The Elections... for the Watch of the Year and the GPHG that is! - Monochrome Watches
While the race for presidency in the USA is going on until the last minute, we’ll of course focus… on watches! And in the world of watches, we also have elections. Just two weeks ago I attended the gala award ceremony for the election of the Watch of the Year, organised by our friends of Chronos24 in Poland. And this Thursday, when we finally know who’s going to?be the new?tenant of?the White House, is the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve – a.k.a the 2016 Edition of the GPHG. While the first becomes a bit international due to several international jury members – including yours truly –?the latter can best be compared to the Oscars in the world of movies.In Warsaw, Poland, the good folks of Chronos24 hosted the Watch of the Year 2016 gala event together with partners like Esquire Poland, Porsche,?the Polish Business Roundtable Club, Manager MBA Magazine, and the Polish Watch and Clocks Collectors Club. In the months before the event, the jury,

In-Depth - A Look at Shaped Watches by Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe through History - Monochrome Watches
When thinking about the archetype of the round Swiss watch, the first names that come to mind might very well be Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin. As the custodians of Geneva's watchmaking tradition, influenced by the sober protestant spirit, both brands stand for subtle, understated elegance. However, beyond the design conventions dictated by the round wristwatch, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin have in common a long, rich legacy of shaped watches. After Cartier, Monochrome brings together a (non-exhaustive) selection of shaped watches from Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.Hands turn in a circle. The semantic notion of what a clock should look like is round. The circle is the direct consequence of the mechanics to display the time and it is the most versatile shape in many respects. The first wristwatches were mostly pocket watches, modified later to be strapped on the wrist. However, designing shaped watches gave watchmakers an?opportunity to express their creativit

Introducing the New Bulgari Octo Roma - Live Photos, Specs & Price
For over a decade now (designed by Bulgari’s Roman design department in 2004), the Octo has become the iconic watch collection of the brand, known for its delicate and precious jewellery creations but also now for some distinctive watchmaking products (see the Finissimo collection and you’ll understand…) Yet, as desirable this watch is, it is a razor-sharp design, with no fewer than 110 facets and a shape that can’t go unnoticed. This year, the brand gives an answer to those?for whom the Octo is simply too bold, with a more delicate and softer creation, still impregnated?with the Octagonal DNA, the?Bulgari Octo Roma.About the Bulgari OctoOcto Finissimo Small Seconds platinumOur editor Xavier drew a quick history of the model, clarifying a misunderstanding point. Indeed “The Octo has often been attributed to Gerald Genta but, as Bvlgari points out, it was actually conceived in the brand’s Roman design department in 2004. Commercialized under the Geral

On the Road to BASELWORLD 2016 - Monochrome Watches
Here we are again, the day before?the official opening of the most important week of the watchmaking industry,?Baselworld. The largest watch fair on Earth is about to open. Big watch?brands like , Tudor, Patek Philippe or Omega are ready to show us what they have been working on, and also many small?independent watchmakers and brands worked hard to show us what they are capable of. We will select the coolest and best brands out there, and show you the novelties of both major brands and small indie brands. Today, 15th of March, we will be on our way to Basel, Switzerland, to cover?BASELWORLD 2016. During our trip, and as soon as?we arrive at Baselworld, we will keep you posted on Facebook and Instagram.As every year, Monochrome-Watches?will be there to cover the most interesting novelties. In all honesty, it is impossible to cover everything, so we will make a selection and we’ll do that the Monochrome way. Baselworld, as the main horological event of the year, hosts all kind of

Three Amazing Cars Up For Auction At The Goodwood Revival Sale
As summer draws to an end, so comes to an end the season of car events and auction weekends. One of the latest in the year, but also one of the very best, is the Goodwood Revival that’s running this very weekend. Three days of the most amazing classic road and race cars tackling the historical Goodwood circuit in West Sussex, England. With drivers pushing their cars to the limit, and sometimes beyond, it is one of the most open and pleasurable motoring experiences you can attend. Naturally, with such an event gathering the finest cars in history, some will be offered up for auction, looking to find a new caretaker. Orchestrated by Bonhams, this year’s Goodwood Revival Sale brings together 107 cars from all corners of the world. The list includes iconic machines from Bugatti, Ferrari, Jaguar, Bentley, Lancia and many others. Limiting ourselves to three cars only, we’ve picked the headlining Porsche Carrera RSR, the purest-as-can-be Land Rover Series I and arguably Japa