015-10-26

Introducing the Richard Mille RM 63-02 World Timer Automatic (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

That’s something we are used to tell you: world timers are certainly the most practical watches around. In our actual way of life, having on your wrist and in a glance the time of the major cities around the world is extremely convenient, especially for frequent travelers and for people working in international environment. So what is it about to mix this complication with a watch from Richa...

2015-10-22

Omega Seamaster and James Bond 007 - A 20-year love story - Monochrome-Watches

The name is Seamaster, Omega Seamaster. And while this one doesn’t need to be shaken nor stirred, the love story between Omega and James Bond 007 is a long one, and they’re celebrating two decades of loyal service. Spectre, mr. Bond’s latest adventure will be released?on Monday 26th of October – and stay tuned, because on this exact day, we’ll have a very special feat...

2015-10-22

The Collector's Series - Kristian Haagen about the Patek Philippe Nautilus (including a ultra-rare Chronograph ref. 5980/1A Tiffany Dial) - Monochrome-Watches

Many would describe it as the ultimate sports watch. The Patek Philippe Nautilus Chronograph ref. 5980/1A, affectionately known by some as the Jumbo Chronograph, has it all. Heritage, elegance and complication. Today, we'll be able to discover the pleasure of owning such a masterpiece (an not the classical edition, but probably the rarest one). This is not Kristian Haagen's first time on the Colle...

2015-10-21

Introducing the Laurent Ferrier Galet Square Autumn, with a new 5N red gold dial (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

Saying that the?Laurent Ferrier Galet Square was?welcomed and?that it is a superb achievement is kind of an understatement. This watch is simply superb. When launched, it was the entry-level proposition of the brand, with a (slightly) sportier look, a stainless steel case, a more?reasonable?price but still with the same true elegance and a perfectly finished, innovative movement. As we’re no...

2015-10-21

Review of the new Montblanc 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter with Villeret Chronograph Monopusher (live photos, specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

Splendid! Let's be?clear from the beginning, this new watch from Montblanc is just splendid. Design-wise, MB again did a great job with the design of the new chronograph. It is vintage-inspired, beautifully balanced, luxurious yet sporty at the same time, elegant - and unfortunately limited to a very small production. We would already be very happy with only this, however there's more, much more: ...

2015-10-20

Seiko Darth Tuna SBBN013 Prospex - A long-term personal review (live pics, specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

Last week article was a prequel, a necessary “mise-en-bouche” for the long-time and highly personal review of the?Seiko Darth Tuna SBBN013 Prospex that you’re about to read. The Seiko Tuna is an important, yet iconic watch, a pioneer on its own – and a collection?that boasted during its 40 years of life many innovations, with one and only goal in mind, satisfying the profes...

2015-10-16

10 accessible but interesting watches from Phillips Geneva Watch Auction Two - Monochrome-Watches

There’s no doubt about it; Phillips is clearly the growing auction house for watches (the arrival of Aurel Bacs – ex-Christie’s – at the head of the watch department is clearly paying off). In May, the?Phillips Geneva Watch Auction One made a lot of noise, with 4 watches breaking the 1-million barrier and a 5-million Patek Philippe Chronograph in steel. Coming November the?...

2015-10-14

Tudor Black Bay Black Bezel / Red Triangle 79220N - EXCLUSIVE HANDS-ON REVIEW (live photos, specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

The Tudor Black Bay is undoubtably a success story. You can’t deny its beauty, its quality or its darn right coolness. We loved?it at first sight here, on Monochrome-Watches, whether in its first Burgundy / Red 79220R execution?and even more with the?Midnight Blue 79220B edition, with it’s more subdued?colour?pallet. With the latest novelties from the brand?(Pelagos & North Flag), ...

2015-10-14

The Collector's Series - David Brailsford and his Peter Roberts Concentrique Grand Complication 5 - Monochrome-Watches

This week, on the Collector's Series, we discover what it's like to own a watch that, when released, was the first wristwatch to have all five hands all mounted on the same central axis. This unusual watch is called the Concentrique Grand Complication 5 and is the work of one of the greatest British watchmakers, Peter Roberts. Fitted with a superbly finished Valjoux 88?as a base, it boasts many co...

2015-10-13

Introducing the Nomos Neomatik First Edition, including champagne dials & DUW 3001 Calibre (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

Remember, a few days after Baselworld 2015, we showed a preview of the new Nomos Minimatik, a brand new design from the Glashutte-based manufacture but mainly a completely new movement, the in-house, ultra-slim, self-winding DUW 3001. We’ve been surprised to see such an achievement from a quite young brand (not so young anymore with?25 yeas of existence) and such a price (below 3,000)…...

