Baltic Aquascaphe Diver / Value Proposition Review (Specs & Price)
After successfully funding its first collection via Kickstarter, Baltic Watches has managed to stand the test of time and to survive this inaugural series of watches. Even better, the small concept became a brand and has started to expand its collection – and there are many more watches to come (but we can’t tell you yet…) Today, we look at what Etienne Malec has created as his second model, a great-looking, still accessible, no-nonsense tool dive watch with vintage inspiration; the Baltic Aquascaphe Diver.ConceptBaltic Watches is the brainchild of Etienne Malec, a young Frenchman who has inherited his father's passion for watches – something he shared with us already, some years ago. An avid collector, his father spent years putting together a collection of exceptional timepieces, some of which have inspired the designs of Baltic's first two models. Sadly though, Etienne's father passed away when Etienne was still quite young and so they were never able to trul

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reversoa Eclipse Van Gogh Sunflowers - Monochrome Watches
This year, 2015, is the year that the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam pays tribute to the 125th anniversary of the famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. And Jaeger-LeCoultre joins them for this memorable event by releasing?a limited edition Reversoa Eclipse that features Van Gogh’s infamous Sunflowers painting. Since the Reversoa Eclipse has the unique feature to show or reveal a dial, the enamel dial with Van Gogh’s painting in enamel, can be discretely hidden, or shown, by choice of the wearer.Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) is?famous for his post-impressionist works and has had a?great influence on twentieth century art. During is short life?he painted nearly 2,200 paintings, of which?860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolour paintings, drawings, sketches and prints. For more than a century, his work is a great source of inspiration for many painters. The painting that is featured in this Reversoa Eclipse is called Sunflowers, hence the name of the watch, Reve

Panerai Mare Nostrum 42mm PAM00716 (Specs & Price)
Mare Nostrum, “Our Sea” in latin. It’s a term that invariably brings to mind a?rare and exclusive model for?Panerai collectors. Indeed, back in the early days of the Florentine?manufacture, a chronograph was?created, one that is so rare it has become a legend. Based on this concept?and on the few pieces of documentation available from?that time, Panerai made a first re-edition of this Mare Nostrum chronograph in 1993 (Ref. 5218-301), the year?the first collection of Panerai watches were made for civilian use – a watch that has become iconic. For 2017, this model returns?in a faithful (but again rare) tribute version, the?Panerai Mare Nostrum 42mm PAM00716.History of the Panerai Mare Nostrum Collection, from 1943 to 2017The 1943 Prototype – Back in 1943, Officine Panerai created a few prototypes?of a chronograph made for?deck officers of the Royal Italian Navy. However, these watches?never went into production and remained an idea only, a concept and they w

A Personal Insight To Why I Bought the Union Glashutte 1893 Johannes Durrstein
I’m very fortunate (and spoilt, in a way) to handle hundreds of watches every year working for MONOCHROME Watches. To the point that I almost have to admit it’s not that easy to be impressed anymore, but it does happen from time to time. Of course, it’s not that difficult to be amazed by very complex and exquisitely finished watches, but I have to take a certain budget into account when it concerns my own collecting adventures. But when I first stepped into the Union Glashutte manufacture about a year ago, I did not expect to be swept off my feet. The reason for this unexpected love-at-first-sight moment? The handsome 1893 Johannes Durrstein Edition Power Reserve, which I wrote about first in 2022. Seeing it in person made me pull the trigger on this one, which was far from planned, given I had a wedding to pay for shortly after that. Despite all this, and since I now own one, I wanted to revisit the 1893 Johannes Durrstein Edition Power Reserve for my own – and

The brand new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V - Monochrome Watches
In the new Overseas Collection, Vacheron introduced the highly desirable ultra-thin edition of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas. This watch clearly brings back VC where it deserves to be, in the top 3 of the luxury sports watches. However, there’s a major issue with the ultra-thin edition: it is rather expensive and not every collector will have pockets large enough to afford it. No worries, if you intend to buy a time-only Overseas, Vacheron-Constantin also has another solution, more affordable and not void of interest (at all). Here is the?brand new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V, with its stainless steel case (but also a pink gold option) and all new in-house movement.Don’t consider the?Vacheron Constantin Overseas Automatic 4500V as the poor-man Overseas. Consider it at the classical offer and imagine the ultra-thin edition as the luxurious one. In fact, this edition replaces the actual time-only Overseas that we know for several years now – and look