When A. Lange & Sohne is mentioned, it is easy to dream. It is easy to dream because of names like Datograph, Zeitwerk or Double-Split. These watches can be found on so many watch collectors’ wish-list (and not only Lange aficionados), and for extremely good reasons, as clearly, they are all watchmaking?pinnacles, grail watches, dream-mac.................. 2016-09-16 More

It is only one-and-a-half year ago. That’s when Oris introduced the Divers Sixty-Five, a new kid on the “vintage diver’s watches block”, and collectors around the world embraced this very cool, and very affordable, vintage inspired divers watch. After the first model, with similar hour markers as an old Oris from 1965, a sec.................. 2016-09-16 More

If you remember, earlier this year, in March 2016, TAG Heuer came with a superb idea: the opportunity for?collectors to vote and to decide which vintage Heuer Autavia will be the inspiration for a modern reedition of this mythical watch. The audience chose?one of the coolest editions, the?Autavia 2446 Mark 3 “Jochen Rindt”. The result o.................. 2016-09-12 More

Ulysse Nardin… quite a manufacture, with bold designs, inspired by the world of Marine. But that’s for the visual side. Technically, this brand has so much to offer. They are from the most innovative of them all. They introduced silicon in watchmaking, they created complex watches with extremely simple mechanisms (thanks to master watch.................. 2016-09-09 More

Cars and watches, a great combination, and this combi?comes with a very legitimate historical background. For the second year Tudor was sponsor of the Historic Grand Prix in Zandvoort and we got the chance to enjoy a great day with them in the Paddock Club, and of course strolling through the paddock to see so many awe-inspiring cars. From pre Worl.................. 2016-09-09 More

The Richard Mille RM 011 is a watch that perfectly sums up the Richard Mille spirit. We know this watch for almost?10 years and we’ve seen it in dozens of editions – some linked to certain events (Le Mans Classic), made for special friends of the brand (Felipe Masse, Roberto Mancini…) and manufactured in all possible colors or mat.................. 2016-09-08 More

A few weeks ago we published the first part of my personal story with A. Lange & Sohne. To me, this brand has played an important role in the past one-and-a-half decade of watch collecting, learning about mechanical watches and making Monochrome into what it is today. After that memorable weekend back in 2007, there was another memorable weeken.................. 2016-09-07 More

We have always said: there are huge analogies between the luxury car industry and the watchmaking industry whether we are talking about marketing, sponsorships,?typology of collectors. In terms of products, we can also find similarities. It is extremely common for cars now to have their middle-life facelift, and this happens more and more in watche.................. 2016-09-06 More

Back in Baselworld 2016, Doxa introduced its 50th Anniversary Sub model, a great dive watch with unquestionable pedigree. We will discover why this dive watch is so important by looking back at an early Doxa Sub 300, belonging to one of the preeminent Doxa collectors – and a great friend of Monochrome and me, personally – Mr. Marco Thie.................. 2016-09-02 More

Built for the extreme, dive watches were born from an utilitarian purpose: diving is all about time and depth. Yet, their most important promise might very well be that strapping a rugged dive watch around your wrist, gets you ready for the next adventure or adrenaline fix. The perfect option if you want to test your ability “not to crack und.................. 2016-09-02 More

If there’s one thing that can be easily linked to Ulysse Nardin, it is the world of boats – and I mean everything related to this world, like Marine chronometers (they were the roots of this manufacture), yacht-oriented watches or a sponsorship of the world’s most famous nautical competition. While the latter partnership usually g.................. 2016-08-31 More

Dutch citizens and their pride, all wrapped in?orange… That’s something few can understand but I have to say, I do. Indeed, I am surrounded with Dutch guys, as two of our contributors are Dutch and even our dear founder Frank is. While the Netherlands aren’t known to?be the greatest country for sports, they have one man to rely on.................. 2016-08-31 More

Listen to this: double column-wheel, flyback, split-seconds, automatic chronograph, skeletonized, and with a tourbillon… Sounds like something we’re all dreaming off. It’s like the Lamborghini you had on your wall when you were a teenager. Something that looked too good to be true? Or just way too expensive to ever be accessible, .................. 2016-08-30 More

