A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split - The New Mightier Than Mighty Chronograph (SIHH 2018) - Monochrome Watches
Several years ago I had the pleasure of reviewing the A. Lange & Sohne Double Split and called it the uber-chrono. To be clear, this has nothing to do with its functions but is entirely due to its spectacularly beautiful movement. Of course, the Double Split is the only mechanical double split-second chronograph, so that certainly demands some respect, but the movement’s architecture and finishing show a breath-taking beauty that no watch lover can ignore. And now there’s a Triple Split! Does that mean that the uber-chrono has been surpassed? Yep, it does, and… it’s limited to only 100 pieces!The Double Split is lovingly referred to, by admirers and owners of this watch, as the Mighty Double Split. It truly is mighty in so many ways. Do keep in mind that we’re still talking about mechanics here, and we are all aware that every iPhone does the same trick. But that’s not the point. The point is that some functions can be achieved by a collection of

Buying Guide - 6 Great Annual Calendar Watches From Established Manufactures
Calendar watches come in a wide variety. Most of them are based on 31-day cycles and require a regular adjustment (5 times a year) to ensure that the correct date is displayed. An annual calendar automatically adjusts the indicated date, mechanically configured to display the different lengths of the months, and they require to be corrected manually only once a year (in the worst case depending on its mechanism). Typically?more accessible?than the?perpetual calendar (which also takes into account leap years)?and infinitely?more?useful than a standard?calendar, the?annual calendar?offers a lot of bang for the buck.Surprisingly, it had long been forgotten by watchmakers, until Patek Philippe presented the reference 5035, the first annual calendar wristwatch in 1996. Although still relatively rare, it is back in fashion. Here are 6 superb annual calendar watches presented over the past months.?Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5396RGiving credit where credit is due, let's begin with Patek Ph

Hands-On - The Piaget Polo Blue Panda Automatic Chronograph 42mm
Presented in 2016, the Piaget Polo made quite some noise with its design, maybe slightly too conservative. Since then, the brand has worked hard on giving this collection more personality, more Piaget-ness so to speak. Following the initial time-and-date and chronograph models, we’ve seen Piaget Polo watches with colourful dials or contrasting bezel, and of course, earlier this year, the Piaget Polo Skeleton, a highly attractive model faithful to Piaget’s ethos. Now, it’s time for the Automatic Chronograph to come back in a handsome limited edition with a silver-and-blue colour scheme, contrasting elements and an integrated rubber strap. First launched as an exclusive for Mr Porter, but soon to be available worldwide, here’s the Piaget Polo Blue Panda Automatic Chronograph.BackgroundThe Piaget Polo is the brainchild of Yves G. Piaget, a watchmaking engineer and a gemmologist who join the family business in 1966. Yves had a passion for?horses and equestrian event

Great read for the holidays - Monochrome Watches
My friend and fellow blogger Robert-Jan lent me some of his books about watches. He is very passionate about Omega and i will do a post about these books later, especially because they come in handy with the upcoming Antiquorum Auction in New York, where a lot of very special vintage Omega watches will be auctioned.Some of these books are perfect ‘coffee table’ books but on a lazy sunday afternoon they are an excellent read. Besides these books there are also the reference books. One of my personal favorites is ‘Vintage Sports Watches’ written by Skeet & Urul. I don’t look at it as the ‘coffee table’ book, but this book has become a reference bible for everything i want to know about sportswatches. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Another absolute bible on watches and assoccoires (boxes, hangtags, you name

SIHH 2019 - Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpetuel
In a bold move that underscores its technical abilities, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils a grande complication watch featuring a staggering combination of complications: a multi-axis tourbillon driven by a remontoir d'egalite, a minute repeater with Westminster chimes, a perpetual calendar and more. Meet the new (and superb) Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpetuel - a.k.a The Gyrotourbillon 5.Over the past few year, Jaeger-LeCoultre had become very quiet on the ultra-complex watch scene? - at least quieter than during the flamboyant early 2000s period. Well, this is over much to our delight, as few names in the world of Haute Horlogerie are capable of creating watches such as the new Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpetuel. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Presented as part of the SIHH 2019 collection, this