Buying Guide: The World of Complicated Chronographs
Dive watches, pilot watches or luxury sports watches are some of the most popular types of watches, but when it comes to complications, the chronograph probably reigns supreme. However, even in the field of chronograph watches, there are a lot of differences to be found! With that in mind, we go beyond simple manual and automatic chronographs and dissect seven complex ways to measure elapsed time.MONOPUSheR – Cartier Tortue monopoussoir chronographWe start things simple, in looks at least, with the monopoussoir?or monopusher chronograph. The name is pretty self-explanatory, as a monopusher chronograph uses a single button to start, stop and reset the chronograph function. We’ve gone for the lovely Cartier Tortue Monopusher, modelled after one of the most coveted vintage watches from the Collection Privee Cartier Paris collection. The calibre 1928 MC follows the shape of the case beautifully, and the watch is worn on an alligator leather strap (as it should be). Available in

Introducing: Longines Conquest Chronograph Marco Odermatt Limited Edition
Longines teams up with skiing champion Marco Odermatt for a limited edition of its Conquest Chronograph. Registered by Longines in 1954, the Conquest was the first product family of the brand, a serially produced model evolving from the robust waterproof wristwatches designed for French Polar Expeditions with a screw-down caseback. Revisited on its 60th anniversary in the Heritage collection, the model we are looking at today corresponds to the revamped Conquest collection undertaken earlier this year. Designed with Marco Odermatt, the limited-edition Conquest Chronograph consolidates Longines’ longstanding association with alpine skiing.Thanks to Longines’ first chronograph model of 1878, the brand has a long track record as a sporting events timer and, in 1924, provided the timekeeping equipment for a military ski race. Today, Longines is the main partner of the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the Official Timekeeper for the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and FIS World C

IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation - Monochrome Watches
Each year, IWC selects?one of its newest timepieces and fits it with a beautiful blue dial and a special engraved caseback… and there’s a good reason for that, a reason called charity, to be precise to fund the?Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Thus, this year, IWC comes with one of these blue dial watches, and for the first time in 10 years, it will be a ladies watch. Here is the?IWC Portofino Automatic Moon Phase 37 Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.2013 – IWC introduced the?Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. 2014 – we’ve seen the?Portuguese Chronograph Classic Edition Laureus. 2015 – it was the?IWC Ingenieur Automatic Edition Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. For 10 years now, IWC?has been supporting the Laureus foundation on an annual basis by launching a special watch in aid of the cause.Sport eliminates differences, imparts self-confidence and promotes team spirit: this is the motto of Laureus Sport f

Smaller is Better? Case study with the 39.5mm Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m - Monochrome Watches
We can’t?hide the fact that, since 15 years, watches have drastically increased in terms of dimensions?– in thickness for sure, but mainly in diameter. It is now common to see a dress watch with a 41mm case and a dive watch with a 44mm diameter. This is kind of a norm nowadays. Or maybe it was…? More and more, we see watches being downsized. New generations of existing models are going smaller – not hugely, but slowly diameters are stagnating or even decreasing. Do I think that smaller is better? Yes. And to demonstrate this, let’s look at the?Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m in its new 39.5mm version.This year, just before Baselworld 2016, Omega announced a new collection for its?iconic dive watch, the?Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m – a rugged dive watch, with professional specifications, capable of being used and abused by proper divers. Because of this vocation, this watch was previously available in 42.5mm and 45.5mm cases, both relatively thick (o

Stoic World Sports Watch by Peter Speake-Marin (Specs & Price)
Imagine Enzo Ferrari leaving his company after its reputation was well established, only to reemerge a year later with a new car brand offering affordable, compact sedans. As crazy as that scenario sounds, it's kind of analogous to the current situation we have with Peter Speake-Marin. It wasn't long ago that his name was associated with expensive, exclusive and complicated timepieces, featuring in-house movements, tourbillons, minute repeaters and more. Those days are behind Peter, who left the company last year to pursue other interests (inc. The Naked Watchmaker), but he's suddenly back with a new watch brand, Stoic World. The Sports Watch is one of three in Stoic World's portfolio of affordable, mainstream watches, having virtually no resemblance to his former collections. Let's take a closer look at the Sports Watch (and touch on the other two) and see if this new direction is worthy of the Peter Speake-Marin name.BACKGROUNDPeter Speake-Marin, an?English watchmaker, started his ca