Watches NEWS
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15202 Only Watch 2021 Breaks Record
Once again this year, the watch industry reveals its best side as more than 50 brands participate in the great Only Watch charity event. Under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II and at the initiative of Luc Pettavino, this year is the 9th edition of the biennial charity auction, whose aim is to raise funds for research against Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A recurring participant of the event, Audemars Piguet presented a unique take on the Royal Oak 15202 Jumbo… but besides being special in materials, it’s also the last unique 15202 powered by the Calibre 2121, which will retire at the end of the year. And the room of the auction noted this… as it reached an incredible CHF 3,100,000, by far the highest price ever reached for a Royal Oak Extra-Thin Jumbo. And because it’s for a charity, we’re not going to complain.What's unique about this watch? The 39mm x 8.1mm case is identical to all other 15202 models, at least in shape. The materials and the
Dietrich TC-Pure Limited Edition Sterile Dials (Specs & Price)
We've covered several Dietrich watches in the past, which showcase edgy, avant-garde designs like the DD-1 and 1969. Founded in 2010 by Emmanuel Dietrich, the brand focused on affordable eccentricity, but also flexed some horological muscle with the Perception in 2017, a complicated and sophisticated Swiss made piece with a high price to match. Dietrich also launched the Time Companion collection that year, a surprisingly conventional and well-priced steel sports watch. A recent collaboration with Toronto based designer Matt Smith-Johnson has resulted in the new TC-Pure Limited Edition, a stripped down and modern interpretation of the original Time Companion (TC-1).The stainless steel case and integrated bracelet remain unchanged from the TC-1 with their Audemars Piguet Royal Oak vibe, but the new dials really change the aesthetic. MONOCHROME's Founder and Managing Director Frank Geelen recently explained how personal a dial can be with his own vintage Royal Oak Jumbo' 5402ST. Matt Smi
This week's Collector Series is an Editor's pick: Our very own Frank and his Speake-Marin Piccadilly - Monochrome Watches
Why did Peter Speake-Marin feel compelled to start making watches in the first place? Well, like most of us, he fell in love with the intoxicating combination of history, art and mechanics.?The London born watchmaker was education in London at the Hackney Technical College and then at WOSTEP (the prestigious Swiss watchmaking school in Neuchatel). Following his training in Switzerland, and on his return to London, Speake-Marin?begun working at Somlo Antiques (then based in the Piccadilly arcade). There, Speake-Marin learnt how past masters such as Breguet had found their watchmaking solutions and their diverse ways of making watches.Fast-forward a few years to the late 90's (and a number of machines) Speake-Marin begun developing a tourbillon pocket watch (by hand) with twin power trains, which later became known as the Foundation Watch. In the Foundation Watch, Speake-Marin laid down his style and philosophy while establishing his first independent workshop at the beginning of the mil
Flowers of Evil - A Treatise On Skull Watches
“A Carcass” (a must-read;?here) is without doubt Charles Baudelaire's most infamous poem, exploring the idea that beauty can be found in even the most morbid scenes. Like Baudelaire's “Flowers of Evil“, skull watches attempt to extract beauty from horror. These magnificent mechanical works of art emblazoned with the face of death are at once both shocking and engaging. They also serve an important purpose, an allusion to which we can find in one of the last stanzas of the poem:– And yet you will be like this corruption – Like this horrible infectionMemento Mori – remember that you must die. This familiar Latin expression, which traces its origins back to Ancient Rome, is intended to remind man of his mortality lest he should get too caught up in the trivial matters of this finite world. Memento Mori art is a popular extension of this concept which centers around symbols of mortality: clocks, skulls, hourglasses or candles. Ad - Scrol
Vacheron Constantin introduces 4 Limited Editions for Paris Boutique opening - Monochrome Watches
We have told you about the new Vacheron Constantin boutique in Paris when we showed you the stylish and sophisticated B&W photos they used for the portraits (click here) and when we brought the news of the?extremely stylish 1972 Prestige (click here to read our full story) that was introduced for the opening of the boutique.?Vacheron Constantin introduces four new limited-edition Patrimony Traditionnelle models?for the new Parisian boutique. The most outstanding model is?a one-of-a-kind version of the Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2755 grand complication. But Vacheron Constantin celebrates their relationship with the city of lights rather exuberantly, as they also introduce a Patrimony Traditionnelle small seconds (limited edition of 75 pieces) and a Patrimony Traditionnelle small model diamond-set (also limited to 75 pieces). However the?model that immediately caught my attention is a 10-piece limited edition of the Patrimony Traditionnelle Chronograph! Ad - Scroll t
[Rating:(5 / 5 stars)]
