Earlier this year, we shared a story on a young Canadian watchmaker by the name of Bradley Taylor and the result of his first solo project, the Paragon. Selling out all of the 12 pieces in about two months can be considered quite an achievement by a start-up brand. Reason for us to sit down with Bradley Taylor once more and talk about what it took to create this watch, what the philosophy behind i...
The fascinating world of watches stretches all around the world and thankfully, it doesn't only focus on Switzerland. Until now, we haven't featured that many brands from Japan on MONOCHROME, to the exception of the usual mainstream brands and a few rising brands, and it is about time we do something about that. Today's destination is the Land of the Rising Sun as we take a closer look at Naoya Hi...
Watch enthusiasts come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing that characterizes them all is the passion for the trade. That passion can stem from an encounter with watches getting stuck in one's mind as a fond memory. In some cases, that memory can be so persistent it eventually drives someone down the path of becoming a watchmaker. Small-time watchmakers with stories like this are sprouting left...
When having in mind the association between space exploration and watchmaking, many will think about the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch, the Bulova Moon Chronograph the Fortis Official Cosmonauts Chronograph. And rightfully so, as these watches are probably the most popular space watches. Yet, there were many more timepieces to make it into space, or specifically designed for astronauts/cosmon...
Whatever the style or the range in which you’re looking, a perpetual calendar remains one of the most fascinating types of mechanical watch. There is something truly intriguing in this small device capable of calculating multiple indications, and being correctly adjusted for no fewer than 100 years. It stands right there, at the end of the watchmaking?food chain. Despite the rather complex s...
If you look at Kunal's account on Instagram (@khemkakunal), the word “seasoned collector” immediately comes to mind. Indeed, Kunal P. Khemka, a real watch enthusiast from India and a 44-year-old businessman, has the knowledge and the taste when it comes to choosing what to strap around his wrist – with a clear bias on elegant and refined pieces. Today, we discuss his Vacheron Con...
The link between TAG Heuer and motorsport is simply undeniable. The brand has been, since the 1960s, one of the most active ambassadors in racing, manufacturing watches that were made to time sports cars and named after some of the most prestigious circuits or races. One of the most emblematic watches in this context is the Monaco, an icon from the 1970s that gained fame thanks to the King of Cool...
Is this pure coincidence? Indeed, four of the most iconic watches on the market currently are all being revamped within a few months. While it is certainly not new to see brands digging up pieces from their archives for new releases, what's more surprising is to see products with notorious desirability or even waiting lists being discontinued. These highly successful watches are reimagined, while ...
At MONOCHROME, we tend to sparingly?use the word “icon” as it has become a marketing tool rather than a proper definition of the status of a model. There are, however, true icons of watchmaking, timepieces that are known far beyond the small circle of seasoned collectors. And most are, sadly maybe, watches created first for men. When it comes to feminine watches, fewer models have gain...
The Black Bay is, without doubt, the most successful collection of Tudor. This watch has been instrumental in the resurrection of the brand in the early 2010s. Since its introduction in 2012, this vintage-inspired diver's watch has been a commercial hit and the collection has been enlarged with multiple complications, in various materials and in a wide range of colours. The collection is a classic...
In our world driven by novelties and social media, it’s sometimes easy to forget things that have been presented only a few years ago. But today, we’ll give a look at a watch that is somehow underrated, a discreet model that, however, encompasses all the savoir-faire of Omega… and more. With its focus on precision, and the addition of one of the most practical types of calendar, ...
The brand with the Winged Hourglass has many emblematic models in its collection, most of them being found in the praised Heritage line. Yet, few can rival the longevity and beauty of the Longines Legend Diver, one of the watches that defined the vintage-inspired collection of the brand and that is still a strong pillar in the portfolio. Since its introduction in 2007, this compressor-inspired wat...
The largest watch fair of the year is just over, so it’s time for us to sit down and to look back in details at what exactly happened during this very intense week. Watches & Wonders, previously named SIHH, is the initiative of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie… and as expected with such a name, the focus isn’t really on accessible watches. Still, there was a substantial n...
Nicknames, I'm sure we all had one at one point in our life. Personally, I am sometimes referred to as the big guy due to my sturdy 2.01m frame. We also have quite a range of nicknames for watches; the Pepsi, Kermit and Hulk for instance, or the Omega Speedy, Tudor Snowflake, Seiko Tuna, etc. The list is almost endless. Things are rather similar in cars, especially cars that stand out from the c...
Twenty-five years ago, under the guidance of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard gave birth to the L.U.C. collection, coincidentally with the opening of a state-of-the-art manufacture. The inauguration of the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier opened up the possibilities to explore new territories, through in-house movements, as well as restoring traditional techniques. One of the best examples of this...
