Qualifying as Omega’s perfect everyday watch, the Seamaster Aqua Terra collection has long represented an elegant take on the aquatic watch or, conversely, a dress watch with a sportier vibe – take your pick. Over the years, we’ve seen countless editions of this watch, specifically following its facelift in 2017. It’s also b..................
2024-02-14 More
A few days ago, the MONOCHROME team delivered our yearly forecast of potential launches for the 2024 Collection. As always, we try our best to guess what the Crown will be presenting at the watch industry’s largest fair, Watches and Wonders. While trying to imagine and design these potential models, we also started to think about its sist..................
2024-02-13 More
First released in 2005 as a more powerful version of the Omega Seamaster, the Planet Ocean 600m has now become an entire collection with various complications, sizes and colours/materials?– without even mentioning its bigger brother, the mighty PO 6000m. Discreetly released by Omega, six new references join the collection – three time-a..................
2024-02-13 More
The Moon, our beloved neighbouring satellite, has a huge influence on life on Earth; it slows down the rotational speed of our planet, affects the tides of our oceans and forms the foundation of our convention of time. As the Moon is an ever-present celestial body, completing one cycle around our planet in approximately 29.5 days, it’s not su..................
2024-02-11 More
A couple of days ago, we received the news that Tudor, a brand owned by and focused on military, diving and aquatic activities, was back in motorsport. To be more precise, the brand announced joining the brand-new Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team as an official partner. Yesterday, the Red Bull-owned team unveiled the livery of its 2024 cars and ..................
2024-02-09 More
Zenith captured the attention and resonated strongly with enthusiasts in 2021 by unveiling the Chronomaster Sport collection. Setting itself apart from its predecessors, the series introduced several distinctive elements. Notably, the bezel graduated to 1/10th of a second, a departure from the traditional and arguably redundant tachymeter scale fou..................
2024-02-08 More
In our exploratory trip around the world to uncover some of the most interesting independent watchmaking stories, we make a stop in Denmark this time around. The work of Rune Bakkendorff, a young and upcoming watchmaker from Denmark has recently been brought to our attention through our friends of The Limited Edition. Curious to learn what Rune has..................
2024-02-06 More
With its Captain Cook, Rado, a brand part of the Swatch Group, is merging two important sides of its history. First, this watch collection revived one of the brand’s greatest watches of the past, a 1960s dive watch with a rather peculiar yet attractive design. Second, it is used as a vessel to showcase the company’s leading know-how in ..................
2024-02-06 More
Introduced last year as a project, the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives has to be seen as one of the most interesting recent initiatives in the field of independent and high-end watchmaking. Even though backed up by the world's largest luxury conglomerates, the LV Watch Prize aims to become a biennial prize that celebrates the cr..................
2024-02-06 More
The 2024 Formula 1 season hasn’t started yet. Teams are yet to present their new cars and liveries. And yet, the season seems to already be on a rapid pace. Following the announcement last week of a global partnership between H. Moser & Cie. and Alpine Motorsport, which includes the BWT Alpine F1 Team, it is time for another unexpected an..................
2024-02-06 More
When it was relaunched with a modernized and sleeker design in 2016, the Piaget Polo adopted the design cues of luxury sports watches, slightly changing the face of the collection to become a cushion-shaped watch. However, this isn't how the model started its life. This year, Piaget celebrates its 150th anniversary, and to whet our appetite, the br..................
2024-02-05 More
Like clockwork, every Sunday, we group together a bunch of watches around a common theme in our Buying Guide. This can revolve around a whole range of topics, such as colours, shapes and materials but also a certain style or even complications. Very rarely do we go deep into the movement to distinguish a series of watches, but today is one of those..................
2024-02-04 More
It’s tempting to delve into the detailed backgrounds of the individuals behind this independent creation, the Artime ART01 Tourbillon. Each name, obscure to the general public, speaks volumes to watch professionals and enthusiasts with a deeper knowledge of who’s who. Initially, I felt it imperative to provide profiles for each of them ..................
2024-02-02 More
In the upcoming February release, Matthew Vaughn unveils his latest cinematic creation, Argylle, delving into the entertaining and twisted world of espionage and spies. Drawing parallels to Vaughn’s other hit, Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), known for its stylish clandestine intrigue, Argylle promises an equally riveting experience. Vaug..................
