If the chronograph is one of the most popular complications, it is also one of the most complex types of movements to manufacture. Not so long ago, just a handful of manufactures had the knowledge or the financial resources to produce their own, in-house mechanical chronograph calibre but the past 20 years have witnessed the birth of an impressive number of self-developed movements. During the 197...
It's becoming an established routine now: every month, for the last eight months since January 2019, we receive news of the latest birthday present to celebrate 25 uninterrupted years of the Lange 1. The Little Lange 1 Moon Phase is the ninth anniversary model out of a grand total of ten special models dedicated to the Silver Jubilee of the Lange 1 (you will find a list with links of all the watch...
From a concept of ? Real Watches for Real People ?, meaning no-nonsense, practical tool watches with not much horological depth but solid manufacturing, to a higher-end, highly mechanical piece that will define the brand's future Oris' latest watch had a long way to travel. We went down that same road with its creators to see what this new ProPilot X Calibre 115 is all about.It was only about a mo...
What you’re about to see might just be a simple change of material, but it is nevertheless great news – not only because the watch looks superb, not only because the price is significantly lower but also because it is a great strategic choice. When it was introduced back in 2015, the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 was an immediate success. Available in platinum or...
The Louis Moinet Memoris was introduced in 2016 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Ateliers and the 200th anniversary of the Compteur de Tierces, the innovative stopwatch created by Louis Moinet. Today, the brand brings new, lightweight versions of its original chronograph with full display of the mechanics. Meet the new Louis Moinet Memoris Titanium.As a reminder, Louis Moinet has a disting...
Ulysse Nardin is not renowned for its low-key, conventional watches. A precursor in the use of silicium (silicon) and fond of extravagant, highly technical – often futuristic – displays, Ulysse Nardin sticks to its guns and revisits its spectacular Executive Free Wheel with new dials made from aventurine, osmium, Carbonium gold and straw marquetry - yes, you heard correctly, straw marq...
Raynald Aeschlimann joined Omega in 1996. Gauging the performance metrics of the company, his role as CEO and President of Omega since 2016 has met with impressive success.?During the Omega Masters held in Crans-Montana, we were able to chat with him about the outlook for the brand and discover the new Seamaster Aqua Terra Ultra-Light.Raynald, thank you for having us here in Crans-Montana. Can you...
Bucherer, the world’s largest watch retailer, continues its expansion strategy. After the acquisition of The Watch Gallery LTD, London, and then Tourneau LLC and Baron & Leeds, both in the US, the Group now explores new territories. After decades spent on selling new watches, Bucherer launches today its “Certified Pre-Owned” program, authenticated and guaranteed second-hand w...
Travel watches, along with blue dials and vintage aesthetics, are all the rage these days. With the advent of globalisation, GMT/UTC watches are no longer the exclusive domain of jet-setters and Pan Am pilots. Today, a wider audience of frequent flyers – and people with business interests or friends dotted around the world – are taking an interest in watches that can give them two dist...
Every year, the watchmaking industry celebrates creativity and ingenuity with the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve?(GPHG) or the so-called “Oscars of the Watchmaking Industry” - see the report for the 2018 edition here. The most advanced, the most innovative and the most creative timepieces will be awarded prizes at the GPHG 2019. Before the ceremony takes place (November 7, 2019), we...
While the focus has recently been on the sporty/elegant Polaris collection, we shouldn’t forget that the “Grande Maison” is also one of the best representatives of Haute Horlogerie. Jaeger-LeCoultre knows its watchmaking and its metiers d’art and the brand’s latest creation is a superb testimony of this expertise. Meet the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition ...
We all know that a watch is probably a man’s most important accessory (along with his wedding ring). It reflects his personality, his way of life, it must comply with the situation and his wardrobe. There are, of course, no rules but you’ll admit that a dive watch won’t be the best option for a night at the opera. The solution to that (non)problem: having a watch for every situat...
Damon Hill is the son of the late British racing driver Graham Hill, who twice won the Formula 1 drivers' championship and is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport comprising the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix.Father and Son – Graham Hill overseeing his son Damon in the driving seat – Photo by Express/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesIn 19...
The number of watch brands introducing very long warranties is as long as the history of modern (post-quartz crisis) watchmaking. Until recently, two years of warranty was the norm. However, more and more watchmakers tend to offer five years and even more for some special editions. And that raises the question: does it actually make any sense from a consumer’s point of view??Earlier this yea...
Let's face it; watch collectors are not the largest demographic out there. Yes, thankfully, there are plenty of you to keep the industry ticking and our webpage alive and well, but most men are confessed “monowatchmen”. By this, I mean that most men will probably own one good watch during their lifetime, perhaps two. If you are a monowatchman, you've come to the right place. Today we w...