2015-10-12

Introducing the Don Kylne & Co watch, an elegant watch under 300 bucks - Monochrome-Watches

You know us here, at Monochrome-Watches, when it comes to horology, we’re snobs. We love complications, hand-finished movements or anything that stands out of the crowd (meaning independent watchmaking). However, there’s a point where all these beauties will still be dreams attached on our teenagers’ walls. We have to be realistic and admit that only a few of us will potentially ...

2015-10-12

The history of the Seiko Tuna, the Deep Sea Fish - Monochrome-Watches

Few watches possess the aura and the character of the Seiko Tuna. Introduced in 1975 in a ?mechanical form, it was upgraded in 1978 with a quartz movement, after a Japanese saturation diver sent a letter of complaint. The Tuna, or Tuna-can as watch aficionados' call it, is a watch that carries no compromises. It's either love or hate. There are countless posts on Internet about it – and some...

2015-10-09

Comparing the old and new IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar - Monochrome-Watches

We at Monochrome obviously love IWC watches. Especially when it comes to their iconic pieces. The IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar is such a piece. First introduced in 2003, this watch has been subject to minor changes every couple of years, without dramatically changing its recognizable identity. So, it's now time for us to compare the brand new 2015 edition with the previous version, and to see...

2015-10-08

Introducing the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle World Time 2015 Edition - Monochrome-Watches

Alongside being a very elegant watch, the?Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle World Time has something special, something more, something that all world-time watches should have. Usually, this kind of watches comes with a display capable of displaying?24 different time-zones. Convenient right? Yes and no, as the world doesn't just have 24 but in fact 37 time-zones. Only a few watches can show all o...

2015-10-08

Introducing the Cle de Cartier Mysterious Hour (specs & price)

When first revealed at the 2015 edition of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (the SIHH), the Cle de Cartier has been warmly welcomed by both the horological press and collectors, mainly because of its pure, rakish and clean design, set purely in the vein of the Cartier tradition. The curved profile, the clever integration of the crown and the modern interpretation?are?key elements of ...

2015-10-07

Introducing the Richard Mille RM 011 Red TPT Quartz Automatic Flyback Chronograph

You've certainly noticed immediately that Richard Mille latest creation is red. Obviously (Except if you are color blind, and we're profoundly sorry for you). However, your eyes have probably spotted?something else; the?juxtaposition of the words Quart and Automatic. Wait, is that at all possible? Is RM going to lower that many their watches and to have quartz movements? We know the market to be q...

2015-10-07

Chopard resurrects Ferdinand Berthoud with the Chronometrie Ferdinand Berthoud FB1 - Review with history, live photos, specs & price - Monochrome-Watches

In the watchmaking industry, there are few iconic names. Contemporary ones like Philippe Dufour or Fran?ois-Paul Journe, but mainly some old but highly famous?names like Abraham-Louis Breguet. Another one might be slightly less known but his working life also?conducted to true innovations and several masterpieces: Ferdinand Berthoud. This long-time forgotten name is about to live again, as Chopard...

2015-10-07

The Collector's Series - Peter Chong with his masterpiece, a Philippe Dufour Simplicity - Monochrome-Watches

When you speak to hardcore watch geeks, there is one name that consistently gets brought up in conversation.? Mr Philippe Dufour. There are very few owners of such watches and we're lucky enough to have one in the Collector's Series, in the name of Peter Chong, a true seasoned collector with certainly some of the most beautiful watches around. Peter founded Deployant with 2 other close friends in ...

2015-10-06

Introducing the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Ultra-Thin Minute Repeater now in Platinum - Monochrome-Watches

During the past few weeks, there had been quite a few novelties from Vacheron Constantin, with for example, one that was quite interesting, THE most complicated watch in the world. At the 2015 Edition of Watches & Wonders, Vacheron Constantin also renew one of their long-time tradition: bespoke and unique watches, with the release of their Cabinotier collection.?Alongside these exciting novelt...

2015-10-06

Introducing the De Bethune DB27 Digitale Polo Edition, in Hardened Steel (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches

When it comes to watches dedicated to the selective and rigorous sport?that is Polo, The first that would ?probably spring to mind is the iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso (created in 1931 especially for Polo players). However, when De Bethune comes with the idea of partnering with the Princely Polo Cup, the needs are clear: creating a watch that can withstand the violent impacts it is liable to sus...

2015-10-05