As the year comes to a close, you’re used to us reflecting on what we’ve seen and handled over these past 12 months. And it has been a lot, obviously. But scoping out the best watches in specific categories is not always easy. There might not have been that many novelties or simply an abundance of them. Or perhaps the novelties didn’t leave a lasting impression. One category that...
For almost 20 years, the name Big Pilot at IWC meant one thing: a 46mm, oversized, almost provocative watch inspired by 1940s B-Uhr, powered by a massive automatic movement with a 7-day power reserve and a dial so large that you could use the watch as a nightstand clock And it also meant a display with a power reserve indicator and date. But things changed in 2021 with the launch of the Big Pilot ...
The stylish black & gold John Player Special livery, made famous by the Lotus F1 team in the 1970s, is enjoying a revival with offerings from brands like Hamilton, Bell & Ross and TAG Heuer, all the way up the ladder to niche indie brands like De Bethune. Earlier this year, De Bethune unveiled a JPS version of its sporty DB28GS kitted out in black with gold accents. Paying tribute to the g...
If there’s one watch that can be called a classic at IWC, it has to be the Portugieser Chronograph. One of the earliest models to be launched after the rebirth of the range, it succeeded the Portugieser Rattrapante with a simpler movement but almost identical design. And since its launch in 1998, with the exception of minimal design evolutions and a new movement, it hasn’t changed a bi...
It has been quite a while since we’ve seen something really new coming from the niche watchmaking company Pellikaan Timing. Run by Hubert Pellikaan, a very passionate Dutchman with a background in pharmacy and science, the brand has a small but devoted following. The designs are all about legibility because Hubert wants his watches to be read from across the room. And admittedly, each one is...
With the opening of the new mono-brand IWC boutique in Rotterdam, IWC further expands its presence in the Netherlands. It's the first boutique in the world to reveal a completely new architectural concept, which invites people to fully immerse themselves in the world of IWC. As soon as you come inside, you're stepping into an environment that allows you to discover everything about the brand's his...
In our politically correct world, attributing gender to watches is ever so passe (or is it passee?) Have you noticed how many brands are now trumpeting unisex' as an all-embracing category for watches that glide under the 40mm marker? Corum has jumped on this bandwagon with its signature Admiral watch, now proposed in a unisex 38mm case. The Admiral Automatic we've singled out for coverage today c...
Tissot’s collection covers a large spectrum, ranging from ultra-robust dive watches to racing-oriented chronographs and, the star of the moment, a sporty-chic watch with an integrated bracelet. And because it’s Tissot, all of them are pretty hard to beat in terms of value for money. If you’re looking for something a bit more classic, the Gentlemen is a very compelling option that...
Few trends have seen such a strong surge in popularity as the luxury sports watch over this past year. Or rather, past years, as demand has skyrocketed for several of the usual suspects for much longer than just these 12 months. But with soaring demands, people have slowly begun shifting focus to less obvious choices as there are plenty of alternatives around. And although it’s hard to ignor...
Colour has played a determining role this year in the world of watches, and any article we write about colourful watches invariably features Audemars Piguet. No stranger to bold colours, this year, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, entirely swathed in blue ceramic, made our Top Five Colourful list of 2022. Today, we introduce another dynamic colour-popping 41mm white gold model with a purple Grand...
Although it was a trend that started more than ten years ago, who would have imagined that re-editions of glorious models of the past and vintage-inspired watches would still be a hot topic in 2022? But it is a reality: retro-styled watches, vintage reissues and old-school design language are still staples in brand collections across the board. There are many ways to produce vintage-inspired model...
Introduced a couple of weeks ago, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel came as a surprise. Not that this original display of the time feels irrelevant when looking at the brand’s heritage (far from that), but it isn’t exactly what we expected the brand to revive. Despite its fascinating nature, wandering hour displays are rare, but Audemars Piguet has decided to introduce someth...
Dive watches have been a hot item since “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” hit the TV screens worldwide over 50 years ago, and rare is the watch company that does not offer a diver’s model. Within one price category, they often share a similar design, performance characteristics are usually on the level, and should you scrape off the brand name, they are the same when laid ...
If there’s one thing we’re very happy (and somewhat surprised) about regarding the watchmaking industry is the fact that many brands are stepping out of the limelight and fully embracing colour. And we’re not talking about small dabs of colour in a delicate form of artistic expressionism, but using colour to its fullest in a watch. Bright, bold colours beyond the habitual black, ...
The Royal Oak Offshore may not be on everybody’s wishlist this Christmas, but quite a few gentlemen would be okay with getting a first edition of “The Beast” to crown their collections. The hype might revolve around the Royal Oak designed by Gerald Genta in 1972, but the Offshore series is no less critical to Audemars Piguet and its current success. The Offshore has a history and...
