2021 New Blue Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
With almost 50 years of existence, the Royal Oak has become more than just a cult watch. It has evolved into an entire collection, built around an iconic design, and showcasing most of Audemars Piguet‘s watchmaking savoir-faire. One of the most emblematic complications of AP is, without a doubt, the perpetual calendar. As such, the RO has long been equipped with this complex calendar function and numerous versions have been made. Today, the brand adds a new colour to its collection, with new shades of blue that pay tribute to the original colour used by the watch in 1972. Meet the new blue editions of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar.?First launched in the mid-1980s under the reference 5554, first with non-leap year models, and then with leap year indication, the first generation Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 39mm will remain largely unchanged for close to 30 years, as only discontinued in 2014. But it was only to make room for a new version, which

The Hands of Time - A Guide to Names of the most used Watch Hands - Monochrome Watches
There are many ways to tell the time: digital watches show us the time using numbers, whereas the first mechanical clocks did not even have faces, and indicated time by chiming it. Hourglasses, candle clocks or clepsydras are other examples. And there’s a segment that we here at Monochrome, refer to as ‘Other Display‘, which include the URWERK’s MB&F’s and Ressence’s of this world. Still, most watches use hands on a dial to show us the hours and minutes, and as is their wont, watchmakers have displayed great creativity in the way they shape hands (for practical or more fancy purposes). These come in a variety of styles and are an integral part of a watch design. It would be tough to come up with an exhaustive list, but we'll take a look at the most used hand designs from watches we have photographed over the past few months.Alpha handsAlpha type hands have a wide base and a narrow stem to connect them to the center of the dial. Example ¡ú Parmigia

H. Moser & Cie Removes "Swiss Made" From Its Watches
As of?the 1st of January 2017, the requirements of?the “Swiss Made” label will change, with the idea being to further?strengthen the?label?and ultimately provide?the end consumer with a more ‘Swiss’ product overall. Specifically, from January 2017, at least 60% of the value of the components within?a “Swiss Made” watch?will have to be?of Swiss origin in order to be considered eligible (as a reminder, the previous rule was that?at least 50% of a watch’s value had to be realized in Switzerland). Arguably these changes are a step in the right direction however?they are still?not enough for one?manufacture named H. Moser & Cie. The brand has decided, for various reasons which?we’ll explain, that it can no longer accord with these rules?and has therefore decided to forgo the Swiss Made label altogether on its watches. At the same time they have announced the?unveiling of the most Swiss watch ever created; produced in Switzerland, by Swiss

Hands-On - The Ulysse Nardin Freak X Razzle Dazzle (Specs & Price)
According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, the term razzle-dazzle is used to describe “(confusion caused by) noisy and noticeable activity or very colourful appearance, intended to attract attention“. Eliminating the adjective ‘colourful’ from the dictionary description, it seems to be a fair description of the dizzying black and white geometric patterns donned on the latest Freak X. To be more precise, the zigzagging pattern pays homage to a camouflage technique known as ‘dazzle’ adopted by British ships painted with crisscrossing likes to confuse the enemy and make it hard for German U-boats to estimate the range, speed and direction of the ship. Similar to Op art, a style of optical art popular in the 1960s that used abstract geometric shapes to create optical illusions, the razzle-dazzle painting on British ships proved extremely effective and saved many lives. It also fits very nicely with Ulysse Nardin's longstanding tradition of providing

SIHH 2015 - Hands-on with the Vacheron Constantin Metiers dArt Mecaniques Gravees (live photos & specs) - Monochrome Watches
The Swiss maison of Vacheron Constatin celebrates its 260th anniversary, and already brought us the all-new Harmony Collection. Bearing the hallmarks of their Metiers d'Art collections, the Mecaniques Gravees 14 day Tourbillon and a hand wound non-tourbillon model feature fully hand-engraved movements inside classically styled cases, harking back to the very beginning of the brand, originally founded in 1755.The inspirations of the hand-engraved patterns on the Caliber 2260 and 4400 movements can be traced back to the 5th century. Originating from Greek pillars and columns, the decorations portray acanthus leafs and arabesque swirls. These recognizable shapes are painstakingly carved into the movement by skilled craftsmen. The depiction of acanthus leaves saw a surge during the Renaissance and the Baroque period, as it evolved into a symbol of victory and glory. Hand engraving calibers have always been a strong focus for Vacheron Constatin, including the acanthus leaves. Ad