Monochrome
In 2017, Bell & Ross launched the BR03-92 Diver, bringing the “circle in a square” aesthetic to the underwater world. It was a proper dive watch with a rotating bezel and 300-metre depth rating, and it met the international standard ISO 6425 requirements. There are now five new models for 2024 that bring improvements such […]
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In 2020, Jacob & Co. and Bugatti forged a partnership resulting in the creation of one of the most spectacular automotive-inspired watches ever, the Chiron Tourbillon. This not only carried over plenty of design cues from the record-breaking hypercar but also a detailed and working miniature interpretation of its W16 engine, crafted in sapphire crystal. […]
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Ludwig Oechslin’s ochs und Junior original designs offer unique solutions to traditional complications. The ochs und Junior luna sole, a recent addition to the collection, is a testament to the brand’s commitment to a minimalist style and the simplification of astronomical indications. This new watch elegantly combines timekeeping with date, sun, moon phase, and the […]
Monochrome
One of my most memorable experiences when tumbling down the mechanical watchmaking rabbit hole is handling my very first tourbillon watch. I had already been writing for MONOCHROME for a while when it happened, and I knew about the complication and its function, but I had never handled one in person. It was at the […]
Monochrome
I recently had the chance to see one of my car-related dreams being partially fulfilled; experiencing the Mille Miglia! It was a last-minute arrangement for me so I sadly could not get behind the wheel of a vintage sports or racing car, but it was a scintillating experience nonetheless. Spending a day-and-a-half in the rolling […]
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One of the oldest watchmaking brands in Switzerland, Bovet was taken over by Pascal Raffy in the early 2000s. Since then, the brand has consistently invested in a holistic approach to watchmaking. Bovet develops and produces its watches in-house with a rare level of vertical integration, combining expert craftsmanship and technical expertise. Bovet timepieces are […]
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The Seiko Presage Style60’s collection is both popular, growing fast and a nice throwback to a bygone decade (yes, the 1960s, obviously). The latest pair of watches, ref. SRPL07 and SRPL09, don’t reinvent the wheel, but add classy touches with a slightly smaller case, a very nice new bracelet and a fixed bezel. Dial colours […]
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The Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra has carved out a unique spot in the Seamaster family as a stylish, versatile, and durable everyday watch, perfect for both land and sea. While not classified as a professional dive watch, it offers a comfortable 150m water resistance (aqua), classic aesthetics, and a precise movement that seamlessly transitions from […]
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The Frederique Constant Highlife collection launched in 1999 with an interchangeable, integrated strap/bracelet at an affordable price, making the desirable “luxury Swiss sports watch” accessible to many. The collection ultimately went dormant but was relaunched in 2020 to great fanfare with musician, producer and brand ambassador The Avener. In 2022, the brand introduced the Highlife […]
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Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm in 2020 as the smallest-sized option with mechanical movement. Since its debut, AP has expanded the range with several variations, ranging from simple stainless steel to diamond-covered pink gold versions. For 2024, Audemars Piguet added two new models to the Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding 34mm series-one […]
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Cuervo y Sobrinos is the only major watch brand with solid Cuban roots, celebrating specific time periods and locations in Cuban history. For example, the previous Robusto Churchill Limited Edition honoured Winston Churchill’s fondness for Havana tobacco. The new Robusto Sans Souci looks back at 1950s Cuba, specifically the Sans Souci night venue just outside […]
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I’ve been saying it for years now; watchmaking is a universal trade. Gone are the days when it was for the Swiss only, or even Europe for that matter. These days, with virtually no boundaries thanks to the online world, there’s surprising and exciting watchmaking to be found all over the globe. Take China for […]
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Changes to the appearance are often a more frequent feature of the TAG Heuer Monaco series than groundbreaking innovation in its mechanics. And over the years the brand almost always successfully implemented the use of new materials and updated designs, with the recent 2023 introduction of open-worked dials to the collection preceding the launch of […]
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Since founding Code41 in 2016, Lausanne-based designer Claudio D’Amore has set his brand apart through transparency, community engagement, and fair pricing. From a product perspective, Code41 has developed a unique portfolio of watches with distinct aesthetics, sporty vibes, and often featuring openworked dials. The brand’s latest collection, UNIFY, is somewhat more approachable and consensual. However, […]
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Gérald Charles Genta, one of our time’s most respected and well-known watch designers, sold his eponymous brand Gerald Genta to Bulgari in 2000. However, instead of resting on his laurels and enjoying a stress-free retirement, he created a new brand, naming it – again – after himself; Gerald Charles. In 2003, Genta sold the company […]