It is no secret the second-hand watch business has blown up in popularity in recent years, which drove prices through the roof and saw the demand for some models soaring. But with that popularity comes risk as well, as shady dealers and fake watches could very well mean spending your hard-earned cash on something that isn't what it's made out to be. Pre-owned watch platform Montro aims to prevent ...
The world of watches is full of complications. I know, the name can be somewhat deceptive since the idea behind a complication is to bring the user something practical… well, most of the time, at least. Dozens of functions can be added to a watch, but few are as practical in real life as the GMT or dual time complication. A true blue-collar complication, on the same level as the chronograph ...
As the end of the year is fast approaching, it is time for us to sit back and look at all the new models the watch industry has offered. And when it comes to the highly coveted category of dive watches, it has been a rich year. We’ve seen two giants releasing ultra-deep divers, other brands revamping some emblematic watches, and some playing on the downsizing trend… There’s clear...
Green is everywhere. There is no escaping the trend, which has been seen in all kinds of watches, in all categories, and all price ranges. Green is the new blue, which was the new black, and maybe purple will be the new green? IWC is no stranger to the colour green. The brand has shown great creativity when applying this colour to different types of watches, such as the bold, monochromatic Woodlan...
It’s fair to say that the Seiko 5 Sports collection is one of the most versatile mechanical watch lineups in its price range. If on top of versatility, we tally the factor of manufacture-made movements, as well as the overall quality the Japanese brand is known for, the Seiko 5 Sports collection is practically unbeatable. A potential contender could be the Swatch Sistem51 – with even l...
The Chopard Alpine Eagle, a direct descendant of the slightly baroque St. Moritz model of the 1980s, was resurrected and modernised to reflect contemporary tastes. Since its revival, we’ve seen the Alpine Eagle expand to become an entire collection with a tourbillon,?an extra-large chronograph or a compact feminine version, as well as many colours or material combinations. And now, thereR...
Whoever has experienced traversing the globe (by plane, train or automobile) while wearing a mechanical timepiece has at one point run into the drawbacks of regular time-only watches. It can tell the time in one location only, which is useless for identifying the time of day or night of your loved ones back home. Luckily, there are watches that offer a simple and practical solution: travel watches...
Wandering hours are one of the most fascinating displays of the watch industry. And if it’s often associated with modern indie watchmakers like Urwerk or with Audemars Piguet, it is actually a very old concept dating back to the 17th century. Yet, if the paternity of the system is far older than many would think, Audemars Piguet is often seen as the resurrector of the concept, with a famous ...
Bulgari seems intent on marking the 10th anniversary of the Octo Finissimo with limited editions and collaborations. After all, what are friends for if not to share the festive mood? A couple of weeks ago, we talked about an Octo Finissimo Tattoo Acqua, the second edition in limited series created with tattoo artist Mo Copoletta. Now comes an even more unusual release. The fact that it is an aucti...
The end of the year is near, so it’s time for the MONOCHROME team to sit down and look back at everything that happened in 2022… And there was a lot, with so many new watches launched, in all categories and in all price ranges. Today, we kick off a series of buying guides representing our selection of what we think are the best watches in their own category, starting with one of our al...
As you might have guessed from its name, the now very well-established?Oris Divers Sixty-Five was inspired by a watch created back in… 1965. A classic skin diver model, with recreational divers in mind, it has since its comeback been made in countless editions, colours and sizes. But there’s more than just the original (and rather quirky) model. Proof; the latest limited edition create...
The manufacture Roger Dubuis has gone a long way before settling to build the “future of hyper-horology.” The brand's vision of this future is a radical one. It is mechanically complex, flamboyant, excessive and expensive, so out of reach for the general population. Still, Roger Dubuis and its Excalibur watches remain a favourite for sheer creativity and rebel spirit paired with engagi...
Barely one centimetre in diameter, the hairspring is the beating heart of a watch movement. It is a strategic component in several respects. Manufacturing hairsprings is a complex process mastered only by a few companies. Conventional hairsprings are made of iron-nickel alloys, such as Nivarox. For several years now, silicon has been revolutionizing traditional watchmaking. Borrowed from the semic...
Baltic skillfully rides the nostalgia wave, mastering the art of making vintage-inspired watches with enviable success. How many watches do you know that sell at a premium in the secondary market? We all know about certain references from , AP and Patek Philippe, but I bet you did not imagine a small French kickstart-startup of only five years of age would be included in this list. Nevertheless, ...
Downsizing is a word that comes with two faces. On one end you might feel corners are cut, you get less bang for your buck, and the experience is less fun. A good example is cars, where downsizing usually means less power, less performance and often less joy to drive. On the other end, specifically in watches, you might experience the exact opposite! It might even be the reason a watch you previou...