Interview with Lewis Hamilton about Formula 1, IWC Watches and what may be next
Just ahead of the French Grand Prix last weekend, I had the chance to sit down with two of the best drivers currently racing in Formula 1, both behind the wheel of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport W09: Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. IWC is a major sponsor of team Mercedes, and both drivers wear gloves with the well-known Big Pilot’s Watch printed on them. So, as you can imagine, the interview steered onto the watch track and we can even tell you what watches both gentlemen might be designing one day with the brand First part, Lewis talks to MONOCHROME.Lewis Hamilton and Brice Goulard (Managing Editor) talking watches – Photo by Wolfgang WilhelmThe French GP was a blast for Lewis Hamilton who started in P1 and ended the race in P1 The perfect weekend for him. If the French GP was somewhat chaotic (many crashes but also lots of overtaking?¨C always good to see as a spectator), we can't say the same about Lewis's race, which was slightly smoother - and very successful.

Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition 100 - Hands-On (Specs & Price)
In the past years, Montblanc has treated us to lots of horological sweets. That sweetness came mainly in the shape of chronographs fitted with the old Minerva calibres 16.29 and 13.21, both showcases of how incredibly beautiful old Minerva chronographs can be. It started (again) with the arrival of CEO Jer?me Lambert (now COO of most Richemont watch brands) who launched the Pulsograph into the Heritage Spirit collection back in 2014. This beauty was equipped with the historical Minerva calibre 13.21. In the following years, various iterations of the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter were introduced, powered by the magnificent large chronograph calibre 16.29.First, the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter appeared in a steel case with a blue dial, later in red gold with a matte black dial, a bronze version with a champagne coloured dial, and a bronze piece unique with a vintage green dial for last year’s Only Watch auction. Now it appears in a limited edition of 100 pieces with the same striking

The 2021 Edition of the Chopard L.U.C. XP Skeletec - Hands-On, Price
Twenty-five years ago, under the guidance of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Chopard gave birth to the L.U.C. collection, coincidentally with the opening of a state-of-the-art manufacture. The inauguration of the Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier opened up the possibilities to explore new territories, through in-house movements, as well as restoring traditional techniques. One of the best examples of this savoir-faire is perhaps the Chopard L.U.C. XP Skeletec. Ultra-thin and beautifully proportioned, the brand has just introduced a new design for this watch, and we go hands-on with it.The first L.U.C. XP Skeletec was introduced in 2012 and was an ultra-thin, self-winding watch measuring only 7.2mm in height. As such, it portrayed perfectly the traits of the Chopard L.U.C. family. Technical, beautifully finished, compact and elegant. New for this year is a reinterpretation of the XP Skeletec concept, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C. collection. We've recently seen the stainles

Spotted - Hans Dieter Potsch, Chairman of Porsche SE, With IWC and Omega
For our latest instalment of “Spotted”, we are featuring Han Dieter Potsch. Potsch is the Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE. And on his wrist are watches that are linked to the cars he produces or to the world of motor racing (surprisingly…), by Omega and IWC/Porsche Design.Porsche SE is owned by the Porsche and Piech families, descendants of Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche. Porsche SE holds a controlling interest in the Volkswagen Group which owns car manufacturers such as Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen. Potsch is also Supervisory Board Chairman of the Volkswagen Group.Two of the watches owned by Mr Potsch caught my eye. The first is a lesser-seen IWC piece with a Porsche connection. Not just any old IWC, but one designed by Porsche Design and manufactured by IWC. Porsche Design was founded in 1972 by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, a grandson of Ferdinand Porsche. The watch in question is the Reference 3504 Porsche De

Hands-On: A True Surprise of Only Watch 2023, The Furlan Marri Secular Perpetual Calendar
You probably know?Furlan Marri?already. Founded in 2021 by Andrea Furlan (Swiss industrial designer) and Hamad Al Marri (watch collector and artist from the Middle East), it started as a crowdfunded project on Kickstarter. The first watch, a handsome vintage-inspired mechaquartz chronograph, made quite some noise. The second model, an automatic time-only this time, gathered some attention again with its cool design. But up until now, we’ve been looking at carefully designed watches for sure, but in an accessible price range. Things are changing and the two men have been moving faster than anyone imagined. Even if still a unique prototype offered for charity auction Only Watch 2023, the next watch is playing in a far higher category.?Co-developed with Dominique Renaud and Julien Tixier, we’re talking about?an ultra-simplified, modular secular perpetual calendar, with a?single adjustment once every 400 years. Now that’s what we call a surprising move.?Secular calendar&#