The Cloche de Cartier 2021, in the Prive Collection
Cartier's famed Collection Privee Cartier Paris (CPCP) was the jeweller's answer to the growing demand for men's timepieces with high-quality mechanical calibres. Launched at SIHH in 1998, the CPCP was intended to showcase Cartier's most iconic designs, including the Santos Dumont, Tortue, Tonneau, Tank Basculante, Tank Asymetrique and Cloche, among others. Due to lukewarm sales, the collection was phased out after a decade. Harking back to the CPCP, Cartier's Collection Prive was quietly launched in 2017 and has, over the last four years, been used as a platform to release numbered and limited edition runs of Cartier's iconic case shapes, starting with the Crash in the line's inaugural year. The Crash was followed by the Tank Cintree, the Tonneau, and the Asymetrique in the succeeding years. 2021 marks the Cloche's turn in the spotlight.An early version of the Cloche de CartierThe cloche shape (French for bell) made its first appearance in the house of Cartier as a diamond and onyx wa

Bell & Ross WW2 Regulateur Officer - Full review (live photos, specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches
Bell & Ross introduced the WW2 collection a couple of years back with their military inspired WW2 Regulateur, known at that time as the Regulateur Bomber. They've dropped that name, for quite obvious reasons I can imagine, now they bring a new edition that is a little more sophisticated than the original: the Bell & Ross WW2 Regulateur Officer. Here is the full review after several weeks on the wrist.The first Bell & Ross WW2 Regulateur, introduced during Baselworld 2012, was inspired by an old bomb-timer that pilots used to have strapped to their leg. This timing instrument was used to time the release of a bomb as exact as possible to obtain their objectives and destroy their designated targets (these watches are a specific kind of navigation tools. You can read our in-depth history of pilot watches here: part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5). No high-tech GPS wizardry or computer guided smart-bombs were available yet so the pilots had to rely on their own basic ins

Introducing the Gold Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Tokyo 2020 Watches
In two weeks from now will start the long-awaited Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. Despite a 1-year delay due to the complex situation in the entire world, it is now sure, the Games will happen (but behind closed doors…) For the 29th time since 1932, Omega will serve as the Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Games. Following several Speedmaster and Seamaster models for the occasion, the Biel-based brand is releasing today a new pair of watches, in the same vein as this model, but now paying?tribute to that iconic sporting honour that is the gold medal. Here are the new Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Tokyo 2020 38mm and 41mm Gold Watches.In 2019, about a year of the start of the Games (at least, when it was still supposed to happen in 2020), Omega released a special edition watch based on its 41mm Aqua Terra watch. Mostly recognizable thanks to its blue textured dial, it now serves as a base for a pair of yellow gold watches. Offered either in 38mm and 41mm diameters, the classic size of the

John Calvins Austerity and the Birth of the Swiss Watch Industry - Monochrome Watches
The Protestant Reformation, inaugurated by Martin Luther's posting of his 95 theses in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church, began a wave of reform that swept across Europe and into the New World of the Americas. In Switzerland, John Calvin became a leader of the movement, reforming not only Church doctrine, but also the city of Geneva. Who knew that his puritanical sway over the city would be the catalyst for the Swiss Watch Industry?The Reformation cry, “Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)”, Calvin took in a literal fashion by imposing anti-sumptuary laws in Geneva. In 1541, he banned the wearing of jewelry. No longer could the shops display enticing gold and diamonds, and the jewelers found themselves in a quandary. Refugees from France and Italy came to the rescue, teaching the jewelers how to make watches. Calvin deemed the watch to be a practical instrument, and so allowed its production and sale and unwittingly created a loophole. This all

First Look: The new Certina DS-1 Skeleton Collection
Certina's solid and accessibly priced DS-1 three-hander is the descendant of the brand's DS (double security) concept of 1959. Like the hard protective shell of a turtle, DS was designed to make watches more resilient, reliable and water-resistant to external aggressions thanks to the incorporation of O-ring seals. While this might not be headline news in the watch world today, it was a big deal 64 years ago. In 2021, Certina beefed up the resilience of the movement with the introduction of the Powermatic 80 calibre developed by Swatch Group. Keeping up with the latest trend for skeletonised watches, three new Certina DS-1 Skeleton models strip away most of the dial to reveal the mechanics of the automatic movement. The openworked dial of the Certina DS-1 Skeleton has a large circular cut-out area in the centre, exposing the matte grey bridges supporting the components of the Powermatic 80. Used by other mid-price brands like Tissot, Mido and Hamilton, the Powerm