Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph 26622TI Review
Love it or hate it, call it a hype-collection, but the fact is that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (and all its offspring) remains one of the most desirable collections on the market. It is also by far the most important collection in Audemars Piguet's catalogue but the brand isn't simply resting on its laurels. Considering how much it has evolved from the original ref. 5402 presented in 1972, the signature DNA is still very much present. Two decades after first released, the Royal Oak received an update into the far more masculine Royal Oak Offshore, which caused a sensation yet again. Now, in 2021, we've had the fortune to spend some time with one of the latest and most complex models in the line-up, the (take a deep breath) Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Flyback Chronograph 26622TI.It takes a bit of time to wrap one's head around all the details of this very technical and complex iteration of the Royal Oak Offshore. It also marks a step into a new di

Collector's Series - Mark and his Gold IWC Big Ingenieur IW500503
Mark Sinclair, aka @a_complicated_nerd on Instagram, is a lawyer from Copenhagen, Denmark. He’s already been a very productive contributor to the series, as we discussed his Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Chronograph already and a stunning Patek Philippe 5960P. Let’s say that even if he knows a lot about watches and has truly fine tastes in horology, he doesn't take himself too seriously. And that's exactly the thing he appreciates in IWC Schaffhausen. Enticed by the brand's humorous advertising campaign in the mid-1990s, he fell for the brand about which he has a story or two to tell (and on other brands, too, as you will see). For his third appearance on MONOCHROME, he explains his awe for the IWC Big Ingenieur (ref. IW500503) he bought, whilst going to a dealer for a Patek Philippe Nautilus.Frank Geelen, MONOCHROME – You were enthused by the IWC advertising?Mark Sinclair, aka @a_complicated_nerd – Well, I clearly recall the moment I noticed the controversial, humoro

Just Because - The Important Watch Anniversaries to Know in 2023
Welcome to a new year. Welcome to 2023. If there’s one thing that watch brands love, it’s celebrating their heritage. Vintage has been one of the main inspirations for the past 10 to 15 years, and we’ve seen plenty of commemorative models released in 2022 – think about the 50-year Royal Oak. Why should 2023 be any different? There are important anniversaries coming up this year, and we can bet that watch brands will be releasing a spate of commemorative pieces. In fact, some even started at the end of 2022 or earlier today. So here are the watch anniversaries you should know about in 2023.110 Years – The Seiko Laurel (1913)Seiko, even though it was not called Seiko in its earliest days, was created in 1881 as a watch atelier. A few years later (1895), the Time Keeper, a pocket watch made in the newly opened Seikosha factory, was released. However, Seiko's most significant watch might well be the 1913 Laurel, the brand's and Japan's first wristwatch. And it

Counting Down To SalonQP 2016, the London Watch Exhibition, 3 - 5 November 2016 - Monochrome Watches
In just a few short days, SalonQP 2016 will get underway at the Saatchi Gallery, London. From its humble beginnings, SalonQP has grown to be a must-visit annual watch event for collectors and enthusiasts alike from around Europe and even the world. This year promises to be no different, featuring new product launches, special exhibitions and, of course, the opportunity to get hands on with some really exceptional watches.If you've never been to SalonQP before than it's hard to explain what really sets this show apart from other watch fairs. Unlike major events like Baselworld and SIHH which can be overwhelming for first-timers to say the least, SalonQP has more of an intimate feel to it. This is in large part due to the location. Ad - Scroll to continue with article The Saatchi Gallery, whilst quite large, is made up of a series of rooms set out over several flo

The Stunning Gronefeld 1941 Gronograaf
Despite the breakthrough in materials, engineering technologies and manufacturing equipment, the new millennium has yet to produce much innovation in mechanical chronograph movement design. Still, upgrades to how chronographs function occasionally impress watchmaking enthusiasts, like the MB&F Sequential EVO or the AgenGraphe by Agenhor. Much to our joy, one of the most beautifully executed attempts to perfect the beastly mechanism came in the form of the Gronefeld 1941 Gronograaf, presented by the “Horological Brothers” Tim and Bart Gronefeld last year. We recently spent time with the Dutch watchmakers and their creation and gladly share our thoughts.Tim and Bart Gronefeld are the Horological Brothers, well-known in mechanical watchmaking for their high-end creations. They come from a family with a long watchmaking history, and both Tim and Bart have been in the industry for many years. Together, they founded their company, Gronefeld Watches, in 2008. It is based in Ol