Results for Mother of Pearl Dial

Zenith Introduces a Limited Edition Defy Extreme with a Lapis Lazuli Dial

I love the Zenith Defy. I never miss an opportunity to tell people that it’s my favorite sports watch line of all time. I’m guessing that I’ve had a version of this conversation so many times over the years that my colleagues and watch-friends can feel it coming at this point. I can sense that eye roll is not far behind me going over once again how the Defy has always represented the ideal meeting place between the avant-garde and true sports watch engineering. Look, I make no apologies. If you can’t see that the Defy has been a subtle influence on everything from the Royal Oak to the most generic Rolex sports watches, well, stay tuned for my long threatened multi-part solo podcast series unpacking my personal obsession with these watches.  One of the things that has always fascinated me about the Defy is how it can be anything. The watches in this collection have never fit neatly into a specific mold, and unlike, say, the Rolex Submariner, which has basically looked like the same watch since its debut, the Defy has always been a shapeshifter. The only thing steady about the design has been that it could always morph and change into something radical and different, and often something that is not to everyone’s taste (even longtime fans of the collection). That’s basically what’s been on my mind since learning of the new Zenith Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli, a maximal take on the sports watch that latches on to some current trends.  This is a Defy Extreme, so it...

11 of the best affordable dive watches for avoiding the bends on a budget

Here are a bunch of great dive watches from several different brands that will all ring up the till less than US$5,000.The post 11 of the best affordable dive watches for avoiding the bends on a budget appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Coming Soon: a New Breed of AVI-8 Watch

What do you seek in a watch made for adventure? What defines a tool watch? On November 21st at 0900 EST, AVI-8 will launch a new line of GADA watches that prioritize performance without compromising accessibility. Be the first to know more by signing up for the announcement email below. The post Coming Soon: a New Breed of AVI-8 Watch appeared first on Worn & Wound.

Introducing – A Green Dial for the Favre Leuba Sea Sky Revival

As one of the oldest names in the Swiss watch industry, Favre Leuba’s fortunes have fluctuated over the centuries. During the 1960s, Favre Leuba had a notable run of iconic, heavy-duty tool watches. Having changed hands several times, industry veteran Patrik Hoffmann was behind the relaunch of Favre Leuba staged during Geneva Watch Days 2024. […]

Patek Philippe’s Gondolo Serata Zebra Debuts New Dial Technique

Patek Philippe surprises with an off-season launch, the Gondolo Serata Zebra Ref. 4962/200R-010. Based on the curvaceous model launched in 2006, the Zebra features a sapphire crystal dial framed by garnets on the bezel and lugs. The dial motif replicates the cloisonné enamel dial of the Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50G-023 from the Rare Handcrafts collection of 2022, but here the technique and material are decidedly modern. Despite the radically different look, this is an evolution of the Retrograde Perpetual Calendar ref. 6159G that has a smoked sapphire dial. Here the dial is also clear sapphire, but engraved, varnished, and then metallised to create the striking zebra motif. Initial thoughts The Gondolo Serata has been in Patek Philippe’s catalogue for almost 20 years but it never really gained prominence. Though the case shape is elegant, the dials on the earlier versions were quite plain. The Zebra is the opposite – vivid and striking – and it instantly stands out amongst Patek Philippe’s ladies offerings. The fact that the dial motif is based on the Rare Handcrafts Ellipse is a nice touch, though watch enthusiasts may be disappointed the movement is quartz. Patek Philippe presumably understands its clients and those clients probably want the convenience of a quartz movement. The sapphire dial technique, however, is interesting enough that it is likely to make its way into other models, which will be a good thing. Savannah sapphire The Gondolo Serata is a longsta...

The IWC Ingenieur Touring In The Wilds Of Tasmania

The IWC Ingenieur is one versatile watch. So we took it touring through Tasmania for a week in a very different style of watch article with some great watch shots, not to mention some epic scenery! I love travelling, and I love watches. It’s not often that you can combine the two together, and take a week where you just travel and enjoy a watch, take photos and tell people about the experience of both. And when it comes to our Hands On Reviews, it’s normally around town, day to day, which, let’s face it, is where watches get worn the most for most people, so it’s perfect in that regard. But sometimes, it is good to do something a little different. Let’s get out and about with a watch and see some places, and in doing so, have a watch that could be a constant companion while I explore the best Australia has to offer. So, that thought in mind, this is not a review. It is part travel blog, part watch review and part photo gallery. I wanted to chronicle my travels with a watch as a daily companion, and at the end, see how I felt after having a selected piece on my wrist day to day, in a part of the country that is very different to where I normally live… The Inspiration & Destination After some thought, I settled on one of the few places I had not been to in Australia – Tasmania. Known for its wilderness, contrasting countryside, the arts and its food, Tasmania felt like the right place to head to. It had a mix of cosmopolitan life in Hobart and Launceston, the r...

