It was 40 years ago... the first automatic chronograph - Monochrome Watches
40 Years ago, on 3 March 1969, the first automatic chronograph movement was introduced. This movement,?nick-named Chronomatic, was developed by a joint venture of Heuer, Breitling, Buren and Dubois-Depraz. The Chronomatic was used by Heuer, Breitling and Buren under the name of caliber 11.Cover of Swiss Watch and Jewelry Journal – nr.2 1969It actually started with the development of a HMS (hours, minutes, seconds) movement that got it’s power from a micro-rotor! Buren patented a micro-rotor winding system, that was called planetary rotor, in 1954. However it took them untill 1957 before it saw production and later, in 1962, the design was refined into caliber 1280.The new caliber 1280 had a slightly larger swinging mass than the earlier caliber and the swinging mass now swung over the center of the movement. This caliber, also called Intramatic, won the Prix d’Honneur at the 1964 Swiss National Exposition in Lausanne. A year later the micro-rotor was further refined i

Hands-on - Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti - Baselworld 2016 (Live pics & price) - Monochrome Watches
We’re not going to ask you if you are aware of Hublot as a brand and of one of their specialties: partnerships (like for example with football teams or?Italian car maker). We bet you’re aware of this. For the 2016 edition of Baselworld, this is not going to change. However, their latest collaboration made a huge impression on us, first because the brand they are teaming with is certainly amongst the finest shoemakers around the world and also because the concept has been pushed extremely far, making it quite striking. Here is the?Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti.With this partnership, Hublot continues its path in style – lifestyle and fashion oriented collaborations. Like they did with denim watches, with camo printings or even with lace, the latest idea was to insert leather. Well, in fact most watches do already have leather, at least those on a leather strap. So Hublot had to find something more. From the words of the CEO,?Ricardo Guadalupe, the brand “wanted to

Introducing: Zenith x Revolution Chronomaster Revival A3818 Cover Girl Carbon
Back in 2020, watch magazine Revolution introduced its first limited edition Zenith Chronomaster Revival, a watch with a bold dial layout inspired by a 1971 version of the legendary El Primero nicknamed the A3818 “Cover Girl”.?This first edition was made in steel and was followed in 2022 by?the Chronomaster Revival A3818 “Airweight Cover Girl” in titanium. Now, in order to top off the trilogy, both parties have decided to go even lighter, even bolder, with a version made of high-modulus carbon fibre, tipping the scales at just 55 grams. And it even includes a quite crazy-looking Gay Freres-inspired ladder-style carbon fibre bracelet… While the El Primero movement appeared in three models – A384, A385 and A386 – other important early adopters of the legendary calibres came on the market, including the rare reference A3818, one of the rarest El Primero references, with about 1,000 examples produced. This specific watch, kno

Interview - Josh Shapiro on Becoming an Integrated American Manufacture
Josh Shapiro seems like an unlikely person to help restore traditional watchmaking in the United States. He started as a pole vault coach and a school teacher before becoming the administrator of a private school. Growing up in a machine shop gave him an appreciation for metals and working with his hands, and a flashy Chronoswiss Opus poster in a local shop helped spark his interest in watchmaking. With some formal training, a lot of practice with ETA 6498 movements and a passion to work with his hands, Josh Shapiro began producing watch dials and found an industry legend as a mentor, David Walter. Now in a new atelier in Inglewood, California, Josh produces luxury, custom pieces and is putting the final touches on an in-house, hand-wound calibre with a tourbillon moon phase also in the works. His current collection is called the Infinity Series.?Josh Shapiro with an antique engine turning machineJ.N. Shapiro employs two additional watchmakers as Josh also continues his role as a schoo

Introducing: Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic California Dial
Autumn has finally arrived in Europe, marking the annual migration of birds as they flock to warmer climates. Alpina is also taking a break from the cold Swiss air and hot-footing to sunnier locations, more precisely SoCal. Indeed, the latest-generation Alpiner Extreme, the brand's most formidable contender for outdoor adventures, now dons a cool California dial. Coupled with its aggressive price tag, fans of California dials are going to find this one hard to resist.Revamped in 2022, the robust Alpiner Extreme Automatic has a three-part 41mm cushion-shaped case with a thickness of 11.5mm. Designed to endure knocks, blows and bad weather, there are protective bumpers on both sides of the case, and the screw-down rubber-clad crown ensures optimal grip and the 200m water-resistance. The angular case and round fixed bezel – secured by six screws with triangular heads (Alpina logo) – feature brushed surfaces for a sporty look with polished bevels to highlight the dynamic archit