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On its own, a Laurent Ferrier Classic Micro-Rotor is already a true thing of beauty. The ultra-smooth, almost pebble-like case, the refined architecture of the dial and of course that superbly finished micro-rotor movement with natural escapement. There’s genuinely nothing we would change. However, Laurent Ferrier’s latest iteration of the Classic Micro-Rotor shows it can […]
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MeisterSinger hardly needs an introduction. This award-winning German brand is renowned for its distinctive single-hand time display design, which makes it instantly recognizable. The latest additions to the MeisterSinger lineup are blacked-out versions of the robust and solidly built Unomat series, featuring generous splashes of colour – with a twist. The two new Unomat watches […]
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Recently, we co-organized a watch event with ten independent watch brands, welcoming close to 200 guests and spoiling everyone with Michelin-star food and bites, bubbles (and beer), and great coffees prepared by a barista. During the two-day event, appropriately named Taste of Time, the presentations given by the participating brands garnered as much attention as […]
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The Oris Divers Sixty-Five resurfaced in 2015, fifty years after its inaugural splash. Leaning on the design cues of its ancestor, the revisited Divers Sixty-Five oozed vintage pedigree. Although the looks of the first models were faithful to their ancestor, the watch was built with contemporary materials and powered by an outsourced movement (Sellita). The […]
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French brand Yema keeps pushing the quality of its watches higher and higher, and the recently released updated and refined Superman Slim CMM.20, featuring a proprietary automatic micro-rotor movement, rightfully received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Today, the watchmaker from the Morteau region presents a new interpretation of the brand’s emblematic 1960s skin dive watch series, the […]
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Imagine yourself being completely immersed in something of the utmost importance. Every single fibre is zoned in on the task at hand, whatever that may be. The outside world has ceased to exist for you in that moment of complete concentration. And then…. an alarm goes off, rudely breaking your concentration and bursting your zen-bubble. […]
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If you ever had doubts about it, the Olympic Games are getting closer and closer… And, as so many times in the past, Omega will be the official timekeeper of Paris 2024. But today’s topic, even though related to one of the sports that will be represented in the French capital city, isn’t about the […]
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So, we have another first watch from a new microbrand, but this one truly stands out with a unique, retro/contemporary approach that drew inspiration from the early space race. Cherkas was founded by Vasily Kuybar, born in the USSR and fascinated by aerospace, who designed the Cherkas Module One with a retro sci-fi aesthetic that’s […]
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Retter isn’t a brand that many are familiar with as its first watch launched only a couple of years ago, the 22 Automatic. It was a solid first effort with the always popular integrated sports watch aesthetic, but the follow-up Mistral is a more mature and elegant dress watch, with a truly ultra-thin case (a […]
Monochrome
Like seasons throughout the year, there’s a constant ebb and flow in terms of design, shapes, colours, sizes and materials in watchmaking. Colour is perhaps the easiest to change for brands, but also the one that’s the most susceptible to the public’s opinion and demands. With green being “the hottest thing since sliced bread” over […]
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Every year, a very select group of vintage cars and their owners are invited to the shored of Lake Como, for one of the most prestigious events on the calendar. The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, which we were lucky enough to attend several times before, is one of the highlights of the classic car world. […]
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The ETA 2824 movement was a groundbreaking invention that left a lasting impact on the watchmaking industry. Introduced in the 1970s, the ETA 2824 quickly set the standard with its efficient mass production and reliable performance. It retained its popularity for over fifty years until the circumstances and demand for innovation led to the creation […]
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While its name dates back to 1954, the Longines Conquest as we know it now is the brand’s vision of an everyday, versatile watch. Combining robustness with casual elegance, these watches effortlessly adapt to any occasion, from business attire to a weekend at the beach. Fully revamped in 2023, it became more appealing and more […]
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Just ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (this Saturday), Roger Dubuis fetes its partnership with Lamborghini Squadra Corse with a special Verde Mantis version of its Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph. This year, Lamborghini will compete in the Le Mans Daytona Hybrid Series with its first hypercar, the SC63. Flying the SC63’s signature paintwork, […]
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The name Kollokium might not sound familiar to most of our readers. What is Kollokium…? Is it a brand? Not really. It’s a collaborative project between three friends, all fairly established names within the watch industry. Even the good people behind this venture aren’t sure what Kollokium really is. “This is where it all begins […]
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