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For many fans of IWC, the first collections that spring to mind are the brand’s emblematic Pilot watches, the iconic Portugieser and the Ingenieur. However, there is another collection at IWC with a more classical, understated and timeless character named after the Italian seaside village of Portofino. Appealing to men and women alike, the latest […]
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Parmigiani Fleurier‘s CEO, Guido Terreni, is the figure behind the release of the Tonda PF in 2021, a refined interpretation of the luxury sports watch characterised by understatement, elegance and fine craftsmanship. Since day one, Terreni has brought his Italian flair to the table, emphasising the collection’s “sartorial attention to detail” manifested in subtle textures, […]
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An independent family-owned watch brand that was founded in 1919 by Fritz Schluep in Grenchen, Switzerland, and active in the accessible luxury segment, Titoni has recently made a name for itself with its compelling dive watch collection, the Seascoper. We first reviewed the Seascoper 600, the brand’s top-of-the-range model with strong diving credentials and a […]
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For a rather surprising reason, the colour orange, in addition to being associated with our Dutch fellows, is often used on dive watches (even though it’s one of the first to disappear underwater). Throughout the past 20 years, the colour orange has been widely used by Omega across multiple Seamaster collections, mostly as the signature […]
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In a challenging environment for the watch industry, Swatch Group, the Swiss powerhouse owner of brands such as Omega, Longines, Tissot and Breguet, reported sales of CHF 3,059 million for the first half of 2025, representing a decline of 7.1% at constant exchange rates and 10.4% on a comparable basis. The operating profit dropped to […]
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The Ocean Star series by Mido has been the brand’s dependable answer to robust water resistance and everyday reliability since 1944, helping solidify Mido’s reputation as a maker of adventure-ready watches designed to withstand the elements. Over the decades, the Ocean Star has become a go-to for those who appreciate classic dive watch style with […]
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When it was launched last year, MING’s 37.02 Minimalist represented several firsts for Ming Thein’s independent Malaysian brand. For starters, it was the brand’s first watch made at MING’s facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Ironically, though, the watch could not bear the “Swiss Made” label because the design and engineering were executed in Kuala Lumpur. […]
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Revelot is a young Malaysian microbrand that launched with a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2021 and has since built a sizable portfolio of stylish and accessible watches, including innovative designs like the LIMA Flieger, featuring a Damascus steel case. The latest Hexmariner 39 Durian Limited Edition dive watch takes a fun approach to design, honouring […]
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When you think about Nordic brand Tusenö, you should normally picture a sports watch, such as the Windseeker or the Shellback. Since its creation in 2015, the Gothenburg-based microbrand has built a compact but interesting collection of watches, with its popular Shellback making its way into the accessible dive watch category. But the young Swedish […]
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John Arnold’s marine chronometers were vital tools for calculating longitude at sea, trusted by explorers like Captain James Cook and used by the East India Company’s fleets. This pioneering spirit lives on in the modern Arnold & Son’s Globetrotter line, showcasing the brand’s distinctive approach to functional, finely crafted world timers. Earlier references are available […]
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The luxury watch industry is impacted by the slowing global economy, changes in consumer behaviour and tariff wars. Despite this challenging environment, Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reports solid revenues for the start of the year, with a positive trend for the first quarter ended 30 June 2025. Over the period, the Group’s sales are […]
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“How the Settimo gold bracelet elevated the Perpetual 1908 dress watch from elegant to exceptional.” This is how we began our review of what was basically only a metal bracelet added to an existing model from Rolex. Objectively speaking, the Perpetual 1908 on the Settimo bracelet is nothing new technically. Only the gold, multi-link bracelet […]
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It’s been several years since the Swiss abandoned the truly affordable, sub-400-euro mechanical watch category. Once a gateway to Swiss mechanical watchmaking at reasonable prices, lower-end Swatch Group brands (Tissot and Hamilton) are now priced above that range. This situation, however, has been extremely beneficial to two Japanese giants, a sort of duopoly composed of […]
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Since 1889, Doxa has been synonymous with adventure beneath the waves. Born in Le Locle, Doxa revolutionised the dive watch world in the mid-1960s with the original SUB, a dive watch with a unidirectional bezel for tracking no-decompression dive times, paired with its now-iconic bright orange dial for unmatched underwater legibility. Since then, Doxa timepieces […]
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Taking its inspiration from yesteryear’s rudimentary tower and table clocks, MeisterSinger has built a solid brand and rich collection around a rather unusual premise: all its watches are equipped with a single hand. The philosophy behind the single hand is to offer a more leisurely, less manic approach to timekeeping in our information-saturated lives. The latest […]