Here’s the dilemma: you love watches, mechanical watches, with a classical or vintage look. On the other hand, you also love connected items and the concept of a smart watch is something you dug into, especially since the introduction of the Apple Watch. However, you don’t like it. You think it’s not going to fulfill your needs of.................. 2016-08-30 More

You thought that TAG Heuer was only about to do?normal watches, with a more?entry-level objective – and we thought that too, especially after what we told you here. Well, it seems that it’s not going to be the case and that concept watches, even if rare, are still part of the new strategy implemented by Mister?Biver. As a proof, TAG Heu.................. 2016-08-29 More

In the small but fascinating world of watchmaking, some timepieces?deeply influenced the whole industry. The Submariner almost defined what a dive watch should be. The story behind the Speedmaster is still an immense source of fascination. The Royal Oak created his own and so-respected category, the luxury sports watch. In a much more discreet way,.................. 2016-08-26 More

Watchmakers are like all?boys. When it comes to numbers, being first or having the greatest is always better – even if having the biggest (watch of course…) is not always desirable. Watchmakers always looked for the most complicated watch, for the watch with the most features, for the most precise movement or for the lightest case. And .................. 2016-08-25 More

Monochrome and exposing intricate mechanics definitely sounds like something we love here, at Monochrome-Watches! Living up to the promise and presented at Baselworld 2016, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black features a smoked transparent case crafted out of sapphire, based on the already introduced clear version. Time to go hands-on with .................. 2016-08-25 More

When I bought my Omega Speedmaster X-33 many moons ago, it was a shoe-in for the first watch to Mars – at the time it was the only watch qualified for missions to Mars. Jean-Claude Biver – the Lazarus of the watchmaking industry – has partnered up with China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National D.................. 2016-08-24 More

At Patek Philippe, chronographs are something considered with an almost clerical?serious. From the extremely complex split-seconds or perpetual calendar versions – or even both – to the most simple variation, all of them are extremely desirable. One thing to note in the actual collection is a sort of back to basics, with cleaner and mor.................. 2016-08-22 More

When thinking about the archetype of the round Swiss watch, the first names that come to mind might very well be Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin. As the custodians of Geneva's watchmaking tradition, influenced by the sober protestant spirit, both brands stand for subtle, understated elegance. However, beyond the design conventions dictated by.................. 2016-08-19 More

With no fanfare or fireworks, quietly, in the middle of the rush of the SIHH 2016, in the luxurious salons of the Cartier booth, nearly forgotten because pushed into the background by the introduction of the Drive, Cartier introduced this year a new version of an icon, the Santos 100. Well, if the design remains the same as the previous editions, s.................. 2016-08-18 More

In the watchmaking industry, some terms are certainly?often misused, like for instance “independent watchmaking” or “hand-made“. What we are going to show you today represent?these two notions in their purest form, something in the vein of Roger Smith, Georges Daniels or Philippe Dufour – don’t expect us to make .................. 2016-08-18 More

If there’s one thing Oris is good at, it’s to create interesting and nicely designed limited editions, especially of dive watches. Well, it’s not that difficult when your base for these editions is the reliable, rugged, efficient but pretty affordable Aquis Date. We’ve seen for instance the Great Barrier Reef edition or the .................. 2016-08-17 More

World Timers are among Patek Philippe's most popular complications, with a history spanning over almost 80 years (thanks to the collaboration with Cottier). A cult status confirmed at Phillips May 2016 auction, when a rare Patek 2523/1 from 1954 achieved US$ 2.5 million. At Baselworld 2016, Patek Philippe introduced two new models featuring this pr.................. 2016-08-15 More

The A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Chronograph Boutique Edition is yet another example of the superlative chronographs, developed by the Haute Horlogerie brand from Glashutte, Germany. We were recently given the opportunity to test and wear the watch for a couple of weeks. To cut a long story short: we loved it. As we have already introduced the watch t.................. 2016-08-12 More

