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The Tissot T-Race series holds a prominent position in Tissot’s catalogue, a testament to the brand’s history in sports timing, including motor racing. Tissot has been the official MotoGP timekeeper since 2001, and colleagues report Tissot’s T-Race watches are frequently spotted at race events globally, underlining their association with the fast-paced world of racing. Special […]
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Although Seiko’s expertise in waterproof watchmaking goes back a very long way, it wasn’t until 1965 that the Japanese manufacturer entered the professional dive watch market. Ever since, plenty of low- and high-end dive watches have been introduced with a good number of them becoming genuine icons. Collections like the 5 Sports, the Turtle, the […]
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Appointed director of Louis Vuitton Watches in 2021, Jean Arnault’s strategy to reposition the brand as an elite player involves a combination of technical audacity, refreshing design and an incredible devotion to traditional decorative techniques. Wielding the best tools, Arnault can count on the watchmaking wizardry of the brand’s in-house La Fabrique du Temps atelier […]
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In the past decade, the watch division of Louis Vuitton has been steadily expanding its foothold in haute horlogerie, a journey that commenced with acquiring movement specialist La Fabrique de Temps (LFT) about ten years ago. La Fabrique des Arts, another esteemed LV atelier within the LFT dedicated to curating metiers d’art, provided expertise and […]
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Watches have always been intertwined with big historical events all over the world. Many are connected to pivotal events or influential people, such as the Omega Speedmaster and the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the Moon or the watches worn by King Charles III of the British royal family. But some watches are not […]
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As someone working in the industry seeing hundreds if not thousands of watches each year, I often label a watch as a potential “yes” or “no” based on a press release or a couple of images. I’m sure, to some extent, that the same goes for collectors and enthusiasts. Sometimes, I’ll dismiss a watch for […]
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You’ve probably already seen that watch… But up until today, it was not officially there. For decades, besides special and limited editions, the Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch in stainless steel has primarily flaunted a black dial watch. Yet, at an event hosted by Omega in November last year, Daniel Craig, whom we are more accustomed to […]
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Founded in 1861 in Schramberg, Germany, Junghans was once the largest clock manufacturer in the world, renowned by many for Max Bill’s famous Bauhaus kitchen clock. Moving from clocks to more specialised timing devices, Junghans produced everything from flight instruments to speedometers and from pilot’s watches to chronometers and chronographs, without forgetting the brand’s role […]
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Those acquainted with Lang & Heyne’s collections know the watchmaker to consistently impart a historical narrative, with each series bearing the name of a past Saxony ruler. The design of each timepiece, unmistakably German, is steeped in traditional aesthetics that reflect its inspiration. The model under consideration today draws it from the straightforward thinking of […]
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In a relatively short span of time, Norqain has consolidated an attractive portfolio of watches designed for rugged outdoor activities. Grouped into three collections – Adventure, Independence and Freedom – the brand releases new colours on two limited-edition chronographs from the popular Adventure family. Adventure Sport Chrono 44mm Norqain expands the colour range of […]
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Consistently ranked as one of the world’s most valuable luxury brands, Hermès is still a family-run business with a flair for producing exquisite products. Renowned for its superlative leather goods and silk scarves, you might be surprised to know that the sale of watches at Hermès is enjoying a record high. Creativity, artisanship and a […]
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During our very busy lives it’s very easy to be late for a meeting, to forget to top up a parking meter or even be tight on time for a departing flight. And despite the fact we have a device called a smartphone with us to set a (very intrusive) beeping alarm, how about a […]
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The first test flight of the Concorde, the moon landing, the Woodstock festival, and Monty Python’s Flying Circus first aired on BBC One… just a few of the major historic events that happened in the year 1969. In motorsports, a lot happened too, as Sir Jackie Stewart won his first of three Formula 1 World […]
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Last year, IWC unveiled a pair of Big Pilot watches inspired by the iconic Mercedes G-Class, particularly the powerful AMG G 63 version, a completely excessive and irrational EUR 200k machine boasting 585 horsepower and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, all of that in a 2-meter high body that was […]
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There’s certainly no shortage of simple, versatile watches that can hang at the beach and complement a suit within a 12-hour period. The legendary Rolex Oyster Perpetual and related models always come to mind, but Traska’s Commuter collection brings this stylish versatility in affordable packages. Offered in 34.5mm, 36.5mm and 38.5mm cases, there’s truly a […]