Aside from the classics that are steel, titanium, gold or platinum, watchmaking has been using multiple “innovative” materials. You can think about exotic metals such as tantalum, aluminium or bronze, or materials like ceramic, carbon fibre or even sapphire – and not even counting dozens of proprietary alloys… The story behind 925 silver is slightly different. No stranger t...
Clubs of enthusiasts, whatever the passion people are sharing, have long existed and their influence is growing. More and more local initiatives are created, such as RedBar or, for today’s matters, the Qatar Watch Club. With the idea to generate passion and increase horological knowledge among their members, as well as offering watches made specifically for them, QWC is now presenting a new ...
With just 100 days to go until the Olympics, Tokyo is still facing uncertainties on how exactly the games will happen. Still, the Olympic flame is finally on its way across Japan and for the 29th time in history, Omega is gearing up to be the official timekeeper of the event with the release of a new dedicated timepiece, a special edition created for the occasion. Meet the new Omega Seamaster Dive...
LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods company, has just released its results for the first quarter of 2021. At 14 billion euros, sales are up 32% compared to the first quarter of 2021 (+30% on an organic basis). This rebound was to be expected given the favourable comparison with sales from Q1 2020. Still, sales beat consensus estimates and are 8% above the first quarter of 2019, when the COVID-1...
Bordering on the obscure line between science and occult, alchemy has at least sparked imagination throughout centuries. While sometimes disregarded as folklore, medieval magic or deceptive in nature, its intent is to always do better, strive for perfection. In a sense, the same thing can be said about watchmaking, haute-horlogerie in particular. Manufactures try to (re)invent and develop new tech...
I guess, by now, we’re all accustomed ceramic being used for watch cases and bezels. Whether we’re looking at Rado, the brand that pioneered the use of ceramic already in the early 1980s, or the many other brands using ceramic for the bezel insert, even in colours that were considered impossible to match (GMT-Master II Pepsi.) However, IWC is taking things a few steps further and with ...
The Patek Philippe Calatrava is a horological icon that deserves little to no introduction. Presented in 1932 under reference 96, the model is seen by many as the ultimate dress watch. Among the countless versions of the Calatrava, the Clous de Paris has turned into a Patek Philippe trademark since its introduction on the bezel of the reference 96D in 1934. Fast forward to modern days, the emblema...
By creating the Annual Calendar in 1996, Patek Philippe has had great success with this elegant complication. Previously only available in precious metals, i.e. gold alloys (yellow, rose or white) or platinum, it now becomes available in a more accessible and versatile material; stainless steel. This break from tradition for the Annual Calendar complication does not mean any corner has been cut. A...
Patek Philippe is known for being one of the best manufacturers of calendar watches. Whether it is the annual calendar – one of its inventions – or the perpetual calendar, alone or combined with other complications, the brand is clearly in its comfort zone. This year, as part of the Watches & Wonders 2021 collection, the brand unveils a new, ultra-clean perpetual calendar watch tha...
Among Montblanc's releases during Watches & Wonders 2021 is a new version of its Heritage Perpetual Calendar. The novelty here is the new warm brown dial colour described by the brand as burnt caramel. Like its 2019 predecessor, the new?Montblanc Heritage Perpetual Calendar captures the spirit of historical Minerva timepieces and is powered by the brand's patented and proprietary automatic cal...
Just ahead of the Digital Edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva 2021, Nicola Andreatta, CEO of Roger Dubuis, tells MONOCHROME about the brand and the new Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon.Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – You were literally born inside the world of watchmaking. How did you arrive at your current position as head of Roger Dubuis? Ad - Scroll to continue with article ...
Back in 2019, Vacheron Constantin introduced a tourbillon to the Overseas collection. Its stainless steel case and vivid blue dial held the self-winding ultra-thin Calibre 2160 inside. Now the manufacturer unveils an 18k rose gold version and since going through a major uplift back in 2016, the Overseas now offers some really nice features like its interchangeable strap system and a slim 10.39mm-t...
The turn of the new century has heralded a new era for popular culture: we are living in Hollywood's comic-book age. Superheroes are getting increasingly popular as their movies are seen by billions. Inspired by historical character watches, including some of Gerald Genta’s timepieces from the 1980s, Audemars Piguet announced a few weeks ago their partnership with Marvel Entertainment and it...
The military background of the IWC pilot watch needs little introduction. On the occasion of Watches & Wonders 2021, the Schaffhausen-based manufacturer unveils the Big Pilot's Watch Shock Absorber XPL. The first model to be created by the brand's “Experimental Engineering Team” is all about resistance to extreme shocks… as it is able to withstand shocks in excess of 30,000G!...
Chopard introduced the L.U.C Time Traveler One in 2016. Marking the first world timer to join the L.U.C collection, the Time Traveler One shows the time in all 24 time zones simultaneously and is operated by an internal 24-hour ring. The standout feature of Chopard's globetrotter's watch is the Super Compressor-style case with two crowns and an internal rotating bezel, a case largely associated wi...