Arnold and Son flies the Union Jack with pride, continuing a British watch making tradition that goes back to John Arnold (1736-1799) and his son John Roger Arnold (1769-1843). The company supplied marine chronometers to the Royal Navy for navigating longitude. The Instrument Collection, which boasts the Time Pyramid among others, harkens to the pa.................. 2013-03-19 More

During the 2013 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, a lot of stunning new timepieces have been released. News from the top brands is always exciting especially when they all want to outdo one another; bigger booths, more elaborate shows and more intricately designed timepieces. Lately many brands are grabbing back on their own history, to f.................. 2013-03-13 More

Seven years ago IWC started their commitment to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, a perfect way to?demonstrate IWC’s commitment to philanthropy by releasing a limited edition timepiece in aid of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Part of the proceeds resulting from the sale of the watches go to help needy children all over the world................... 2013-03-12 More

If you can get a car in green, yellow or black, what color do you choose? Black. Why? Because black is badass. Pair that black with a Bentley, and you are ready to thrown down, 0 to 60 (or 0 to 100 km/h) in a flash, drag race at the next stop light against whatever oversized muffler attached to a four cylinder happens to be handy, not because you a.................. 2013-03-11 More

When two celebrities step-out onto the same red-carpet wearing the same dress it can create an awkward and sometimes ugly scene. Then the folks in the blogosphere star asking Who wore it better? or Who Rocked' a certain look. What happens when two names synonymous with uber-Horology produce uncannily similar designs? Let's find outWhen you spend al.................. 2013-03-11 More

[Loud voice] AND THE WINNER IS… Winner? What winner? Winner of what? The winner of the Timezone Watch of the Year 2012 Award is the A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar. A well deserved victory for the most legible tourbillon perpetual calendar.?For the Watch of the Year 2012, the Timezone moderators pre-selected seven, .................. 2013-03-10 More

In 2010 Montblanc launched the ExoTourbillon and at this year’s SIHH Montblanc treated us on two new version, in 18 carat white and red gold. The ExoTourbillon is Montblanc’s first combination of a chronograph (not just a chronograph) and a?tourbillon (not just a tourbillon).?All classic watchmaking expertise of Montblanc’s Viller.................. 2013-03-07 More

A quick reminder… you still have a chance to win a trip to the Montblanc watch manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland! Together with me, you can visit to the place where the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph and the TimeWalker TwinFly Chronograph are created.?I’m looking forward to visiting Montblanc’s watch manufacture in Le L.................. 2013-03-05 More

Oris just unveiled something remarkable, a mechanical dive watch?with depth gauge for a retail price of just € 2.600 Euro! Compared to the few other mechanical watches with a depth gauge, this is spectacular.I must admit that Oris didn’t?get much attention here at Monochrome. That is because we usually focus on much more high-end timepieces. .................. 2013-02-28 More

Here we go again, time?to vote for the TimeZone Watch of the Year 2012! All member of watch forum TimeZone can vote for one of the seven preselected finalists.?While you usually can choose between 6 finalists, pre-elected by the Timezone moderators, this year Timezone shows us seven finalsist to choose from. Again a most impressive line-up! The fin.................. 2013-02-26 More

Sometimes we at Monochrome get help, unasked and unexpectedly, and highly appreciated. Kal, a Genevan based watch lover, has supported us for a long time through Twitter. I hope many of you will support us through social media, by re-tweeting like Kal does, liking on Facebook or sharing our photos at Pinterest.?Kal not only supported us through Twi.................. 2013-02-25 More

Chopard has a long-standing relationship with motorsports, and most collectors are aware of the brand’s partnership with the Mille Miglia classic car rally. Since 2002, Chopard has also been the official timekeeper of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, a biannual event in which classic ’70s race cars race through the Monegasque street.................. 2013-02-24 More

I have, sadly, never met Richard Mille in person, however, I have a feeling he would provide interesting company. I would enjoy hearing him regale me with his obsession regarding perfection. It is something which accords with my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He clearly is drawn to examples of prodigious power and phenomenal performance. Mille has .................. 2013-02-22 More

In case you missed it: two weeks ago we announced that you can win a visit to the Montblanc watch manufacture in Le Locle, Switzerland. It not too late and you still have time to sign up, so what are you waiting for??Le Locle is a small village in the Swiss?Jura mountains and situated north of Lake Neuchatel. It is in the heart of the Swiss watch i.................. 2013-02-20 More

