Holidays, Geneva Watch Days, Videos and Continued Coverage - Monochrome Watches
To say that these are weird times would be the understatement of the century. But as I announced in March, we would continue our coverage on watches, as we usually do, and refrain from discussing the COVID-19 situation. We’re here for watches and hopefully, we’ve been able to bring you a bit of horological solace in these strange times. And because both Xavier and I travelled much less than usual, we’ve even been able to increase our daily coverage from the world of watches. Here’s what you can expect from us in the coming period…Xavier, who lives in Switzerland, where the situation around the pandemic was pretty mild in comparison to some other European countries – not as strict as for Brice in France, or even Rebecca in Madrid – was able to meet with people from watch brands (almost) throughout the entire period, although at a much less intense pace than usual. Mainly many of the larger brands have been closed, with people working from home (

Bovet Wins the "Aiguille dOr" at GPHG 2018 (and all the other prize-winners) - Monochrome Watches
This is it, the 2018 edition of the GPHG, known as the “Oscars of the watchmaking industry”, has come to a close and the prize for the best watch of the year, also known as the?“Aiguille d'Or”, has been awarded. Once again this year, complications, creativity and Haute Horlogerie have been rewarded. Meet the best watch of 2018, the Bovet?Recital 22 Grand Recital – reviewed here – an impressively complex astronomical watch, as well as all the other prize winners of the GPHG 2018.Quick analysis: this year, independent watchmakers are at centre stage. No fewer than 9 prizes (total of 17 prizes) have rewarded the creativity of smaller brands, which are not under the control of mainstream luxury groups. Bovet (with the best of show “Aiguille d’Or”), Krayon, Akrivia, Laurent?Ferrier, Singer, De Bethune, Greubel Forsey, Habring2 and Konstantin Chaykin will all return home with one of the Golden Hand prizes. This is a clear sign of the impo

Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition 100 - Hands-On (Specs & Price)
In the past years, Montblanc has treated us to lots of horological sweets. That sweetness came mainly in the shape of chronographs fitted with the old Minerva calibres 16.29 and 13.21, both showcases of how incredibly beautiful old Minerva chronographs can be. It started (again) with the arrival of CEO Jer?me Lambert (now COO of most Richemont watch brands) who launched the Pulsograph into the Heritage Spirit collection back in 2014. This beauty was equipped with the historical Minerva calibre 13.21. In the following years, various iterations of the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter were introduced, powered by the magnificent large chronograph calibre 16.29.First, the 1858 Chronograph Tachymeter appeared in a steel case with a blue dial, later in red gold with a matte black dial, a bronze version with a champagne coloured dial, and a bronze piece unique with a vintage green dial for last year’s Only Watch auction. Now it appears in a limited edition of 100 pieces with the same striking

Industry New - Swatch Group 2020 Results, Strong Impact of Pandemic
The watch industry has taken a big hit during the pandemic. Swatch Group has just released its 2020 results and, as expected, these have been severely impacted. At CHF 5,595 million, net sales are down 28.7% at constant exchange rate and 32.1% at current rates. The operating results remain slightly positive at CHF 52 million (versus CHF 1,023 million in 2019) while the group records a net loss of CHF -53 million (versus net income of CHF 748 million in the previous year.) The second half of 2020 showed a gradual improvement of the activity: net sales were down 14.3% compared with the previous year and Swatch mentions a “strong December despite renewed lockdowns in important markets such as Germany and Great Britain“.Although the industry situation remains uncertain, Swatch Group anticipates a “strong catch-up in consumption worldwide for watches and jewelry in 2021” and hopes to see its sales return close to 2019 levels. Swatch Group also hopes to capitalize on

Introducing: The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Chronograph Moon
During the 2024 edition of Watches & Wonders, Jaeger-LeCoultre welcomes back the Duometre, one of its most technical, high-end collections. Thanks to the development of the new calibre 391, the Duometre Chronograph Moon combines a high-precision chronograph with a celestial complication. Further evolutions regarding the case and dial mark this model as one of the brand’s most important releases for 2024.Jaeger-LeCoultre launched its groundbreaking Duometre mechanism in 2007. Determined to overcome the problem posed by complications that deplete the power reserve and jeopardise the escapement’s precision, JLC masterminded the Duometre or Dual-Wing system, a two-pronged solution composed of two independent mechanisms. Fitted with two separate barrels and two independent gear trains, one is tasked with driving the escapement and keeping the time functions, while the other powers the complications. With its two independent mechanisms united by a single regulating organ, the