Ulysse Nardin Classic Sonata, a Complex Alarm Watch with Cathedral Gong - Monochrome Watches
The concept of the Sonata by Ulysse Nardin is not new, but still, you'll see later in this article, it's a very captivating concept. Several watches have been created with the Sonata complication; however, most of them, even if mechanically attractive, were bold, highly sportive and masculine watches. In the last few months, Ulysse Nardin has given a new identity to its watches, with more subtle and more elegant designs, and it will be the case for this Sonata too. Here is the?Ulysse Nardin Classic Sonata, a complex and unique watch, with a melodic cathedral gong for its?alarm complication.Basically, the new Ulysse Nardin Classic Sonata is an alarm watch… but not any kind of alarm watch.?An alarm watch is designed to ring a signal at a defined time.?It is probably one of the oldest horological complications. It is?the legendary Vulcain Cricket calibre that truly raised the bar for such watches.?Traditional mechanical alarm watches ring by means of a mainspring, tensioned to power

Just Because: Your Complete Guide to Watches and Wonders 2025 and Everything Around
Here it is the most exciting time of the year for watch enthusiasts, retailers, and journalists is upon us once again. The most significant event of the watch industry calendar, Watches and Wonders – and the Geneva Watch Week – is set to begin on April 1st, 2025 at 8:30 AM. The event continues to expand in scale and importance along with a host of parallel presentations, which promise us a week full of fervour. To help you make the most of your time in Geneva, here’s a glimpse of what awaits you in the heart of the watchmaking world.MONOCHROME will, of course, be present in Geneva and will bring you live coverage of the event, as well as present the new watches introduced during the week. Independent and smaller brands have even started to pre-release selected models to whet our appetite ahead of the fair – the larger brands exhibiting at Watches and Wonders have a communication embargo until the show opens on April 1st. So, stay tuned, as there's some really co

Hands-On - The Longines Spirit Green Dial Collection (Specs & Price)
Presented in 2020, the Longines Spirit collection is a tribute to the pioneers who conquered the air, land and sea relying on their Longines time instruments. While it combines characteristic Longines and aviation design cues, this vintage-inspired line is not a re-edition and was created from scratch to celebrate this rich heritage. The collection comprises 40mm and 42mm time-and-date models and a chronograph, and all come with a chronometer-certified movement. Following the classic silver, black and blue dial iterations, the time-and-date models are now available with a green twist.?Green is the new blue, which was the new black, and it is now featured on the dial of the Longines Spirit watches with a dark shade of khaki paired with a matte sandblasted finish. Next to the classic silver, black and blue dial iterations, it allows Longines to introduce an additional colour to the collection with a sporty yet elegant twist. And, this feels rather coherent with the model's vintage-inspir

Piaget Polo FortyFive Two-Tones Perpetual Calendar - The hidden qualities of a sports watch - Monochrome Watches
When Piaget decided to take the legendary Polo out of its precious metal solitude they did a very thorough job. They made the case a contemporary 45mm in diameter, hence its name; Polo FortyFive.To prevent that you need serious muscle in order to wear this watch they made it from titanium. Only the famous?gadroons?are made of steel (except on the Two-Tones Perpetual Calendar). This change gives the Polo a fresh, yet still recognizable face. To make the watch even more contemporary Piaget added the option for a rubber strap (that suits the watch very well). Ad - Scroll to continue with article Recently Piaget introduced a new model in the FortyFive collection that should make connoisseurs and collectors alike burn with desire; the Polo FortyFive Perpeptual Calendar. Main attraction for this watch is of course the perpetual calendar complication. Like with all Pia

The New Rado Diastar Original And 60-Year Collection - Hands-On, Price
The 1960s were a decade of rapid technological, style and fashion evolution with often remarkable creative freedom. The world made huge strides in creating striking, sometimes polarizing designs. Well, if you are 1960s-ready and seeking a dose of nostalgia, Rado celebrates the 60th anniversary of their quirky Diastar, a disruptive model marketed as the first scratchproof watch. It does so by re-editing the Diastar in four different versions. Meet the Rado Diastar Original with a new material, a new movement and new dimensions.DISRUPTIVE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY1962. Rado launches the Diastar marketed as “the first scratchproof watch in the world’s history.” The Diastar was fitted with a sapphire crystal (the use of sapphire crystals only started to spread in the 1970s and 1980s) and it was “jet-styled of scratchproof super metal, more costly than gold.” Indeed, the Diastar was crafted from ultra-resistant hard metal with an alloy formed from carbide tungsten