First Look – Arthurian Legend Reenacted in the Roger Dubuis Knights of the Round Table, the Enchanter Merlin

Imagine getting a design brief for a new watch collection along the lines of, “once upon a time, in the legendary court of Camelot, King Arthur and his knights convened at the round table to discuss their next adventure in search of the Holy Grail”. A tall order, but one that Roger Dubuis’ creative team […]

Ressence Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary With An Optimistic And Human-Centric View Of The Future

In 2010, industrial designer Benoît Mintiens started a company called Ressence. His mission was to create a mechanical watch that could tell people the time in the most user-friendly way possible. Now, 15 years later, the brand’s watches are still in a league of their own, both in terms of design and the mechanics behind […] Visit Ressence Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary With An Optimistic And Human-Centric View Of The Future to read the full article.

Audemars Piguet Brings The Perpetual Calendar To 38mm For The First Time And Introduces A Trio Of Vibrant Stone Dials

First Look – New Vintage-Styled Editions of the Alpina Seastrong Diver Extreme

Alpina has steadily carved out a niche for robust sports watches that balance land and sea credentials, and the Seastrong Diver Extreme Automatic is a good example of this dual spirit. Introduced last year in a compact 39mm Extreme cushion-shaped case with 300m water resistance, it was already a natural fusion of the Alpiner’s rugged […]

Trying On New Colorways Of Two Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Models

Hamilton has a rich tradition of creating rugged military tool watches, and the Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer line is a prime example of this heritage. This collection draws from both World War II navigation instruments and the practical wristwatches delivered to pilots in the decades that followed. Today, we take a closer look at two […] Visit Trying On New Colorways Of Two Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Models to read the full article.

Celebrating 100 Years of the Leica I in Wetzlar

There is something you must know about me: I am not a photographer. I have no idea what an aperture is and I will undoubtedly equate everything you tell me about a specific camera to what my iPhone can do. This is just how it is. But earlier this summer, while in Germany to celebrate the centenary of the Leica I, I found myself equal parts humbled and educated on the sheer passion photographers have for their craft. In some ways, my invitation to Leica’s HQ was a bit like Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket. In the U.S., only four journalists attended the events - myself being one of them. And while you may be confused why the hell I got the invite…don’t worry, dear Reader, I was, too.  Sure, I’ve always liked the idea of photography and I’m drawn to the analogue world that a point-and-shoot camera can draw up. I have a few Slim Aarons prints in my writing studio and a pile of photography books I’ve never flipped through in my life, but I like knowing I could, if the mood were to strike. So when I accepted my invitation, I was under the (very mistaken) pretense that I could walk the walk as much as I’ve talked the talk now and then. Photo courtesy Leica But when you find yourself surrounded by 800 professional photographers, everything is a little clearer. I was out of my element, out of my league, and tried desperately to get an education on Leicas - and fast. It’s one thing to feel like a fraud, but it’s another thing entirely to let others in on my litt...

Turning Visual Brilliance Up To Eleven With A White Gold Rolex Datejust With A Burl Wood Dial

Since we’re celebrating the 80th birthday of the Rolex Datejust, we thought it would be a good idea to have Fratello writers pick their favorite one of all time. The biggest challenge of writing an article in the tail-end of this Datejust series is that other writers have already claimed some of my favorite picks. […] Visit Turning Visual Brilliance Up To Eleven With A White Gold Rolex Datejust With A Burl Wood Dial to read the full article.

Industry News – The Surge of Watchmaking in India and Discovering an Underrated Giant: the Titan Group

The luxury watch industry is facing a period of uncertainty: global economic headwinds, shifting consumer behaviours, and escalating tariffs have all taken a toll. China, once the growth engine for the luxury watch industry, continues to falter. Meanwhile, the U.S. market – though long resilient – now faces the effects of rising tariffs… In this […]

Elliot Brown Introduces the Colorful New Chromatic Collection of Rugged, Vintage Inspired Quartz Dive Watches

One of the brands I’ve most enjoyed getting to know through our Windup Watch Fairs is Elliot Brown. Based in the UK, the brand offers an almost overwhelming variety of purpose built tool watches in a frequently sober, no-nonsense design language. The watches remind me at times (in a good way) of those you might have come across when the “big watch” trend was at full steam and brands sought to capitalize on the popularity of Panerai and others who traded in a hyper-masculine approach to watch design. Elliot Brown’s watches are quite a bit more considered, however, and they’ve attracted the attention of tool watch enthusiasts for their authentic perspective, undeniably solid build quality, and a pretty compelling value as well.  Their latest release, the Chromatic Collection series of Bloxworth Heritage divers, is both a great example of what Elliot Brown has been excelling at in recent years, and a confident step in a slightly different direction. If you scroll through the watches in Elliot Brown’s catalog on their website, you’ll see lots of watches in muted tones: black, dark green, navy blue. Simple dials designed for easy legibility as opposed to flash. But the Chromatic Collection adds a welcome bit of color to the brand’s vintage inspired diver with four new references that emphasize color and feel tailored to summer wear.  The four new variants include the bold Bloxworth Orange, Bloxworth Seaglass Blue, Bloxworth Drunk Tank (with pink accents), and ...

