Gronefeld Parallax Tourbillon with new Steel Hammered (Tremblage) Dials - Monochrome Watches
What a difference a dial?makes! When Gronefeld unveiled the Parallax Tourbillon in 2014, it was the third watch produced by the Horological Brothers, Bart and Tim Gronefeld. After the GTM-06 (Gronefeld Tourbillon Minute Repeater) and the One Hertz, they wanted to showcase a large tourbillon. One that would hover over the dial, or at least on the same level as the dial, so it would have all spotlights on the perpetual dance of a tourbillon. With the new tremblage dials, the emphasis is still on the large tourbillon, while the dial showcases the masterful art of hand-made tremblage.?Let’s say the large tourbillon has gotten an even better backdrop. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the other dial options aren’t very nice. They are! Especially the salmon colour dial looks incredibly good, and like everything coming from Gronefeld, the quality is absolutely sublime. The new tremblage dial is again another showcase of what the two brothers can do, and how incre

The Collector's Series: Koen's IWC Vintage Ingenieur - Monochrome-Watches
It is with great pleasure we welcome Koen?as a contributor?to the Monochrome-Watches team he is extremely active on the IWC forum and a truly passionate watch geek. When we first sat down on the Collector Series with Koen,?we discussed his stunning Vintage IWC Portofino. On this occasion, in a rather overcast London (no surprise there), his second instalment of the series, we discussed how his passion for IWC lead him to the glorious IWC Vintage Ingenieur.First off let’s take a look back. The first IWC Ingenieur was unveiled in 1955. It was equipped with the first bidirectional automatic movement and developed by the then Technical Director, Albert Pellaton. It wasn’t famous until the early 1970s, when a diver's helmet inspired freelance watch designer Gerald Genta (yes, that’s the same gentleman who designed the AP Royal Oak and Patek’s Nautilus.) His mission was to redesign the Ingenieur. Genta designed the Ingenieur SL, Reference 1832, which was launched in 1

Hands-On: The 2024 Omega Speedmaster FOiS (Side-by-Side with the Old FOiS)
The new Omega Speedmaster FOiS (for First Omega in Space) is the perfect example of a watch that’s not particularly spectacular, groundbreaking or innovative. But more often than not, a great watch doesn’t need to be a game-changer. The 2024 Speedmaster FOiS comes in continuity to a concept introduced in 2012, a vintage-inspired watch celebrating the first space flight of an Omega watch. It retains what should be retained, it upgrades what could be upgraded and somehow brings what the fan base wanted to see in this watch. Following our introducing article, it’s time now for us to bring our hands-on impressions… And also to compare this new FOiS to the now-discontinued 1st-generation Speedmaster First Omega in Space.While we’ll dive into the specifics of the 2024 Speedmaster FOiS in a bit, you can start by reading several stories that might be of help in this context. We won’t re-do the entire story of the original 1962 Mercury-Atlas 8 mission and the

Buying Guide - The Best Watches Celebrating Chinese New Year 2023
Today marks the dawn of the Year of the Rabbit, the new year according to the Chinese Lunar calendar. And as every year, multiple brands have dedicated a special watch to celebrate the occasion. Incorporating the theme either in spirit, with images of rabbits or colours important to Chinese culture, or with an adaptation of a calendar watch, each one honours the event in a special way. Yet, one of them stands out a little more than others as it marks a genuine world premiere. So let’s kick off this Buying Guide with that very watch, shall we?Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali CalendarThe new Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Xiali Calendar is perhaps the most significant watch on this list, as it is the first-ever mechanical watch that comes with a complete Chinese calendar. Set in the refined Tonda PF exterior, the incredibly complex movement displays all elements of the Lunisolar Calendar on an Imperial Red dial with a fine barleycorn guilloche motif. It shows the name, animal and e

Introducing the Montblanc Metamorphosis II - 2 Watches in 1 - Monochrome Watches
Four years ago Montblanc brought automaton-like functions to the wrist with the Metamorphosis, which was the world’s first wrist watch that comprised two different dials, and corresponding functions, in one wrist watch. To be clear, we’re talking mechanical watches here, no smart watches, no LCD screens. Upon pushing a minute-repeater-like slide, a genuine metamorphosis takes place, and changes the dial with time and date indications, to a dial with time and chronograph counter, that rises from underneath the other dial. How brilliant is that!Originally launched in 2010 – as the first of the Timewriter program – the Metamorphosis was developed in the Montblanc manufacture in Villeret – the former Minerva manufacture. The Timewriter program gave young watchmakers the chance to develop their (spectacular) ideas with the help and full support of Demetrio Cabiddu (the master watchmaker) and his team. Now for the upcoming Watches & Wonders Montblanc launche