F.H. Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet, about coming classical collection and integrated chronograph - Exclusive video interview for Monochrome - Monochrome Watches
When it comes to interview CEOs of brands, usually, we end up with a lot of nice words and some marketing speeches. Telling the truth and giving proper insights on the state of the watchmaking industry or on what a brand is about to launch, what are the coming developments, is not the rule. However, the interview?you’re about to look at is slightly different. One thing is sure; Fran?ois-Henry?Bennahmias isn’t shy to tell the truth and to give us some very interesting clues on what Audemars Piguet is working on for the coming years. New classical line of watches, new integrated chronograph movement and coming trends. Here are the subject exposed in this exclusive video interview with?Fran?ois-Henry?Bennahmias,?CEO of Audemars Piguet, during the SIHH 2016.What are the things to keep in mind here? First of all, what we were expecting is going to happen. Audemars Piguet is actually working on a new classical line, dressier watches that will both look at future – with a co

Reservoir Supercharged Sport Jumping Hours/Retrograde Minutes Display (Specs & Price)
It is not the first time we talk about Reservoir Watches, a young brand that has made a name for itself with its cool, well-designed, original watches. Here, at MONOCHROME, we love the beauty of mechanics and novel ways of telling the time – and this Reservoir model, with its jumping hours and?retrograde minutes, satisfies us on both levels. But it also comes with a very attractive price tag…So, let’s invest in some quality time with the Reservoir Supercharged Sport.The combination of?jumping hours with retrograde minutes isn’t new. Some will remember Gerald Genta’s watches or more recently the Bvlgari Octo Retro watches. The main difference between the Reservoir and these watches lies in its price. While you’ll have to have a solid 5-digit amount of change in your pocket at Bvlgari, the Reservoir is priced below EUR 4,000 – a price range where you’d usually find jumping-hour-only watches, with a?normal?minute hand (for instance,?Meisters

News: IWC Presents An Individualisation Service for the Portugieser Chronograph
Mechanical watches have long lost their status as essential instruments, becoming emotional items that can say a lot about the owner. It’s all about the passion, the romantic feel to have a mechanical object rather than looking at the time on a phone… For this reason, the customisation of watches, the ability to create a watch that perfectly suits your style and values, has become a big thing. We’ve seen such individualisation programs in the past, from relatively confidential brands – think about Armin Strom?– or accessible brands – like Certina. But today, it’s a mainstream luxury brand of an unprecedented scale that comes with such a concept, as IWC presents a customization program to create your personal version of the Portugieser Chronograph IW3716. But with limited availability so far.?Only available from its flagship boutiques at the Dubai Mall and Shanghai Taikoo Hui Mall, the individualisation service for the Portugieser Chronograph is

Hands-On - Patek Philippe 5396R Annual Calendar Blue Dial (Specs & Price)
Since its introduction in 2006, the?Patek Philippe 5396 Annual Calendar is amongst the most classical options in the brand’s collection. It offers a cleaner and a slightly more modern option to the conservative reference 5146, the sub-dial based Annual Calendar watch. In addition to the?existing versions, with silvery-white or grey dials (with appliques or Breguet numerals), Patek has decided to add a bit of flamboyance to this model, by giving it a rose gold case combined with a rich navy blue dial.Annual Calendars at Patek PhilippeAll in all, Patek Philippe offers no less than 3 different displays for the Annual Calendar complication. Classical, with the reference 5146 and its display based on traditional sub-dials. Modern, with the reference 5205 and its displays based on 3 windows from 10 to 2. Right in the middle sits a hybrid, a watch that relies on both the classical look of sub-dials and the more modern design offered by the windows. Balanced, slightly less conservative,

Up-close and personal with the Breguet Type XXI 3817, now with vintage-inspired look and visible movement (review with live pics & price) - Monochrome Watches
If you’re a long time reader of Monochrome-Watches, you probably know that I have a soft-spot for the pilot-watches manufactured by Breguet. It’s something I extensively explained in a review of my personal Type XX and later in an instalment of the Collector’s Series. I know that these watches, whether we talk about the Type XX, the Type XXI or the Type XXII, aren’t perfect (their dials, especially,?are?strange – many different fonts, many different hands, not well balanced) but they feature a unique charm. This is the reason why I was quite excited to the see the new?Breguet Type XXI 3817, now with vintage-inspired look and visible movement, in the metal and to share with you my personal opinion.BackgroundThe Type XX.. Series of watches by Breguet has been introduced in 1995?with the Type XX, later followed by a larger edition, the Type XXI, and a more technical and even larger version, with 10Hz movement, the Type XXII. I know that these watches arenR