Zero West honour a WWII hero with a duo of Spitfire Escape models

With a piece of a WWII hero's Spitfire built into the case, the Zero West S5e and S6e have a hell of a story to tell.The post Zero West honour a WWII hero with a duo of Spitfire Escape models appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

First Look – The Two-Tone Luminescence of the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Diver Aquamar

Since its revival in 2020, Nivada Grenchen has been something of a secret among collectors of vintage dive watches, with reeditions of some of its cult tool watches produced between 1950 and 1970 at accessible prices. Founded in 1926, Nivada Grenchen produced its first automatic and waterproof watch, the Antarctic, in 1950. Put to the […]

Shining a light on the most unique uses of lume in watchmaking

Lume isn't just a tool to help you read the time in the dark - it's also an avenue for creative expression.The post Shining a light on the most unique uses of lume in watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Bovet Celebrates 10 Years of the 19Thirty with Three Stripped Back Dials

Zenith Introduces Shadow Versions Of The Defy Extreme Diver And Defy Revival Diver

The 600m-water-resistant Defy A3648, known as the Defy Plongeur, was a proper tool watch for professionals when it debuted in 1969. When Zenith launched a Revival version of the A3648 in 2024, brand fans rejoiced. At the same time, the Le Locle-based watchmaker introduced the modern Defy Extreme Diver, a worthy evolution model of the […] Visit Zenith Introduces Shadow Versions Of The Defy Extreme Diver And Defy Revival Diver to read the full article.

The new Citizen Promaster Aqualand celebrates 40 years of the first diver with an electronic depth sensor

A proper tool watch celebrates its 40th anniversary.The post The new Citizen Promaster Aqualand celebrates 40 years of the first diver with an electronic depth sensor appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Citizen Celebrates 40 Years Of The Aqualand With A Limited Edition Of The Depth-Gauge Diver

In 1985, Citizen revolutionized the world of dive watches by introducing the Aqualand. Among the standout features of this then-state-of-the-art dive tool were the multifunctional digital display and built-in electronic depth gauge. The latter gave the watch its distinct shape, with the depth sensor’s hardware element protruding from the left side of the case. The […] Visit Citizen Celebrates 40 Years Of The Aqualand With A Limited Edition Of The Depth-Gauge Diver to read the full article.

Hands-on – A Personal Take on the Tudor Black Bay Pro Polar, From a Fan of the Explorer II

Here, at MONOCHROME, we write about watches. That’s our job. However, before that became what we do on a daily basis, we all shared a sheer passion for watches, with, of course, our personal preferences. Our founder, Frank, is well known to be a fan of independent watchmakers and monochromatic watches (obviously…) I, for instance, […]

Could Omega’s signing of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as an ambassador confirm him as James Bond?

The British actor has long been the frontrunner for the next 007, but signing with Omega might mean the deal's been finally sealed.The post Could Omega’s signing of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as an ambassador confirm him as James Bond? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Portrait – The Intricate Work of Chinese Indie Watchmaker Qian GuoBiao

Horological discoveries are the things that fuel a great deal of passion within the MONOCHROME editorial team. We know it gets a lot of people in the watch collecting community excited as well. Put 2 and 2 together, and you can understand why we regularly feature new and potentially never-seen-before watchmakers and other initiatives on […]

Recap – The Best GMT and Travel Watches of Watches and Wonders 2025

We, at MONOCHROME, have long been strong advocates of the GMT, Worldtimer and Dual-Time complications. Why? Simply because when rightfully implemented, these additional features make some of the most practical watches possible – and we’re talking real-life practicality here, not an equation of time that no one has ever really understood (sorry, I had to […]

What Watches and Wonders 2025 tells us about the state of the industry

It's the biggest week of the year and there is a lot to see and do, but what does it tell us about the bigger picture?The post What Watches and Wonders 2025 tells us about the state of the industry appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hands-On: An Onslaught Of Stone Dials With H. Moser & Cie's Pop Collection

Eighteen references is a lot, but each plays with bright colors in a different way.

What Kind Of Tank Am I - A Cartier Tank Américaine Or Louis Cartier? 

Eckhart Tolle once said, “What a liberation to realize that the ‘voice in my head’ is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that.” While those are wise words indeed, that’s not the question I ask myself. I want to know what kind of Tank I am. I know I’m […] Visit What Kind Of Tank Am I - A Cartier Tank Américaine Or Louis Cartier?  to read the full article.

Hands-On: Rolex’s New Pastel Oyster Perpetual Dials: A Soothing Evolution of Color

Less pop, more poise.