Watches NEWS
Hands-On: The TAG Heuer Monaco Chonograph Night Driver
As a cornerstone of TAG Heuer‘s identity since 1969, the square-shaped Monaco chronograph is fuelled by associations with the race track. Named after the most glamorous of F1 races, the Monaco soared to fame in 1971 after its cameo in Le Mans on Steve McQueen’s wrist. Following a hiatus in the mid-1970s, the Monaco was reintroduced in the late 1990s and continues to evolve. Accustomed to the more colourful livery of earlier editions, the latest Monaco to roar out of the paddocks is a more toned-down, monochromatic version with a glowing night-time personality known as the Monaco Chronograph Night Driver.Short BackgroundHeuer was one of the three competitors in the race to develop the first automatic chronograph movement. Partnering with Breitling, Hamilton-Buren and Dubois-Depraz, the team produced the Chronomatic calibre 11. Unveiled in 1969, along with Zenith’s El Primero and Seiko’s 6139 automatic chronograph movements, Zentih’s movement was the first t
Dietrich Device 1 (DD-1) Review // Value Proposition (Specs & Price)
Following the wild, avant-garde Organic Time watches, microbrand Dietrich is back with a refined, more disciplined approach with the Dietrich Device 1 (DD-1). Many design elements have been carried over to continue the organic design theme, such as a rounded hexagonal case, multidimensional dial and integrated lugs beneath the case, but the overall aesthetic has changed significantly. The movement has matured as well, advancing to a Swiss ETA automatic from the previous Japanese Miyota. It all culminates in a rare, unique package often reserved for luxury brands at much higher price points. Let's take a closer look.BACKGROUNDFounder Emmanuel Dietrich has both French and German roots and was born into a family of artists and artisans in Besan?on (centre of French watchmaking). His passion for watches came at the age of seven when he received a Cuppillard Rieme mini diver's watch as a present. While attending ecole Boulle design school in Paris, he earned a degree in interior design. He
Hands-On: The Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time 5224R
While chronographs and complex calendars are often seen as the classics of Patek Philippe – and sometimes both combined – traveller’s watches of all kinds have long been present within the brand’s collections. Remember that Patek, together with Louis Cottier, pioneered the concept of the world time watch. There are more travel watches and complications for everyday use available, and the?Travel Time dual time zone function is known as Patek’s vision of this multi-time-zone concept. This year, the brand presents a watch that combines elegance, classism and practicality, yet with a slight dosage of originality and casualness; the Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time 5224R.Among the numerous complications available in Patek Philippe’s collections, the Travel Time system for the display of a second time zone (with two centre hour hands, one of which can be adjusted backwards or forwards in one-hour steps) has become a classic, with proven practicality when trav
Introducing: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Dragon Monotourbillon
It’s proving to be a bumper crop year for dragon-themed watches, and brands from all walks of life are deploying their creativity to create something inspiring for the upcoming Year of the Dragon. While it’s only natural to associate Roger Dubuis‘ Excalibur collection with the wonderfully over-the-top Arthurian-inspired Knights of the Round Table editions, it is also home to flamboyant skeletonised models with complications. The latest skeletonised model with a tourbillon complication is the Excalibur Dragon Monotourbillon, flaunting the figure of a sinuous dragon to mark the dawn of the Chinese Lunar New Year and the ascendance of the mighty dragon.Introduced in 2005, the Excalibur collection captures the extravagant personality of Roger Dubuis watches. As CEO Nicola Andreatta pointed out in an interview with MONOCHROME, the Excalibur was reshaped in 2021 to make it lighter, more contemporary and refined by eliminating some of the curves. As a fully integrated manufa
Pre-Roger Dubuis Excalibur Automatic Skeleton Carbon (specs & price) - Monochrome Watches
For the?SIHH 2016,?Roger Dubuis?will be focused on?women’s with, with most novelties?adorned with floral motifs and gems. Just in case men were to feel just a bit neglected, Roger Dubuis has something to provide us with, as usual for the brand, a lot of skeletonization work and a bold design. Based on their entry level skeleton watch introduced in 2015, the?Roger Dubuis Excalibur Automatic Skeleton, the brands adds some darkness, some robustness and some lightness to the concept with a molded?carbon case. Let’s have a look at one of the watches to be introduced at the SIHH 2016, the?Roger Dubuis Excalibur Automatic Skeleton Carbon.Skeleton watches are?the main specialty of the Manufacture Roger Dubuis – together with the fact that every single watch produced is adorned with the Poin?on de Geneve. Until 2015, most skeletonized Roger Dubuis watches were equipped with a tourbillon – or even with two tourbillons. Meaning that enjoying these extra-thin, widely opened
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