Buying Guide - 5 Recently-Launched Luxury Dive Watches For Summer
Yes, it’s June and the sunny days are back. This also means that many of us will enjoy some well-deserved holidays soon, as the situation seems to improve in most areas around the globe. Summer is synonymous with this light, carefree feeling that we’ve missed for some months, and it is time to enjoy it again! Summer is also synonymous with leisure activities and nights out, meaning that you’ll need a versatile watch that will be able to withstand sports activities and still look stylish. This is why we’ve selected five of the best luxury dive watches recently introduced on the market so you can look good and be fully equipped this summer (and no worries, these watches will be good in winter too!)Note: this list is, of course, non-exhaustive. If there are more recently launched dive watches that you think could make it to the list, feel free to share them with us in the comments.Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver 2021Initially launched as the Royal Oak Offs

Where does the name of your favorite watch brands come from? - Monochrome Watches
Ever wonder how watch brands?got their name? Some are pretty straight forward; some others are more obscure. With hundreds of past and present watch companies, what?has been the inspiration from watchmakers to find names? Some simply follow the name of their founder, other went for anagrams, and some for hidden meanings Here is a (non-exhaustive) horological meandering through the mechanics of watch brands' names.Founder – Breguet. The need to envelop watches in a form of a brand, founded on the symbolism of a person, led very early to the use of patronyms, in particular eponymous brands that take the name of their founder (even if decades ago the notion of brand itself was totally different from what it is today). What a better example than one of the greatest horologists of all times to illustrate this? The fame of Abraham Louis Breguet was such that his name inspired the greatest writers of his century – ?Stendhal, Pouchkine, Merimee, Balzac or Dumas to name a few.

Petrolhead Corner: Chopard's Karl-Friedrich Scheufele on the Mille Miglia
I recently had the chance to see one of my car-related dreams being partially fulfilled; experiencing the Mille Miglia! It was a last-minute arrangement for me so I sadly could not get behind the wheel of a vintage sports or racing car, but it was a scintillating experience nonetheless. Spending a day-and-a-half in the rolling hills of northern Italy, in between some of the most desirable vintage cars and surrounded by amazing people, and yes, watches too, it was a head-spinning trip. And in the midst of it all, I had the chance to sit down with Mr Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, co-owner of Chopard, a true car enthusiast and Mille Miglia regular! The topic at hand? The legendary road race, of course, as well as his fascination for cars and how it all ties in with Chopard.Yours truly alongside Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Jacky Ickx, sitting in the door opening of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.The Mille MigliaFor those not familiar with the Mille Miglia, it was a timed 1000-mile (roughly) l

Baselworld 2019 - Oris Great Barrier Reef III Limited Edition (Specs & Price)
Protecting the oceans, as well as water (and everything living in it) in general, has become a recurring goal for Oris, with frequent launches of limited editions of its dive watches linked to a good cause – think Aquis Date Relief, ‘Source of Life’ Limited Edition or Clipperton Limited Edition. Following its tradition of adding new colours and new complications to its signature Aquis dive watch,? and as part of the Baselworld 2019 collection, the brand introduces the Oris Great Barrier Reef III Limited Edition.?Restoring the reefAs suggested by its name, the Oris Great Barrier Reef III Limited Edition is the third watch (see the second model here) Oris has linked to the world's largest and most diverse reef system (so big – 2,600km long – it can be seen from space) but since 2015 and the second model in the series, the situation has far from improved. In fact, it's got worse. Two hot summers in 2016 and 2017 led to a series of coral bleaching events leavi

Buying Guide - 5 Automatic Watches from Established Brands Under EUR 1,000
A good watch doesn’t have to break the bank. Thankfully, there are plenty of worthy options if you are looking for something affordable, yet stylish and well-crafted. We have put together 5 respectable watches priced under EUR 1,000. Of course, because you are reading MONOCHROME, these 5 timepieces couldn't be anything else than automatic. And they all come from well-established brands. Did we hear cool Christmas gifts?Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 COSCThe Tissot Ballade Powermatic 80 is a classic three-hander. 41 mm in diameter, the dynamic case is in steel and it stands out with its bezel adorned with a Clous de Paris pattern. The dial features nicely shaped applied indexes and Arabic numerals paired with dauphine style hands. The self-winding movement is the Powermatic calibre 80.811, a chronometer grade movement (certified by COSC) with a comfortable 80-hour power reserve and an antimagnetic silicon balance spring. Modernity in the mechanics, elegance in the style. What else c