Last year Panerai introduced two Special Editions with a vintage Minerva movement; the?rose gold PAM00398 and the stainless steel PAM00399. These are Radiomir variations with more solid lugs and a a different crown, however with the recognizable cusion-shape case. Already during the SIHH it was clear that there was a small mistake, because “s.................. 2013-02-20 More

When De Bethune creates a new timepiece, it is always something special. Technically all De Bethune timepieces are peerless and mix cutting-edge technologies with classical watchmaking techniques. But also aesthetically they feature the same mix of high-tech and classical elements, required to create a De Bethune.?Whether we’re talking about .................. 2013-02-15 More

It has been too long since we last posted a HIBAW story. But no worries, just in time for Valentine’s Day, our contributor Mario comes to the rescue!?St. Valentine's Day is upon us again. Time to tell our inamoratas that we love them! Shall we say it with chocolate? Too many calories! Shall we say it with roses? Roses fade and turn brown and .................. 2013-02-13 More

Vacheron Constantin celebrates the opening of the new Parisian boutique with the launch of two new mens versions of the Vacheron Constantin 1972. One regular and one limited edition, both in white gold and both feature the iconic assymetric case. Remember the beautiful black & white photos, dedicated to the new VC boutique,?that we showed you i.................. 2013-02-13 More

Especially for the inauguration of the new Chopard Boutique on the Rue de Rh?ne, Geneva, Chopard have created a new interpretation of the classic and stylish L.U.C XPS.The new L.U.C XPS is a limited edition of 25 pieces and it’s the first L.U.C XPS in platinum.?Its dimensions of?39.50 mm in diameter and just 7.13 mm in height (!!) make the L................... 2013-02-12 More

Although it is still a full year ahead, Omega already?introduced?two limited edition?Seamaster Planet Ocean models, to commemorate the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to be held in Sochi,?Russia, in February of 2014.The two models are?the?large 45.5 mm Planet Ocean and a white ladies model, measuring 37.5 mm in diameter. Both?are fitted with a .................. 2013-02-12 More

A. Lange & Sohne is one of the most covered brands in Monochrome’s Weekly Watch Photo. No wonder, with the world’s most beautiful movements as featured in the A. Lange & Sohne Double Split,?exquisite?dials as the Zeitwerk Handwerkskunst?or stunning complications as in the Zeitwerk Striking Time.?And then consider that it is R.................. 2013-02-10 More

Have you ever dreamed about visiting a watch manufacture? Well, dream no further, here’s your chance. Together with our friends of Montblanc we’re giving you the chance to win a trip to the Montblanc Watch Manufacture in Le Locle!?In the historic villa in Le Locle, is one of two Montblanc watch manufactures and this is the place of birt.................. 2013-02-07 More

With the leadership of Carole Forestier-Kasapi at Cartier, you might expect Aretha Franklin to belt out, “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”. In a field dominated by men, she rises to the top of the heap, winning the prestigious 2012 Best Watchmaker Prize at the Grande Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG). The win is a well-deserved acc.................. 2013-02-06 More

Montblanc has two watch manufactures; the manufacture in Le Locle where (among others) the Nicolas Rieussec collection and its in-house movement is conceived. The other manufacture is the former Minerva manufacture, where time seems to run in a slower pace and watches are still entirely hand-made.?It is this place, the Montblanc Manufacture in Vill.................. 2013-02-04 More

This year's SIHH offering from Panerai has something for everyone! Historical cases, innovative tech, and Special Editions designed to tempt. Let’s start the week with a look at all new Panerai’s at 2013’s SIHH.?In the music industry there is an expression: You can't fool the fans. Critics, (and hacks like me) spend all day lookin.................. 2013-02-04 More

For the third year in a row, our friends at Montblanc invited me to the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie or SIHH. This allowed me to have a look behind the scenes of?the most prestigious luxury watch fair in the world.?Montblanc CEO mister Lutz Bethge talks with us about the SIHH and the Montblanc resident photographer?Pascal Le Segretain.................. 2013-02-03 More

Last year, we saw something out of the ordinary from Hublot. An?extra-thin Classic Fusion?with a skeletonized dial that even stalwarts of the brand didn’t see coming. This year they up the ante even more with one simple addition, something that was missing from last year’s model, a black ceramic case. A nice looking addition to the tita.................. 2013-01-29 More

