Interview Carole Forestier on TAG Heuer Carbon Nanotube Hairsprings
For the 2021 edition of Only Watch, the charity auction where exceptional one-off watches are donated to raise funds in the fight against Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, TAG Heuer presented an impressive Full Carbon Monaco. Channelling the spirit of the iconic Dark Lord, the use of carbon goes well beyond the case and deep down inside the movement with its carbon nanotube hairspring. Indeed, TAG Heuer has been cooking up a method to grow this innovative hairspring over the past years. A perfect moment to catch up with Carole Forestier, Movement Director of the brand, and find out more about this advanced technology.The unique TAG Heuer Only Watch Carbon MonacoCarole Forestier-Kasapi has watchmaking in her blood. Born in Paris in a family of watchmakers, Carole Forestier graduated as a watchmaker in La Chaux-de-Fonds before starting her career with Conseil Rey, a movement development office, and then with Renaud & Papi. In 1997, she received the Abraham-Louis Breguet prize for her centr

Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Tourbillon - Worlds Thinnest Automatic Flying Tourbillon with Micro-Rotor (Specs & Price) - Monochrome Watches
Just the other week we broke the news of the (new) world’s thinnest mechanical watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Squelette, which measures only 3.60 mm in height. With such thickness (thin-ness) it broke the old record of Piaget by just 0,05 mm. However it also brings skeletonisation to the table. Today we’re introducing the new Parmigiani Tonda 1950 Tourbillon, which features the world’s thinnest automatic micro-rotor movement with a flying tourbillon.In the last few years a select number?of high-end watch brands seem to be in a prestigious battle to create the thinnest watch. Besides the thinnest watch – that honour goes to the aforementioned JLC with a skeletonized manually wound movement – there’s also?the?thinnest automatic movement with full rotor (I believe that this honour still goes to cal. 2121 that is used in the AP Royal Oak Ultra-Thin), the thinnest automatic with micro-rotor, thinnest minute repeater, thinnest hand wound wit

First Look: The All-Blue Bulgari Octo Finissimo x Laurent Grasso Edition
Ten years ago, Bulgari's launch of the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon spearheaded the Italian brand’s march across the watchmaking landscape, razing records in the battle for ultra-thin movements/watches. Currently the holder of nine world records, the Octo Finissimo's incredible mechanical feats are matched by the formidable geometry of its case, securing it a seat in the pantheon of iconic contemporary design. The Octo Finissimo Automatic is the most straightforward model in the lineup and has been the recipient of collaborations with several architects and artists since its launch in 2017 – including Tadao Ando, Kazuyo Sejima or Mo Coppoletta. The latest collaboration is with French conceptual artist Laurent Grasso, who has created a dreamy, iridescent cloud for the dial of the all-blue PVD titanium Octo Finissimo Automatic.Laurent Grasso (1972) plays with ambiguity and mystery, challenging our perceptions of reality. Fascinated with electromagnetic energy and paranormal phen

Introducing: The Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Carbon SR_A by Samuel Ross
Artist and designer Samuel Ross is back at work with Hublot. A tradition for the brand over its 44 years of existence, Hublot has collaborated with many contemporary artists like Richard Orlinski, Maxime-Plescia-Buchi, Murakami and Daniel Arsham. Marking the third time the Swiss brand has worked with Samuel Ross, both parties bring back the bold, sculptural and lightweight Big Bang Tourbillon SR_A in a new colour scheme and with a carbon fibre case.?In 2020, to celebrate the watchmaker's 40th anniversary, the artist unveiled the REFORM sculpture, which inspired the design of the Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross, the first collaboration between Samuel Ross and Hublot on a timepiece. Having worked together on two occasions, resulting in orange and green editions of what’s one of the boldest watches of Hublot, Samuel Ross and the watch brand now launch a new chromatic variation based around the colour blue, incorporating new materials, specifically carbon. Ad - Scroll to c

Weekly Watch Photo - Panerai PAM386 Luminor Composite Marina 1950 - Monochrome Watches
The Panerai PAM386 Luminor Composite Marina 1950 is Monochrome’s favorite new Panerai of this year. The material of the case, the size and the rugged looks are simply awesome.?Monochrome’s Weekly Watch Photo is made by Martin Wilmsen who is specialized in watch photography and Panerai watches and his blog is on Monochrome’s daily reading list. We always enjoy to see nice photos of nice watches. Hey, that’s why we started the Weekly Watch Photo in the first place. This new Panerai PAM386 is made of ‘composite’ that Panerai first used for the?Radiomir PAM339, that was launched in 2010. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Although the case seems black, the composite case is brown and so is the dial. The strap this watch comes on, is the?so-called Assolutamente strap, one of Panerai’s nicest straps! Inside the PAM386 ticks?