Buying Guide - High-End Traveller's Watches of 2020
We’ve said it on many occasions at MONOCHROME. A traveller’s watch, whether a simple GMT piece or a more complex world timer, is a must-have for enthusiasts and certainly one of the most practical functions you can think of in watchmaking. We all love a nice hand-wound chronograph, we can dream in front of a minute repeater, but in the end, the traveller’s watch remains one of the truly useful functions. But what if you love complications, what if you want more than just a GMT hand or a rotating bezel? Well, we’ve selected three recently introduced traveller’s watches that go far beyond the classic GMT hand – and an additional one that can easily be qualified as a dream watch.?A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Time ZoneThe Lange 1 is, without a doubt, one of the most emblematic German watches ever created. Since its launch in 1994, its deliberately unusual display remains untouched and multiple variations, with all kinds of complications, have been introd

Watches & Wonders 2021 Will Be (again) a 100% Digital Salon - Monochrome Watches
In the light of the uncertainty provoked by the current health crisis, most of the major fairs of 2020 were cancelled – including the two heavyweights that are Baselworld and Watches & Wonders, the latter having held a digital edition already in April 2020. For 2021, afraid of the (non) evolution of the sanitary situation, the Watches & Wonders Geneva Exhibitor Committee has taken the decision not to hold the physical Salon, which was scheduled April 7 to 13, 2021. Instead, W&W Geneva will once again be an all-digital edition, where brands will unveil their new collections online.According to the official statement sent a few minutes ago: “In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Exhibitor Committee has decided to cancel the physical Salon that would have been held at Palexpo from April 7 to 13, 2021. The decision, taken in close consultation with the principal stakeholders, is seen as the most responsible course of action, given the current health crisis a

The 2022 IWC Aquatimer Automatic With 5-Day Movement
During the past decade or so, the IWC Aquatimer has lived a very discreet life since the brand’s promotional activities were mostly dominated by the Pilot’s and Portugieser collections. A dive watch with a classic look, solid construction and original internal bezel construction, the Aquatimer has long been underappreciated. In order to bring the watch back into the game without changing much to its design, IWC has decided to apply the same recipe it used with the new Mark XX Series and new Pilot Chronograph 43. So here’s the 2022 IWC Aquatimer Automatic Collection, now equipped with a 5-day power reserve movement.?The discontinued model, reference IW329001 (left) next to the new version for 2022, reference IW328802 (right)As you can see from our side-by-side comparison above, the evolution of the IWC Aquatimer Automatic is minimal… Or, to make it simple, almost nothing has been changed when it comes to the design, specifications or case dimensions. It’s a

FOUND: a Proper SPY-TOOL For The Big Kids That We Really Are - Monochrome Watches
Who never dreamed of owning and playing with James Bond's watch (and incidentally, who didn't also dream of having the Bond girls but that's another story)? While searching for interesting things trifles to buy on Ebay, we've stumbled upon THE object to tickle our spy-kid minds: a true revival of the Cold War, a fascinating object that would have to be used with a trench coat, a hat and sunglasses: a real spy-watch with an integrated microphone and recorder - Khrouchtchev-approved. OK, let's be clear, we are not going to tease you with some fascinating Haute Horlogery here. Sometimes, we have open-minded and constructive silly conversations at the Monochrome-Watches HQ. And it can result in this: the discovery of a piece of history that reminds us how technology has changed in the past decades. When you think about spy-watches, the first one that come in your mind is a Submariner or an Omega Seamaster, either one full of lasers, grapnels, detonators and complicated computers - thank

Oris presents the monochromatic Divers Sixty-Five 12H Calibre 400
The Oris Divers Sixty-Five is among the brand's most iconic and recognised collections, going back to the original from 1965 (hence the name). There are a handful of distinctive and unique variations, such as this faithful reissue of a classic, but most follow the same general design language. The latest Divers Sixty-Five 12H Calibre 400 brings the in-house calibre 400 to the series in a non-limited edition, which is a first. We've already seen the new movement in Aquis divers, so it's great to have in-house Divers Sixty-Five models in regular production.The stainless steel case is 40mm in diameter, which is fairly standard for the series and a perfect contemporary size. The bidirectional rotating bezel has a black aluminium insert that's familiar enough, but it now sports a 12-hour scale for a second time zone. This is another first for a Divers Sixty-Five in addition to the calibre 400. A double-domed sapphire crystal with an interior anti-reflective coating protects the dial, while