Hands-On - Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer Bronze 43mm Anthracite
The latest Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer Bronze 43mm is a culmination of several things: the brand's recent use of bronze cases, the continued evolution of the Aikon line, and a focus on the diver aesthetic that began with the 1990s Calypso collection. This isn't simply a dive watch; it's very much an accessibly priced luxury sports watch as well. A hybrid, if you will. The first Aikon was introduced in 2017 with a quartz movement, but automatics debuted a year later and provided affordable alternatives to the Royal Oaks and Octo Finissimos of the world that many of us can only aspire to.?Maurice Lacroix generally defines affordable luxury, reminding me of brands like Frederique Constant, yet with a sportier vibe. The original Aikon automatics were luxury sports watches in three-hand and chronograph versions for enthusiasts without five-figure budgets. The Aikon Venturer series adds a more rugged, outdoorsy element with serious dive watch credentials. The Aikon Bronze first appeared i

Hands-On: Some Thoughts About the IWC Big Pilot QP Top Gun Lake Tahoe
Approaching a hands-on article about a watch can take various angles, and one exciting perspective is to envision how a newcomer to the watch scene might react to a timepiece and what questions might arise during their exploration of the product. Let’s explore this approach as we delve into the mighty IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar TOP GUN Lake Tahoe (what a name…), presented by the Schaffhausen-based brand in 2023.Imagine being entirely unfamiliar with IWC and its collections as you encounter a 46.5mm diameter, 15.5mm height watch encased in white ceramic featuring a substantial steel diamond-shaped ribbed crown. Despite its size, you’re surprised by its lightweight feel. On the matte black dial, you notice perpetual calendar indications inspired by flight instruments, complete with aeroplane images. You flip the watch over, and the sapphire crystal reveals the mechanism; you move the watch to playfully interact with the cut-out rotor adorned with the

Weekly Watch Photo - Collection by Watch Anish - Monochrome Watches
Monochrome has been making an effort of bringing you the most stunning watch photos , every week a new set from photographers all around the world. Whether the photos are made by professional photographers, like Bert Buijsrogge (check here and here), Ming Thein (see here) or Martin Wilmsen (see here for an example), or hobbyist who post iPhone photos on a Facebook group called wrist shots (check them here), we search for the coolest, most stylish and mouthwatering photos of equally stunning timepieces.?British style guru Watch Anish and his team, always create uber-dandy-styled pictures, showing not “just” a watch, but an ensemble that is striking! Let us share a few of his latest artistic interpretations of watches in their natural habitat. Although the first photo shows exactly the opposite; a Sky-Dweller that is DLC black coated by Bamford, which is not on the wrist. Scroll to the end to see this very watch on a wrist. But first Peter Speake-Marin’s new Spirit Ma

Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie California Dreamin' Chronograph Review
Czapek expands its Faubourg de Cracovie chronograph collection with the incorporation of this California Dreamin' model. Although its name will have you humming the Mamas & the Papas 1965 hit song, it has nothing to do with nostalgia for California sunshine. Nor does it have anything to do with the historic figure of Fran?ois Czapek, whose name is honoured by the brand. The latest chronograph is inspired by the first modern watch of the brand designed by its co-founders; a robust, vintage sports watch with a California dial known as the Czapek Design Study Watch. The sportiest, raciest and quirkiest chronograph in the Faubourg de Cracovie line-up today, we spent some time with the watch and this is what we found.BackgroundWith its high-falutin' brand name belonging to the other' founder of Patek Philippe, the name Czapek was registered by three co-founders in 2012. To legitimise the establishment of the brand they needed to produce a watch. The Czapek Design Study Watch was their s

Hands-On: The Blue Panda Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph
At the end of last week, we’ve already shared with you our first hands-on sessions with two of the latest updates to the ultra-successful Tissot PRX collection, the Ice Blue dial on the Powermatic 80 model and the long-expected addition of integrated rubber straps to the collection. That wasn’t all we’ve seen, as we have more to share. Again, it’s all about a first look, a quick hands-on session to show you the watch in the metal. Based on the already existing PRX Automatic Chronograph, available so far in silver with black counters and gold-coloured accents, or in blue with reverse panda style, Tissot now adds a third version with a silver dial and blue panda layout. And here’s what it looks like in the wild.?When released last year, the?chronograph was the first and major update to the already well-established PRX collection. Coming next to the 35mm quartz models and the 40mm quartz and Powermatic 80 editions, the Tissot PRX Automatic Chronograph is by f