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Benrus is one of the few American watch companies with a claim to fame for practical, no-nonsense timepieces. Founded in 1921 by the Lazrus brothers, Benjamin, Oscar, and Ralph, the company combined Swiss precision with American assembly and marketing to carve out a spot in watchmaking history. Starting in New York City, the brothers pooled […]
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Go stealth or go home… That could be the catchphrase for the latest Bell & Ross release. Full black, full ceramic, fully monochromatic and yet, the stealth watch that doesn’t go unnoticed. The latest member of the BR-05 family of sports watches with integrated bracelets, and specifically of the Skeleton sub-range – already available in […]
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Cuervo y Sobrinos is a rarity in the watch world as the only Swiss brand with Cuban roots. Founded in 1882 by an Asturian immigrant, Ramón Cuervo, the brand flaunts its Latin origins with a flamboyant design style that captures its heyday in the 1950s. The latest chronograph is dedicated to Emilio Carranza, a Mexican […]
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Whether you’re the type to pull up a deck chair and lounge by the pool, or aim to be more adventurous and go for deep-sea cave diving, you need something fitting on the wrist for summer. With an abundance of new dive watches introduced throughout the year, it can be cumbersome to narrow down your […]
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If there’s one thing to be said about Koenigsegg and the wild machines coming out of the gates of their facilities in Ängelholm, Sweden, it’s that they’re at the peak of engineering. The Swedish megacar manufacturer, founded by Christian von Koenigsegg in 1994, is known for pushing back the boundaries of performance and innovation, breaking […]
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Summer… The time of the year when temperatures rise and outdoor adventures beckon. The call of the sea for some, the appeal of a sun-drenched coastline, or simply enjoying the good life and relaxing. Whether you’re heading to the beach, preparing your diving gear, hiking a mountain trail, or enjoying city strolls, summer means a […]
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Block RG is a new indie watch brand with a vision to create high-end, futuristic watches unlike anything else on the market. The project was initiated by Romas Gimbutis, an entrepreneur with extensive expertise in watches, who brought together a collective of talented and creative minds to explore beyond the boundaries of traditional watchmaking. At the […]
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Find me a more iconic thriller/horror movie… I’ll wait. The scene when the man-eating great white shark appears, the music (a masterpiece by John Williams), everything about this movie is cult. Yes, it feels a bit outdated nowadays and might not have the same impact that it had 50 years ago, but you simply can’t […]
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Contemporary independent watchmaking thrives on unconventional ideas, but only a few creators dare to shape them with such sculptural poetry and technical finesse as David Candaux. His latest creation, the DC7 Blue Hawk, embodies his philosophy of a masterful fusion of mechanical virtuosity, architectural depth, and visual intrigue. Building on the vision first introduced with […]
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Jack Heuer’s Carrera chronograph and its affiliation with the racing track is borderline legendary, but there is an earlier, lesser-known chapter of the late 1940s involving the development of a purpose-built watch for Abercrombie & Fitch, the upscale American sporting goods company. Still a student, Jack Heuer enlisted his physics teacher to collaborate in the […]
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France’s golden age of horology during the 17th and 18th centuries produced notable figures like Julien Le Roy, Ferdinand Berthoud and Abraham-Louis Breguet. And it’s fair to say that had it not been for the expulsion of French Protestants following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 by King Louis XIV, Swiss watchmaking […]
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A 250th anniversary is already a remarkable achievement for a watch brand, but a 250th anniversary celebrating the undisputed horological star of the 18th century, Abraham-Louis Breguet, is quite another. Pulling out all the stops to commemorate this illustrious milestone, Breguet has released a series of anniversary editions, including the magnificent Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 […]
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We’ve said it on many occasions, the combination of a dive watch with a GMT function is possibly the best summer watch you can get. Capable of tracking multiple time zones while also able to withstand aquatic activities, these watches are the all-rounders you should consider. In this field, where not so many watches are […]
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Seiko‘s dive watch legacy is long and rich, yet surprisingly, a mechanical diver with a GMT complication only joined the catalogue in 2023. The SPB381/383and SPB385 laid the groundwork with their “caller GMT x Diver” design, and earlier this year, the SPB509 brought meaningful improvements, including 300m water resistance and a micro-adjustable clasp, wrapped in […]
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If you’re a recurring reader of MONOCHROME, you’ve probably seen that we’re normally very reactive, and we try our best to deliver the freshest news possible. However, from time to time, we’re still caught by surprise when a brand releases new editions without prior communication. Today is a perfect example of this situation, as Audemars […]
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