Grand Seiko Heritage SLGH005 Calibre 9SA5 Shirakaba - Specs & Price
Back in March 2020, Grand Seiko was celebrating its 60th anniversary and, in addition to expected special edition watches, the brand struck hard by presenting a fascinating movement, the Hi-Beat Calibre 9SA5 with multiple innovations, such as the novel Dual Impulse escapement. First presented in a gold case, followed by a limited edition in steel, this movement is now finding its way into the permanent collection with the watch we are presenting today. Meet the new Grand Seiko Heritage SLGH005 Calibre 9SA5 “Shirakaba”, with a dial that, typical to GS, reveals a superb texture.The new “Shirakaba” SLGH005 is the first non-limited edition watch to be equipped with this innovative movement – we’re talking discreet innovations, but nevertheless impressive technology. As such, it is still based on the same architecture as the SLGH002 and SLGH003. The case, made of stainless steel, measures 40mm in diameter for a relatively reasonable thickness of 11.7mm (w

First Look: Hitting the Sweet Spot... The new Raymond Weil Millesime Small Seconds 35mm
Raymond Weil's Millesime collection, launched in 2024, is a charming retro-inspired family that has caught many a watch aficionado's eye. Injecting a new lease of life into a brand that was often overlooked, the Millesime family is out to conquer the market of neo-vintage dress watches with modern specifications. Coupled with competitive prices, the Millesime has positioned itself as a worthy contender in the dress watch category. After all, not everybody can afford Patek Philippe's latest Calatrava – the king of dress watches – that seduced more than a few members of the MONOCHROME team. Following in the successful wake of the larger 39.5mm Millesime Small Seconds, Raymond Weil launches a more compact 35mm case size. Inching closer and closer to perfect dress watch proportions, the Millesime Small Seconds 35mm might well hit the sweet spot.Founded in 1976, the brand is now in the hands of Raymond Weil's grandson, Elie Bernheim, the CEO behind the launch of the Millesime. W

Interview - Max Verstappen on F1 and Watches & the new TAG Heuer Verstappen Edition
Following the controversial outcome of the Brazilian Grand Prix, we had the chance to sit down with the hottest ticket on the grid right now as TAG Heuer releases a new watch dedicated to Max Verstappen. Third in line, after the orange and red strap versions from 2016 and 2017, we now get a metal bracelet. It’s still a quartz movement though, as TAG Heuer targets a younger crowd, not necessarily into mechanical watchmaking. The previous models were riddled with details to remind you of the Dutch driver. Of course, the national colour Orange was incorporated and the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Max Verstappen Special Edition 2016 came on an orange rubber strap. The red-white-and-blue of Holland’s flag is also present in all the watches. Besides colour, the number 33 is also referenced in the watches, and the tachymeter scale for the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Max Verstappen Special Edition 2017 was red from zero to thirty-three.Since quartz is not really our thing at

5 Cool Bronze Watches for Patina Lovers - Monochrome Watches
Bronze, one of the first alloys concocted by man, has been used to centuries. This durable metal is known for a wide range of uses including for crafting watches that stand out with their vintage appeal and golden-brown hue. However, all that glitters is not gold! Strong and tough, it is often used to craft tool watches. However, you need to be aware that bronze oxidizes but only on its outer layer that protects the metal from further corrosion. As such, it slowly develops a patina that makes each watch unique. Pretty cool but you need to be ready for this! Here are some of the best bronze watches presented over the past few months. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Rado Captain Cook BronzeAt Baselworld 2017, Rado brought back the Captain Cook', a cool dive watch based on a model from the early 1960s. The brand has now enlarged the collection with different s

Introducing: The TAG Heuer Carrera Date Plasma d'Avant-Garde
Lab-grown diamonds are used extensively in jewellery but rarely in watchmaking. What takes nature billions of years to achieve and immense effort to mine can be pulled off in a laboratory in a matter of weeks. Embracing the technology and leading the pack, TAG Heuer is the first major Swiss brand to integrate lab-grown diamonds into its watches. With the launch of its third Plasma watch during LVMH Watch Week, TAG Heuer consolidates its pole position on the lab-grown diamond scene. Here’s a first peek at the new Carrera Date Plasma Diamant d’Avant Garde, flaunting a burst of golden sunshine in the form of a yellow diamond.Although you can come across a sprinkling of diamonds on its women’s watches, diamonds are not the first thing that spring to mind when you think about TAG Heuer. As a brand that likes to experiment with avant-garde materials, lab-grown diamonds are an exciting proposal; not only are they infinitely cheaper to produce, but they are identical to natur