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The accessible automatic GMT Sports watch is becoming one of the most competitive categories of the industry, with heavy players like Seiko (even in the affordable 5 Sports range), Citizen, and Mido offering compelling watches, and newcomers and micro-brands such as Lorca or Jack Mason also hitting hard. New to this field is Certina, unveiling […]
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If you’re one of the lucky few to own a perpetual calendar watch (or even rarer, a secular calendar watch), this is the day you have to wear this watch. It’s not even an option, it’s an order. Why? Because your movement is going to perform a mechanical ballet that only occurs every four years […]
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While the growth for the luxury industry as a whole is expected to slow following months/years of sustained development, with macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds and demand uncertainties in the US, Europe and China, the Swiss watch industry ended up 2023 as yet another record year, with exports up 7.6% compared to 2022, reaching their highest […]
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Nomos’ watches are often lauded for their unmistakable Bauhaus influences, and with good reason. “Less is more” is a famous slogan, but also a significant part of our modern understanding of colour is rooted in Bauhaus colour theory. Nomos appears to have embraced its colour studies over the years, consistently presenting watch dials in captivating […]
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Today, 29 February 2024, is a pretty special day for calendar watches… and specifically perpetual calendar timepieces. To mark the leap year, Blancpain is releasing a new version of its Villeret Quantième Perpétuel – or Villeret Perpetual Calendar – an elegant and functional available already in steel, red gold or a limited edition in platinum. […]
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With the addition of the Free Bridge models to the Bridges family in 2020, Girard-Perregaux articulated its vision, stating that “with these models, our master watchmakers have reimagined the company’s famous Bridges, first seen in the 1860s“. The goal was to create a seamless connection between tradition and modernity, tradition being the prominent movement bridges […]
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Hermès, a French powerhouse of everything luxury that is still mostly owned by the direct descendants of the founder (the Hermès dynasty and the Dumas family), is in a class of its own. The same goes when it comes to the Group’s watch division, Hermès Horloger. A discreet giant of the watch industry, Hermès has […]
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American designer Ralph Lauren has forged an emporium on his vision of laid-back sophistication carefully choreographed in settings designed to evoke a certain lifestyle. Ralph Lauren’s preppie collegiate apparel incarnated by the Polo shirt of 1971, for instance, was equated with the game of polo, and his Safari apparel collection of 1984 harnessed the designer’s […]
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The world of independent watchmaking has always been a place of passion, inspiration and excitement for us. It has been at the heart of MONOCHROME from the get-go, and even today we find joy in discovering new and intriguing watchmaking adventures from all corners of the world. This time we stop in Morbihan, France, to […]
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It’s been a while since we last saw Clarkson, Hammond and May, whether on screen or here, at MONOCHROME. A few days ago, Amazon Studios unveiled the second to last episode of the three middle-aged men’s car show, The Grand Tour. Combining this and the fact that Top Gear has been taken off air by […]
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Louis Erard continues its path onwards and upwards with yet another artistic iteration of its Excellence Petite Seconde. A flagship model at Louis Erard since 2020, this model is an attractive dress watch with a small seconds counter available in 39mm and 42mm cases. The uncluttered dial of the Petite Second has been treated to […]
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Pulling out all the stops before Watches & Wonders 2024, watchmaker Arnold & Son presents two skeletonised models powered by one of the world’s thinnest flying tourbillon movements, now dubbed Ultrathin Tourbillon Skeleton. While these new models have been treated to some design tweaks and a new tourbillon carriage, these editions of the Ultrathin Flying […]
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Operating out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, for several years now, the brand Edouard Koehn carries four distinct collections. Of particular interest is the model introduced in 2021 as part of the World Heritage line, blending two practical complications: world time and alarm functions. While several mechanical watches offer combinations of an alarm with a GMT […]
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Partnering with auctioneer Sotheby’s, Omega has recently offered for sale 11 unprecedented MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases. Surfing on these vibe of the Moonshine gold watches wasn’t the idea, however. There was a good cause behind these sales, as all of the auction proceeds are to be given to Omega’s long-term partner, Orbis International. And with […]
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Jack Mason is an up-and-coming microbrand with a growing portfolio of divers, chronographs and day/dates, and the latest Strat-o-Timer GMT is the most polished of the bunch. With a dive watch vibe and in-house regulation, it’s bold and stylish, with an accuracy rating well above the norm for the specific Miyota movement it uses. Of […]
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