State of the Industry - Who Does or Doesnt Have an In-House Chronograph? - Monochrome Watches
If the chronograph is one of the most popular complications, it is also one of the most complex types of movements to manufacture. Not so long ago, just a handful of manufactures had the knowledge or the financial resources to produce their own, in-house mechanical chronograph calibre but the past 20 years have witnessed the birth of an impressive number of self-developed movements. During the 1970s, new accurate quartz movements gained popularity and plunged the Swiss watch industry into a deep crisis. Sales of mechanical watches declined sharply, production of mechanical movements was reduced to a trickle, and many Swiss watchmakers went out of business. Zenith is an eloquent example of how stock and production capacities were destroyed (and saved by an act of disobedience for El Primero – read the history of this iconic chronograph here).Following the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking in the 1980s and 1990s, brands massively invested in movement development and production

First Look: The New Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Act 3 MIL-SPEC Bronze-Gold
This year, Blancpain has already unveiled several new versions of its emblematic dive watch, the Fifty Fathoms. We first saw a limited-edition 42mm Fifty Fathoms (Act 1), followed by the impressive Fifty Fathoms Tech Gombessa developed for closed-circuit rebreather diving (Act 2) Not to mention the much-discussed Blancpain x Swatch collaboration. It is now time to unveil the third act of this anniversary collection with an attractive bronze-gold watch directly modelled after vintage MIL-SPEC models in German silver, bringing the much-appreciated look of these military-issued versions.The Fifty Fathoms is undoubtedly one of the most iconic dive watches. According to the brand, it was created in 1953 by Jacques Fiechter, CEO of Blancpain at the time and a scuba diving fan. Born as a purpose-built piece of equipment, its story is also related to French military divers Bob Maloubier and Claude Riffaud, who tested this rugged, functional watch on their underwater missions in early 1954.

Hands-On: The Edouard Koehn World Heritage II, a Rare WorldTimer with Alarm
Operating out of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, for several years now, the brand Edouard Koehn carries four distinct collections. Of particular interest is the model introduced in 2021 as part of the World Heritage line, blending two practical complications: world time and alarm functions. While several mechanical watches offer combinations of an alarm with a GMT or dual time display, the fusion of alarm and world time is a rarity in the horological world. In 2023, Edouard Koehn introduced a limited edition World Heritage II series, maintaining the same concept and underlying movement while offering a fresh presentation for enthusiasts to explore; we had a hands-on experience, and here are our impressions.First, a few words about the name. Edouard Koehn (1839-1908) was a watchmaker and at one time the co-owner of Patek, Philippe & Cie (a specialist of world time watches) A name with roots tracing back to the 19th century, it resurfaced in the modern watchmaking scene in 2020 thank

SIHH 2016: Introducing the Montblanc Collection Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique Pocket Watch 110 Years Edition - Monochrome Watches
Today we’re going to show you yet another spectacular piece that Montblanc created to celebrate their 110th anniversary. The brand with German roots and Swiss made timepieces shows?its?prowess in the world of high-end watches again. Yesterday we showed you one of the most affordable, if not THE most affordable, tourbillon watch in the world of high-end watches, the Montblanc 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim. Today we’re introducing the Montblanc Collection Villeret Tourbillon Cylindrique Pocket Watch 110 Years Edition. That’s right, a pocket watch, and it comes with a superb cylindrical balance spring inside its tourbillon, and it is limited to only eight pieces.For the third consecutive year, Montblanc impresses with technical feats and complications that used to be exclusive to the absolute high-end (price-wise) for reasonable prices. Take this year's 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim that we showed you yesterday, which is the most affordable tourbillon on the market today and has an

Introducing Panerai Luminor Blue Mare 44mm PAM01085 (Specs & Price)
For long, the formula of Panerai watches was simple: rugged watches inspired by the sea, with Italian design, simple mechanics and large cushion-shaped cases. And, at the beginning a relatively accessible price that helped to create a huge community of fans. And then, things changed and Panerai became more complicated, more luxurious, more focused on limited editions. But as the brand’s CEO told us, it was time to clean up the collections and to refocus on what Panerai truly represents. And the latest model, the Panerai Luminor Blue Mare 44mm PAM01085 is just that.A simple but efficient design, a hand-wound, no-date movement, a no-nonsense package that goes back to the roots, a modern but cool look… The Panerai Luminor Blue Mare 44mm PAM01085 is a reassuring but also an important addition to the collection. Indeed, most of the watches launched as part of the digital Watches & Wonders 2020 were complex and relatively expensive models, playing with luminescence and/or inn