2024-02-01 More
Ikepod is a preeminent figure in unconventional and often contentious design-focused watchmaking icons. Revered by collectors and enthusiasts alike, the brand, founded in 1994 by designer Marc Newson and entrepreneur Oliver Ike, has left an indelible mark on the watchmaking scene. Despite its global success, Ikepod faced a challenging period, with ..................
2024-02-01 More
The connection between watches and motorsport has been around for decades, specifically in Formula 1 where almost every team has signed a partnership with a prestigious watch brand. IWC and Mercedes AMG, Ferrari and Richard Mille, Aston Martin and Girard-Perregaux… And all of them bringing to the table dedicated timepieces. As the 2024 Formul..................
2024-02-01 More
Lab-grown diamonds are used extensively in jewellery but rarely in watchmaking. What takes nature billions of years to achieve and immense effort to mine can be pulled off in a laboratory in a matter of weeks. Embracing the technology and leading the pack, TAG Heuer is the first major Swiss brand to integrate lab-grown diamonds into its watches. Wi..................
2024-01-31 More
Nearly half a century ago, in 1975, Bulgari embarked on a horological voyage that would forever alter the watch design landscape. With only a few watch creations bearing its name, Bulgari showed opulence by gifting 100 gold digital display watches to its most esteemed clients. This bold yet elegantly simple timepiece christened Bulgari Roma, encaps..................
2024-01-30 More
While not many of us can pull off one of Bulgari's spectacular high jewellery watches like those presented in the Garden of Eden collection with opulent gemstone flowers winding up the arm, take heart because there are other women's collections designed for everyday wear. One of these is the best-selling Lucea collection launched by Bulgari in 2014..................
2024-01-30 More
The connection between classic cars and Chopard isn't to be demonstrated anymore. Beyond the brand's co-CEO passion for vintage automobiles, the brand has been associated with the emblematic Mille Miglia race since 1988. In the frame of this partnership, Chopard developed a dedicated collection of racing chronographs, with now 35 years of history u..................
2024-01-30 More
Hublot, deeply ingrained in contemporary pop culture, took a noteworthy step eight years ago by collaborating with the popular and flamboyant French artist Richard Orlinski. According to Ricardo Guadalupe, Hublot’s CEO, the timepieces Orlinski created are “instantly snapped up by art and watch collectors alike.” Orlinski’s s..................
2024-01-30 More
In recent years, using coloured cases and transparency has become a prevalent trend in the luxury watch industry. However, Hublot stands out as the undisputed leader when creating an entire timepiece in vivid colours and transparent materials.?One striking example is the lemon-yellow Big Bang Tourbillon Neon Yellow, unveiled by Hublot in 2023. This..................
2024-01-30 More
The third record for thinness in the successful Octo Finissimo series?by Bulgari, the Octo Finissimo Automatic started its life in the most monochromatic and sleek attire possible – sandblasted titanium over a tone-on-tone dial, a signature look for the collection. However, since its introduction in 2017, the model has seen multiple variation..................
2024-01-29 More
Over the years, Bulgari has released various iterations of the Octo Finissimo Automatic, showcasing the brand’s willingness to experiment with diverse materials and textures. Each subsequent model breathed new life into its appearance, unveiling a captivating and distinct aesthetic. The brand also improved the Octo Finissimo Automatic series,..................
2024-01-29 More
The Hublot MP series is a collection of masterpieces characterized by their disruptive and highly technical take on Haute Horlogerie. The latest chapter in this story, initiated in 2011, is the Hublot Big Bang MP-10 Weight Energy System Titanium. Visually arresting and technically complex, this limited edition timepiece is powered by a movement dis..................
2024-01-29 More
Earlier this month, LVMH, the French luxury powerhouse, reorganized the management of its watch division. Frederic Arnault was named CEO of LVMH Watches – overseeing TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith – Julien Tornare subsequently took over as CEO of TAG Heuer while a former Richemont executive, Benoit de Clerck, was recruited to run Zenith. ..................
