Interview - Jupp Philipp, New Owner of Fortis, on Reviving the Brand
Founded in 1912 by Walter Vogt in Grenchen, Switzerland, Fortis is known for manufacturing rugged, functional watches with a forte for pilot and cosmonaut watches. Among the milestones in the brand's rich history, Fortis has to be credited for its role (along with British watchmaker John Harwood) in the development of the automatic wristwatch in the early 1920s. Just a few months ago, the company was acquired by Jupp Philipp.?As the confinement period comes to an end here in Switzerland, we sat down with the new Fortis owner and CEO to talk about his plans to revive this fascinating brand.Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – Thanks for welcoming us here in Grenchen. How did you manage the confinement period?Jupp Philipp, Fortis – We have taken advantage of the quiet period. There is so much to do when relaunching a brand like Fortis. We worked from home 10 hours a day, planning the future of Fortis with the management team, in particular, the new collections and new design. We have d

Hands-On IWC Pilot Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas IW388108
We’ve talked multiple times about the connections between the world of cars and watches, and this couldn’t truer when it comes to motorsport and, specifically, F1. As we’ve seen here, all teams are partnering with a watch brand for the 2022 season. IWC has long been the partner of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One, having created multiple watches inspired by the world of Formula One, or dedicated to its pilots. This year, there’s a new pilot’s chronograph resulting from this IWC x AMG collaboration, but it’s a bit special, since it’s the first “team watch” that will be worn by?the staff, including designers, aerodynamicists, race engineers, strategists and mechanics. But no worries, as this new IWC Pilot's Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team”?IW388108 is also available for a wider audience.?Up until now, the partnership between IWC and F1 team Mercedes-AMG Petronas has resulted in numerou

Introducing the Longines Avigation GMT - Monochrome-Watches
Longines introduces a new edition in the Heritage line, a vintage and military inspired watch that takes place next to the recently revealed Heritage 1935,?Heritage Diver and?Conquest?Heritage 1954. This collection of watches is certainly the most interesting ?from Longines, with vintage inspired designs and useful complications. And that’s what the Longines Avigation GMT brings:?a robust watch with an old-fashioned style and a useful display.?The Longines Avigation is inspired by a 1949 timepiece produced for the British Army. ‘Avigation’, that stands for Aviation and Navigation, refers to the time Longines was supplying many Special Forces and Armies with robust and highly legible tools, such as the original ‘Majetek Vojenske Spravy‘ made for the?Czech Air Force. The original Avigation was made up to?military forces specifications: resistance, legibility and antimagnetic capacities.? Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Perry and his Nomos Tangente Sport Datum 531 - Monochrome Watches
The attraction, the reasons that drive us towards a certain kind of watch, the lack of rationale behind the love for a timepiece and then the hunt for THAT special one. Behind most watch acquisitions there's a story, a motivation to go for one particular version and not another, subjective factors that explain why one is drawn to a specific brand, and very often contradictions come into the equation. Today's instalment of The Collector's Series is all about that. At first,?Perry would have imagined Nomos to be his last choice, for reasons he'll explain. But still, he'll try (very) hard for that Tangente Sport Datum 531 to become his next purchase. And here's why.What drew you to Nomos as a brand to begin with? Ad - Scroll to continue with article I feel that Nomos is simply one of the coolest companies around. To my knowledge, they are one of the only fully inde

Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer - Hands-On, Price
It has been quite a while since we’ve heard from independent German watchmaker, Bernhard Lederer. One of the first members of the AHCI (Academie Horlogere des Createurs Independants), Lederer established a reputation with several disruptive horological concepts. In 2002, he launched the brand BLU (Bernhard Lederer et son Univers). Now based in Saint-Blaise, on the outskirts of Neuchatel, Bernhard Lederer works behind the scenes for some of the greatest names in the industry. And now, he is back with a series of chronometer watches dubbed “Tribute to the Masters of Escapements”. To kick off this collection, tribute is paid to one of the greatest watchmakers of the 20th century, Georges Daniels. Meet the Bernhard Lederer Central Impulse Chronometer regulated by a natural escapement with two independent gear trains and two remontoirs d'egalite!The essence of watchmakingThe escapement is one of the most critical parts of a watch, the brain of the movement, or the heart as