Hands-On - Claude Meylan Legende 69 (with vintage Valjoux 69 movement) with Vintage Chronograph Movement (Specs & Price)
A visit to Les Ateliers (editor's note, the place where most independent watchmakers exhibit) at Baselworld 2018 can sometimes bring very nice surprises - especially if you have a love for old-school chronograph watches. The Claude Meylan Legende 69 is a clean, simple, elegant stopwatch. As its name suggests, it is powered by a vintage Valjoux 69 chronograph movement, entirely refurbished and redecorated by Claude Meylan, an independent watchmaker based in the Vallee de Joux, specialised in crafting skeletonised watches. The hand-wound column wheel chronograph found in this elegant and clean watch is a refinished old-stock Valjoux 69 calibre, a movement introduced in the late 1930s (more precisely, we talk about new movements created with old-stock parts). The origins of the legendary chronograph maker Valjoux go as far back as the late 19th century when the Reymond brothers set up their movement manufacture in the Vallee de Joux. Reymond Freres SA would b

Introducing: The Monochromatic Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Essential Grey
We’ve been raving on and on about the profound use of colour within the watchmaking industry these past couple of months (and years). And yes, there have been countless vibrant, expressive and often quite cool and colourful watches, but what if you’re in the market for something a little less bright and eye-popping? What if you’re looking for something more, let’s say, monochromatic but still want it fit for summer? You’re in luck, as Hublot has just presented a lightweight titanium version of its Spirit of Big Bang in toned-down full-grey attire. This is the new and limited Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Essential Grey.Hublot’s watches are never shy of showing off what they are, as more often than not, the brand likes to play around with colours, textures and materials. A case in point is the recent Nespresso, Sky Blue and Texalium editions of its signature Big Bang. This new Spirit of Big Bang, nestled in between the Big Bang and Square Bang in terms of

Pre Baselworld 2014: Introducing the Bvlgari Octo Chrono - Monochrome Watches
Fifteen years ago, in 1999, luxury brand Bvlgari bought Gerald Genta’s watch company and until this day they manufacture watches and introduce new watches, which are (heavily) inspired on Genta’s designs. Just like the Octo Automatic, which was introduced last year, and so is the new Octo Chrono that we can introduce to you today. A bold and rugged design – typical Genta – and it features a magnificent El Primero column-wheel chronograph movement.The press release calls the new Octo a combination of Italian genius and Swiss perfection. All we can say, is that Bvlgari did a good job in merging Genta’s design into a contemporary chic sports chronograph. With a movement like the El Primero, you simply can’t go wrong. The strong characteristic lines of the Octo Chronograph’s design on the other hand, will probably be more polarizing, but that’s exactly what Genta’s design often did. Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Where do you like to buy your new watch? - Monochrome Watches
This weekend i’m going to pick up my dream watch in Finland. After selling quite a few of my watches to get enough funds it’s finally time. Airplane tickets and a hotel room are booked, so next week i’ll show you my new watch.Daniel Craig coming from the Omega dealerYou can buy a used watch online or even a new one. Most of my friends prefer to buy a watch at a local AD. They like to be welcomed in a luxurious atmosphere, talking to a sales representative about their ideas for a new watch, drinking a nice espresso and finally walking out the door with a new watch on the wrist and a nice bag containing the box. That’s all part of the joy of buying a new watch. Isn’t that great?How can you beat that feeling…? Well… you can buy a watch from an independent watchmaker, visit him in his workshop and buy the watch there! Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Introducing: New Skeleton Rado Captain Cook and True Square in Navy Blue Ceramic
By now, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that Rado, a Swatch Group brand, has gained (well, self-attributed, but justified) the title of The Master of Materials, being one of the leading representatives of the ceramic watch – thanks to sister company ComaDur. Ceramic has multiple qualities – it is durable, scratch-resistant, light, soft to the touch, etc. But, unlike coated metal watches, the colour of ceramic is a property of the material itself, meaning it is resistant to wear and won’t fade. In this context, Rado has been playing with black, grey, green and even white watches. And now, it’s time for navy blue to become the latest member of the family, with new editions of the Captain Cook and True Square models. While ceramic has some flaws (it can be brittle, it’s hard to machine), it also has many advantages. One of them, which has long been exploited by Rado’s high-tech ceramic, is the ability to create wear-