History of the Pilot Watch Part II - Zenith Montre dAeronef Type 20 - Monochrome Watches
The Wright Brothers and Alberto Santos ushered in the golden age of aviation as well as the Pilot Watch (as we told you in the History of Pilot Watches Part 1), and Louis Bleriot assumed their mantle.? Once it was possible to fly, newborn pilots raised the goals, and people attempted to do the impossible, like flying across the English Channel.? These newly minted pilots, these fledgling birds, having just left the nest, were now trying to write their names in the record books.? Bleriot succeeded, and Zenith was there, forever establishing the fusion of horology and flight. The prize to fly across the English Channel was 1,000 pounds - adjusted for inflation, a tidy sum in any age.? The French newspaper Le Matin disparaged the contest by declaring that there was no chance of a pilot winning the prize; the attempt was unreasonable.In 1909 with a Zenith strapped to his wrist, Bleriot crossed 31 miles of open water, stretching from horizon to horizon.? The flight from Calais to Dover last

Buying Guide - Some of the Coolest Character Watches Recently Launched
A cartoon or comic book character on the dial of a high-end luxury watch? Why not? Watches don’t have to be serious. Pop culture icons are increasingly in vogue, and luxury watch brands are now resurrecting a concept that has long been forgotten by traditional, relatively serious or technical watchmaking. But recently, even the most high-end watch manufacturers have been surfing the wave of comic or cartoon-themed timepieces. Also known as character watches, they have made a comeback and here are six models we spotted in 2021.Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying TourbillonAudemars Piguet announced its partnership with Marvel Entertainment a few months ago. The first model paying tribute to Marvel’s inspirational superheroes and powerful universe was a Royal Oak Concept in titanium featuring a hand-painted white gold 3D Black Panther character and a tourbillon movement. During the online presentation event, a one-of-a-kind white gold version of the watch wa

Video Review Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Steel Satin-Polished
If you’re a frequent reader of MONOCHROME, you probably know that we’ve already produced more than 100 videos, mostly in-depth movies to share the secrets of the industry and to take you inside some of the best watch manufactures. Today, here and on our YouTube channel, we start a new section with detailed video reviews. Guided by Leo, one of our video editors, you’ll discover watches in the best possible way, from every angle and with the product, and just the product. So let’s start this new video column with a review of one of the most respected luxury sports watches, the ultra-thin Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Steel Satin-Polished.This watch, a new iteration of what was for a couple of months the thinnest automatic watch in the world, should be no stranger to you. This year, Bvlgari decided to update its Octo Finissimo Automatic on many levels. Novelties include new contrasting satin-finished and polished surfaces for the stainless steel case, a slightly

Dive Watches With a Green Bezel, Because the One You Want Is Unobtainable - Monochrome Watches
You’ve set your mind on that dive watch with a green bezel. It looks good. No, it looks great… And despite having spent a small fortune at your local retailer over the years, you got a cold “no” when you asked for that watch. Whether it’s called Kermit, Cermit or like some say, the Starbucks Sub, it doesn’t matter because you’re not even allowed to put your name on the waiting list. And paying double the retail price isn’t an option. After having seen the disappointment of too many of our readers, we thought it would be an idea to list dive watches with a green bezel that you actually can buy. We go all across the board, from high-end Indie to pretty pleasantly priced value propositions: we’ve found something for everyone!?Note: this list is, of course, not exhaustive. Feel free to add the dive watches with green bezel you personally like in the comment box at the end.Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Bronze Green Ad - Scrol

Hands-On Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 Silver 79010SG - Price
Aside from the classics that are steel, titanium, gold or platinum, watchmaking has been using multiple “innovative” materials. You can think about exotic metals such as tantalum, aluminium or bronze, or materials like ceramic, carbon fibre or even sapphire – and not even counting dozens of proprietary alloys… The story behind 925 silver is slightly different. No stranger to watchmaking, this alloy has, however, long been replaced by steel or gold to make cases, and its use is often relegated to the production of dials. This year, Tudor somehow innovates (“think different” would be more appropriate) by launching its star dive watch in a 925 silver case. And indeed, it looks rather stunning, as we’ll show in this first live encounter with the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925.As said, 925 silver is (was actually) a familiar material in watchmaking. It was common to see pocket watches being made of solid silver, in the same vein as jewellery has be