Hands-On - Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin Black Ceramic 26522CE (Specs & Price)
In the early 1970s, Audemars Piguet introduced a watch that would forever unite the worlds of luxury and sport. Now, almost 50 years later, the brand continues to find innovative and intriguing ways to reinvent the Royal Oak, ensuring it remains one of the most sought-after watch collections in the world. This year, Audemars Piguet has done it again, introducing a very special limited-edition model. It wasn't accompanied by the usual fanfare, however, so this one may have slipped right under your radar. Luckily, we were able to get our hands on the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin Black Ceramic ref. 26522CE. Here's everything you need to know.Case and BraceletIf this new model looks somewhat familiar it's because this is the second all-ceramic watch to come from Audemars Piguet. Preceding this model was the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Black Ceramic, easily one of the most talked about watches of 2017. As with that watch, the new Royal Oak Extra-Thin Black Ceramic bo

The Auction Hammer - Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo - Monochrome Watches
Another magnificent find is an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo A-series, that is for auction this Saturday. Although the Antiquorum auction is in Hongkong, you can also bid online! Since this A-series of the Royal Oak Jumbo, the most sought-after of all Royal Oaks, featuring the AP logo just above the 6 o’clock position, in stead of positioned at the 12 o’clock position like later Royal Oak Jumbos. This A-series also features the finer hobnail dial, that looks more refined that the bigger hobnail pattern found on later RO’s. Ad - Scroll to continue with article According to Antiquorum this is No. A 745 and it’s made in 1972. The estimated price, between $ 7,800 and $ 10,000 , seems LOW. Even when you know the case has some scratches and the (original) hands are slightly oxidized. The Antiquorum condition report states that the movement is

Omega Starts New Chronometer Certification Process with METAS, the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology - Monochrome Watches
Omega has just announced this morning that they will certify their Master Co-Axial chronometers with a new partner, being METAS, the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology. As of mid-2015 Omega will test all the Master Co-Axial movements. These tests will be performed in-house (!!) and on encased movements. That also means that good ol’ COSC (Contr?le Officiel Suisse des Chronometres) won’t be testing these movements, which represent 10-15% of Omega’s annual production.This is quite something. When you look at all aspects of this change of policy, we’re talking about more than just a change of certification partner. It means that THE name in chronometer certification, COSC, is no longer doing their tests on the new Omega Master Co-Axial movements. The Master Co-Axial movements are developed and manufactured in-house, can withstand magnetics up to 15,000 Gauss. During Baselworld, earlier this year, we already announced that these movement were being introduced into

Advanced Technology Meets Tradition: 3 new IWC Ingenieur Chronograph Special Editions at Goodwood with the new in-house 69370 movement - Monochrome Watches
The 74th edition of the Goodwood Member Meeting marks the rebirth of the classic Ingenieur design in three special editions of the Ingenieur Chronograph. The new IWC Ingenieur Chronograph features?the new in-house calibre 69370, and will be launched at the 74th edition of the Goodwood Member Meeting.ENGINEERS OF TIME”The history of the IWC Ingenieur watches as described in the book IWC Schaffhausen engineering Time since 1868 by Fritz, Coelho, and Bilal starts with this phrase. Engineers were highly regarded back in the 1950s, so IWC named an entire watch family after them, as a tribute to invention, performance and technological advancement. The evolution of the watch via continuous improvement between the mid fifties until the mid eighties embodies the engineering spirit of the company. The Classic Ingenieur movement did go through various cycles. It started with a calibre 852, then a 853(1) and last-but-not-least, the cal. 854(1). The latter has remained a engineering highligh

Five Things I learned When Visiting Seiko in Japan - Monochrome Watches
To most of us Switzerland is the centre of the world, when it comes to watches. The Swiss Made sub-title seems to be the best way for brands to make their watches more appealing,?however that’s certainly debatable these days. Still, Switzerland is known for precision, fine mechanics and cleanness. Germany is also known for precision, cleanness and fine mechanics, and they also manufacture some very nice watches! Together with the Swiss, the Germans serve to an ever growing clientele who are interested in mechanical wrist watches. And that's when you realise that there's another country, on the other side of our globe, that is known for exactly the same qualifications: cleanness, precision and fine mechanics. I'm talking about Japan. Already in 1881 Kintaro Hattori started making watches, and today the company is led by his great grandson Shinji Hattori. Now that's a proper family business! Recently I had the distinct pleasure of visiting several Seiko manufactures in Japan, and I