2024-01-29 More
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the iconic Carrera chronograph last year, TAG Heuer unveiled the Carrera Glassbox and a 42mm Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon, a timepiece equally characterised by seamlessly integrated domed sapphire crystal. Inspired by the domed hesalite crystals found on early Carrera models, this watch with refined ergonomics..................
2024-01-29 More
Jack Heuer’s chronograph designs are revered as iconic and exemplary, laying the foundation for contemporary TAG Heuer collections that adhere to his fundamental principles and approach to watchmaking. As we embark on a new year, TAG Heuer presents a new timepiece inspired by the second-generation Carrera Dato 45 ref. 3147 from 1968, showcasi..................
2024-01-29 More
What comes after Black Friday, the Christmas holidays, and the New Year’s Eve celebrations? That’s right, Blue Monday. Labelled to be the most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday is typically connected to the third Monday in January, which this year would have been the 15th. This means that, for what it’s worth, we’ve al..................
2024-01-28 More
Unveiled last year during Watches and Wonders, the Chopard L.U.C 1860 in Lucent Steel with a guilloche salmon dial is a watch that left quite an impression on us. But there’s more to this timepiece than its elegance, its compact dimensions or its combination of materials and colours – salmon over steel is, by far, one of our favourite c..................
2024-01-26 More
While it might not come across as a particularly high-brow mechanical complication, the power reserve indicator is extremely useful. The equivalent of a petrol gauge on a watch, a power reserve indicator lets you know how much tension is left in the mainspring or, in simple terms, how much fuel is left in the tank. One of the most unusual takes on ..................
2024-01-25 More
As was expected, LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods company, has announced record revenues for 2023. At EUR 86.2 billion, revenues are up 9% while the organic growth was +13%. The progression of revenues was higher in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter with organic growth of 10% versus 9%, despite some uncertainties in the global econ..................
2024-01-25 More
Collaborations between watch brands and designers, artists, musicians, trendsetters, artisans, comic characters, action heroes, etc., are the order of the day. You’d be hard-pressed to think of a brand that has not succumbed to some outside input to generate a buzz among younger collectors or even wizened collectors looking for something fres..................
2024-01-24 More
When you look at this watch, you might think that someone opened a wooden drawer in the attic of a venerable manufacture, found a dusty box and opened it to reveal a well-preserved late-1930s watch. A representative of the brand’s heritage, which would become the base for a re-edition. Except that here, we’re talking about Raymond Weil,..................
2024-01-23 More
Following the announcement in July 2023 of its half-year results showing an impressive growth of 18% in sales, Swatch Group has just issued its key figures for the entire year 2023. The Biel-based conglomerate, owner of brands such as Omega, Longines, Tissot or Breguet, reports sales up by 12.6% at constant exchange rates, or 5.2% at current rates ..................
2024-01-23 More
Most of us, myself included, tend to let ourselves go a little during the Christmas season and indulge in a little too much food, drinks and money-splurging.?To combat that, many people have some form of New Year’s resolutions, like quitting smoking, losing a bit of weight perhaps, or just spending more time with your loved ones. To support y..................
2024-01-21 More
In 2019, Moritz Grossmann ventured into the scarcely populated territory of rectangular watches, unveiling three dial variants in five different versions as part of the Art Deco-inspired and appropriately named Corner Stone series. The Corner Stone featured a specially designed shaped calibre with a central hour and minutes display and a small seco..................
2024-01-19 More
Stating that Grand Seiko is Japanese is like saying that the Eiffel Tower belongs to Paris. It seems so obvious at first that you might forget that France’s most famous monument wasn’t meant to become a permanent fixture. With Grand Seiko, the Japaneseness of the brand isn’t just about the location. It’s not about making wat..................
2024-01-19 More
Switzerland-based luxury conglomerate Richemont Group has just issued its trading update for the nine months ended 31 December 2023. The group, which includes brands such as Cartier, IWC, JLC and Vacheron, reports sales up by 8% at constant exchange rates and by 4% at actual exchange rates to EUR 5.6 billion for the last quarter of 2023. At EUR 15...................
2024-01-18 More
Last Tuesday (of course), Omega presented its latest Speedmaster model, the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8. As an updated version of an existing model, the watch felt highly familiar at first sight. Presented in 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the mission that first observed the other side of our satellite (and also the first ..................
2024-01-17 More