It seems that Omega never ceases to innovate and impress. After presenting the Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional, the watch that made the world's deepest dive to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench (with a water-resistance of 15,000m), the brand now presents another piece of high-tech engineering with a focus, this time, on lightness, comfort and resistance. Meet the 55g-only Omega ...
While we would highly recommend you only read MONOCHROME when it comes to learning about the world of watches (we are our own best advocates), there are many sources around to help up your horological game. The latest on the market has been launched by none other than prominent auction house Christie’s and its “education” department. Launching this September is a new online cours...
Panerai watches are always big. Panerai watches are supposed to be big. Panerai watches are waterproof to at least 100m or more.?Panerai watches are proper dive tools. That used to be watch world 101. And then the Luminor Due appeared… Thinner, smaller and not so much your reliable diver’s tool. Today, the Italian brand introduces no fewer than 6 new iterations of the Luminor Due, incl...
Yes, I know… The holiday season is over! Gone are the times of the mojito next to the pool. Gone are the warm, sunny days. Gone is your colourful dive watch too. Because I’m afraid guys, it’s time to go back to work. And that can’t be done with your beloved sports watch on the wrist. Business attire means elegant watch. So in order to keep that smile on your face when retur...
The Portugieser Chronograph by IWC Schaffhausen needs little to no introduction. It is one of those classic watches that every collector will encounter, one day or another. For over 20 years, it remained practically unchanged, with the exception of variations on the dial. The model we present today is yet another of these variations… and it really works. Let’s take a closer look at the...
The vast majority of watches produced display the time in the classic, standard way – with 2 or 3 hands rotating over a circular dial once per hour or once per 12 hours. Practical for sure, but not the most original way to indicate the time. Still, some watchmakers from the independent scene are proud to launch watches that don’t use traditional hands but that are meant to only fascina...
The DS Concept put Certina on the map and was a big step forward in making Swiss watches more reliable and water-resistant while maintaining affordable prices. Now that the system is celebrating its 60th birthday, a commemorative watch is launched. Meet the new Certina DS1 Big Date 60th Anniversary and its combination of style, good mechanics and affordability.BackgroundNowadays, a shock and water...
Back at the SIHH 2018, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a brand new collection with a combination of vintage and sporty inspiration – something that was clearly missing in the range. Based on the famed “Polaris Memovox” from 1968, the brand developed an entire line-up comprising a chrono, a WT-chrono, a time-only, a Worldtime and of course, an alarm “Memovox” version. Last...
Actor Jason Momoa is best known to audiences worldwide for playing the superhero Aquaman in the DC universe films Aquaman?and Justice League, and the character of Khal Drogo in the first season of HBO's Game of Thrones. So in terms of watches, what could fit the wrist of this big guy…?Momoa is over 6 feet tall (1.82m) and weighs approximately 100 kilograms, so in terms of watches, you would ...
It has become a recurring thing for magazines Revolution and The Rake to offer limited edition watches to their readers. Some of them, such as the Bell & Ross Bellytanker or the Chopard Salmon Dial, were surprisingly pleasant. Today’s collab watch goes one step further and the result is the epitome of cool. Indeed, Revolution and The Rake have teamed up with German watchmaker Sinn to pre...
It's quite common for brands to reissue watches from a bygone era, especially military and dive watches. The 2019 Rado Captain Cook Limited Edition, Seiko’s Prospex Diver 300m Hi-Beat SLA025 and Longines' own Avigation BigEye are recent examples (and let's not overlook the brand’s Legend Diver). The company's Heritage collection pays homage to many more vintage pieces and the Avigation...
The word iconic is one of the most overused and abused words in the watch industry, however, I bet everyone agrees that the Royal Oak IS a true design icon. A watch that defined the modern luxury sports watch. In 1972, Audemars Piguet and Gerald Genta created an archetype; match a sporty but clearly expensively crafted steel watch with an integrated steel bracelet and an automatic, ultra-thin move...
If someone says the word Germany', not a lot of people will start reminiscing about romantic afternoons full of classic values like elegance, delicacy, sensitivity or even the slightest susceptibility to following heart instead of function. But that's wrong. Anyone who has actually ever really seen that country knows that this culture has so much more to offer than Autobahn, Autobahn, Autobahn. It...
Having reviewed both the A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Chronograph and the Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G manual-winding chronographs in previous days, today it's time for a face-off between these two premium contenders. Both are undeniably beautiful examples of the ‘pure-chronograph-no-additional-complications genre’ and both are impeccably crafted. But they are as different as chalk an...
When it comes to pure, thoroughbred manual-winding chronographs, models that are devoted exclusively to capturing elapsed times and not equipped with any other paraphernalia, A. Lange & Sohne's 1815 Chronograph is up there in the pantheon of perfection. The model we are reviewing for our three-part Battle of the High-End Chronograph series is the 2018 pink gold with black dial version, similar...