Ok. How do we do this?? Where do we start?? I suggest you sit back, take a deep breath, set aside anything you might have seen in the past couple of years, hold tight and enjoy the following three (Yes, THREE!!) timepieces by Le Grande Maison: Jaeger-LeCoultre.Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded in the Swiss Vallee de Joux region back in 1833, and for you.................. 2013-01-28 More

The last days of the SIHH turned out rather strange for me, as I was down with a severe flu, and unable to publish anything about the new timepieces. In the coming weeks I’ll publish the most outstanding, and remarkable pieces. I’ve had time to do some more hands-on photos, and the reviews will?follow over the?next weeks.?One of the rem.................. 2013-01-26 More

Progress can be an unsentimental and unforgiving thing. Sometimes we must move on and forsake the past in anticipation of the future. Fortunately for IWC and their Ingenieur line - the past is not such a bad thing!? Instead of obliterating it IWC have chosen to evolutionize it!To hardcore watch fans, few names elicit a primal response like the IWC .................. 2013-01-22 More

A?world-timer?is perhaps the most practical complication of modern time. We travel around the world, our friends and sometimes also family life in different time zones. It’s just one step before we need migrate to the moon and need a star timer, so for now a good?world-timer?will do.?Montblanc understood the necessity of world-timers and two .................. 2013-01-22 More

At SIHH 2013, Piaget's in-house constructed minute repeater, their first minute repeater, made its debut.? Not only is it a first for Piaget, but the watch holds two firsts in the watch world: thinnest movement (4.8mm) and thinnest case (9.4mm). Let’s have a closer look at the spectacular Piaget Emperador Coussin ultra-thin minute repeater. T.................. 2013-01-22 More

Montblanc comes with a new variation on the iconic Nicolas Rieussec Chronograph, with an absolutely brilliant way to indicate time. The hour indication is not just a 12-hour indication, it immediately makes clear wether it’s day or night.I guess it’s safe to assume that you know the Montblanc Nicolas Rieussec by now and if not, please c.................. 2013-01-21 More

Like last year – and the year before that – my friend at Montblanc asked me to come and join them for the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie again. Of course, this is an opportunity that I can’t let go, so I happily accepted!?Montblanc CEO, mister Lutz Bethge, was so kind to spent some time with me and tell you about the S.................. 2013-01-21 More

Tomorrow, at the start of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, short SIHH, IWC will launch their newest models of the Ingenieur collection. Today we’ll have a look at the previous love-baby of IWC and AMG. Indeed AMG, the the guys that make every Mercedez-Benz roar like no other sports car! In 2004 they joined forces, which led to .................. 2013-01-20 More

Today Omega announced a watch that is resistant to magnetic fields greater than 1.5 tesla (15,000 gauss)!! That’s a lot and any normal watch will stop immediately when exposed to this level of magnetism.?For comparison, a watch is considered anti-magnetic when it can withstand 60 Milgauss and the Milgauss is designed to withstand a?magnetic.................. 2013-01-17 More

In Kurt Vonnegut's novel, Cat's Cradle he wrote of a mysterious substance Ice 9 that could in fact FREEZE any organic substance it came into contact with! A single molecule of Ice 9 could have set off a chain reaction of frosty crystallization that would have ended all life on Earth! When I bought my Seiko SBDC007 it had a similar effect on my enti.................. 2013-01-15 More

An outrageous idea that a watchmaker dreams up, and developing it into a fully functional timepiece really inspires me. Take for instance the Oculus-mechanism in the Valbray V.01 or the liquid hour marker in the HYT H1 are perfect examples of such out-of-the-box creativity. Richard Mille in its own right, is a brand not shy of pushing the proverbia.................. 2013-01-14 More

Sunday, so time for Monochrome’s Weekly Watch Photo. Like last week (check here) it’s a cooperation with AskMen and this week I’m putting one of my dream watch in the spotlight. All photos are made by Tony from Halfpastthehour.?When I first discovered watches, and, in particular, mechanical watches, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Per.................. 2013-01-13 More

There has been a much publicized concern within the watch industry about over reliance on one or two key suppliers of components. Some companies have addressed this by purchasing their own case makers, developing their own movements and seeking greater independence.?Chopard, the family owned concern, has sought vertical integration, with virtually .................. 2013-01-09 More