Last week we showed you Panerai’s new dress watch, the Luminor Due, and today we’re going to look at all the other novelties that were presented to us during the recent presentation?in Amsterdam. First there’s an important update to the Luminor 1950 and there’s a new Luminor 1950 Carbotech. Let’s have a closer look of .................. 2016-08-11 More

Over the last five years the use of bronze as material for watches has become quite a popular thing, and although not necessarily a commonplace, we see more bronze watches today than ever before. Bronze has found its way into almost every price segment; however it’s mainly used for?sports watches. Hautlence thinks otherwise, and actually, we .................. 2016-08-10 More

While our managing editor Brice is enjoying a well-deserved vacation, I am making time for what I actually like doing best: writing about beautiful watches! During the year most of my time goes on?many?other activities, to make sure that we can keep sharing our passion for fine watches with you, and we can pay the bills. Monochrome’s subtitle.................. 2016-08-10 More

Ever wonder how watches got their names? A few weeks ago we told you about the brand names and their origin. Today we’re going to look at the watch model names. With hundreds of past and present watches, what has been the inspiration for watchmakers and brands to call them certain names? Some are pretty straight forward, other more obscure. F.................. 2016-08-09 More

The new Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar was introduced earlier this year at Baselworld, to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the brand’s?Marine collection. Inside ticks the newly developed calibre UN-153, which actually is the in 2014 introduced Ulysse Nardin in-house chronograph calibre UN-150, with an additional annual cale.................. 2016-08-08 More

There’s something about luxury sports watches. For me this category of watches -if we can call it a category- is the most versatile, useful and comfortable around, and they are probably the best every-day watches that you can find. Wear?’em under the shower, in the swimming pool or sea, they are good when playing with the kids, or when .................. 2016-08-05 More

The German watch brand A. Lange & Sohne has played an important role in my watch-collecting (and blogging) life. I?admired the brand, and as I got to know them, and their watches, even better, my admiration only grew stronger. I guess that most serious collectors will say the same about the brand. Since we’re celebrating Monochrome’.................. 2016-08-04 More

A few years ago Kees Engelbarts showed me photos of his latest creation that we covered here. I was baffled to see by what degree one could skeletonize a mechanical movement. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure whether I really liked it or was “just” very impressed by the incredible craftsmanship this takes. Last month I visited?Kees En.................. 2016-08-03 More

We have been doing quite a few sweepstakes this year, and every time we ask you two or three questions. Why? We’d love to hear more from you and learn what you like a lot on Monochrome, what you would love to see more of and actually how we can serve you with your daily dose of horological content better. One of the things we learned is that .................. 2016-08-02 More

When you think about Panerai, you think about the Italian Navy and about bold, sporty and thick watches. Ideal for diving, leisure and casual events. But for wearing with a business shirt and suit at work or a fancy party; you probably turned to other brands when you needed a dress watch. In May 2016 Panerai had some good news for Panerai aficionad.................. 2016-08-02 More

At the SIHH 2015, Montblanc surprised the audience with a watch combining a extremely complex movement, with an appealing look and a price almost unbelievable. It was the?Montblanc Heritage Chronometrie ExoTourbillon Minute Chronograph, available in red gold with a white dial and in white gold with an exclusive aventurine dial. The complex and very.................. 2016-08-01 More

Here is our 8th installment of our market finds, in collaboration with the online auction?platform?Catawiki. Every Friday we select five ‘youngtimers’ that would make a great addition to ever watch collection. This week, we found 2 perfect dress watches from Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre, 2 great vintage inspired chronographs from.................. 2016-07-31 More

Imagine you are looking for a new watch, a watch that you could easily wear during summer, weekends, holidays, to the pool, for all kind of leisure activities, with a solid construction, a robust water resistance, a rather cool look, slightly vintage-inspired, from a reputable manufacture, with in-house movement and automatic (of course). What coul.................. 2016-07-29 More

We can’t?hide the fact that, since 15 years, watches have drastically increased in terms of dimensions?– in thickness for sure, but mainly in diameter. It is now common to see a dress watch with a 41mm case and a dive watch with a 44mm diameter. This is kind of a norm nowadays. Or maybe it was…? More and more, we see watches being.................. 2016-07-28 More