2020 Updated A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Time Zone (Live Pics, Price)
For those of you living in countries where restrictions have been lifted for air travel and even for those of us who can't travel but like to keep an eye on the time in some other country, a GMT or second time zone watch is of the essence. As part of its 2020 novelties, A. Lange & Sohne revisits its Lange 1 Time Zone with a new manufacture calibre, ring-shaped day/night indicators and a new daylight saving time indication. Presented in three versions – white gold/black dial, pink gold/silver dial and a limited edition of 100 yellow gold/champagne dial – the Lange 1 Time Zone offers first-class comfort and service. Just ahead of the official release today, we were able to take some photographs of the pink gold version.The face that launched a thousand shipsThe Lange 1, presented to mark the resurrection of A. Lange & Sohne in 1994, is the most eloquent ambassador of the Saxon brand. With its multiple references to the founder’s 19th-century watchmaking adventur

Just Because: The Battle for the World's Thinnest Watches (Incl. Video)
Some of the standout highlights of the 2024 Watch Week in Geneva undoubtedly revolved around ultra-thin watches. Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC now reigns as the world's thinnest mechanical wristwatch, boasting an astonishing 1.70mm profile. Meanwhile, Piaget clinched the record for the thinnest tourbillon ever with its Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, measuring a mere 2mm! We are undoubtedly living in a golden age of the ultra-thin watch, with records for ultra-thin watches being beaten one after the other as timepieces materialise with a thinness that would have been literally unimaginable a few years ago. Let’s delve into some of the most notable advancements in this field.Piaget can rightly be considered the precursor and historical specialist of ultra-thin watches. From the 9P and 12P presented in the 1950s to the legendary 20P and 25P, these record-thin yet delicate movements were made with Jean Lassale in the mid-1970s. The 20P movement was a staggering 1.

A Deep Dive Into The World Of Cases And Dials By F.P. Journe
It’s common practice for brands to outsource certain steps in the manufacturing of watches to specialised companies. It is, in fact, how the vast majority of watchmaking entities operate. Cases, dials, movements, crystals and straps can all come from different suppliers around the world before being assembled into a fine mechanical watch. Watches by brands high and low have been produced this way for years, decades even. There is, however, a growing trend of ‘in-house‘, not necessarily concerning a movement. Sure, a movement designed and fabricated within the confines of a watchmaking atelier is the ultimate achievement, but the craft of making dials and cases in-house, to name just two elements, is not to be overlooked. We recently had the privilege to delve into the fascinating world of Cadraniers de Geneve and Bo?tiers de Geneve, the case and dials makers for one of the most revered independent watchmakers: Fran?ois-Paul Journe.In September 2012, Fran?ois-Paul Jour

IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide IW344001 (Price)
The IWC Portugieser was born in 1939 following a request from two Portuguese navigators and businessmen – Rodrigues and Teixeira – who wanted the precision of a marine chronometer in a wristwatch format. No need to say that this iconic IWC collection has strong ties to the nautical world. And to celebrate these roots, IWC is unveiling a new model today with an unprecedented complication that couldn’t be more appropriate: a tide indication. Encased in a sporty and large case, meet the new IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide.?Introduced in 2010, the IWC Portugieser Yacht Club is a sports model in this rather elegant collection, with its nautical, yachting, regatta-ready note. More robust, larger, a bit more rugged and bulky, it has mostly favoured one complication until now, the chronograph – a world timer has also been available in the past. A versatile watch, capable of timing a sailing race but also at ease with a drink at the marina. In addition to the

The Corum Admiral 38 Automatic Swings It Both Ways - Monochrome Watches
In our politically correct world, attributing gender to watches is ever so passe (or is it passee?) Have you noticed how many brands are now trumpeting unisex' as an all-embracing category for watches that glide under the 40mm marker? Corum has jumped on this bandwagon with its signature Admiral watch, now proposed in a unisex 38mm case. The Admiral Automatic we've singled out for coverage today comes in a black PVD titanium case with golden accents and an automatic movement.Compact is inAs our regular readers know, MONOCHROME is a staunch supporter of the current trend for downsizing diameters. We've covered a wide range of models, including a Tudor Pelagos, that embrace smaller dimensions. Compact watches are, as you can appreciate from our coverage, a trend, making those hockey-puck-sized models that were all the rage look like dusty fossils in an archaeological museum.High SeasMost of us associate Corum with the spectacular Golden Bridge (1980), a beautiful suspended linear movemen