10 accessible but interesting watches from Phillips Geneva Watch Auction Two - Monochrome-Watches
There’s no doubt about it; Phillips is clearly the growing auction house for watches (the arrival of Aurel Bacs – ex-Christie’s – at the head of the watch department is clearly paying off). In May, the?Phillips Geneva Watch Auction One made a lot of noise, with 4 watches breaking the 1-million barrier and a 5-million Patek Philippe Chronograph in steel. Coming November the?Phillips Geneva Watch Auction Two will be held,?off which we already showed you several of the highlights. However, not all collectors can afford such lots and for this reason, we have a selection of 10 watches, at?accessible?prices but with great interest.When it comes to auctions (whether watches or any kind of art), journalists tend to focus first on the top-lots, the grails, the potential record-breakers or the rarest ones. It’s fair in way, as we all need to dream and to catch interest of readers. When looking at the previous?Geneva Watch Auction One by Phillips, people talked mainl

Hands-On - Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Skeleton
Since its introduction in 2016, I have a soft spot for the latest generation of Vacheron Constantin Overseas, whether the classic time-and-date model or more complex editions like the Dual-Time. Even though slightly less coveted than its direct competitors (the Royal Oak and the Nautilus), it remains one of the best options in the luxury sports watch category, with a superb execution. But then came the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton… And now, this adds to the handsome design some truly impressive watchmaking and decoration skills. A niche model for sure, but one with a lot of appeal.BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE OVERSEASIn 1977, Vacheron Constantin introduced reference 222 to mark the brand's 222nd anniversary. Designed by Jorg Hysek, the 222 was a high-end sports watch with a tonneau-shaped 120m water-resistant case, a serrated bezel and an integrated bracelet. Reinvented in 2016, under the aegis of artistic director Christian Selmoni, the Overseas collection is Vache

IWC Big Pilots Watch Big Date Spitfire Edition IW510506 (Specs & Price)
Last year, when unveiling its new pilot’s collection at the SIHH 2019, IWC also announced its partnership with a very cool project named “The Longest Flight”. On 5 August 2019, British pilots Matt Jones and Steve Boultbee Brooks embarked on their flight around the world in an antique, restored Spitfire plane. This was the occasion for IWC to unveil a dedicated timepiece, the Timezoner Spitfire Edition “The Longest Flight”. And now that the mission is accomplished and the world tour completed, the brand introduces the IWC Big Pilot's Watch Big Date Spitfire Edition “Mission Accomplished” Ref. IW510506, a new edition true to the design codes introduced with the new Spitfire collection.On their record-breaking journey in the “Silver Spitfire”, the two founders of the Boultbee Flight Academy covered almost 43,000 kilometres in four months, visiting over 20 countries on their way. Having been the primary partner and official timekeeper o

Buying Guide - Some of the Best Nautical-Inspired Watches of 2022
Dive watches, pilot’s watches, automotive-inspired watches, traveller’s watches… These might well be the categories of watches we most often cover on MONOCHROME. There’s one style of watch, inspired by the antique concept of the Marine Chronometer, that is somehow a bit more niche, but nevertheless often comes with a cool, summery elegance; the nautical-inspired watch. Meant to look good on land or on the deck of a boat, and in time for yachting or sailing season, we’ve decided to take a closer look at some of the best nautical-inspired watches available now on the market.The Breguet Marine Hora Mundi 5557The Marine collection is all about the exploration of the seas – well, considering its positioning now, it’s more about the exploration of the yacht-club. Nevertheless, it is directly inspired by the past of the brand – when A.L. Breguet was Chronometer-maker to the French Royal Navy – and is the brand’s vision of a sporty-ch

Introducing The Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV
Oris remains committed to its Change for the Better mission, whether by introducing a smaller, lighter, fully recyclable Sustainable Watch Box, celebrating Local Heroes who embody the watchmaker’s honourable values, or partnering with the social enterprise Bracenet. This July, in support of the Australian non-profit Reef Restoration Foundation, Oris presents the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV. This release features several unique design elements that make it particularly special.The Oris Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition IV is based on the latest-generation Aquis Date 43.50mm, unveiled earlier this year. The stainless steel case boasts 300m water resistance. It features a screw-in crown and a unidirectional rotating bezel with a grey tungsten insert displaying a 60-minute scale and a triangle at the top. The screwed case back is engraved with an image of coral and a starfish, along with the Great Barrier Reef Limited Edition inscription and individual limited-edition numb