Although it was a trend that started more than ten years ago, who would have imagined that re-editions of glorious models of the past and vintage-inspired watches would still be a hot topic in 2022? But it is a reality: retro-styled watches, vintage reissues and old-school design language are still staples in brand collections across the board. The.................. 2022-12-14 More

Introduced a couple of weeks ago, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Starwheel came as a surprise. Not that this original display of the time feels irrelevant when looking at the brand’s heritage (far from that), but it isn’t exactly what we expected the brand to revive. Despite its fascinating nature, wandering hour displays are rare, b.................. 2022-12-13 More

Dive watches have been a hot item since “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” hit the TV screens worldwide over 50 years ago, and rare is the watch company that does not offer a diver’s model. Within one price category, they often share a similar design, performance characteristics are usually on the level, and should you scrap.................. 2022-12-13 More

If there’s one thing we’re very happy (and somewhat surprised) about regarding the watchmaking industry is the fact that many brands are stepping out of the limelight and fully embracing colour. And we’re not talking about small dabs of colour in a delicate form of artistic expressionism, but using colour to its fullest in a watch.................. 2022-12-11 More

The Royal Oak Offshore may not be on everybody’s wishlist this Christmas, but quite a few gentlemen would be okay with getting a first edition of “The Beast” to crown their collections. The hype might revolve around the Royal Oak designed by Gerald Genta in 1972, but the Offshore series is no less critical to Audemars Piguet and i.................. 2022-12-09 More

It is no secret the second-hand watch business has blown up in popularity in recent years, which drove prices through the roof and saw the demand for some models soaring. But with that popularity comes risk as well, as shady dealers and fake watches could very well mean spending your hard-earned cash on something that isn't what it's made out to be.................. 2022-12-08 More

The world of watches is full of complications. I know, the name can be somewhat deceptive since the idea behind a complication is to bring the user something practical… well, most of the time, at least. Dozens of functions can be added to a watch, but few are as practical in real life as the GMT or dual time complication. A true blue-collar c.................. 2022-12-08 More

As the end of the year is fast approaching, it is time for us to sit back and look at all the new models the watch industry has offered. And when it comes to the highly coveted category of dive watches, it has been a rich year. We’ve seen two giants releasing ultra-deep divers, other brands revamping some emblematic watches, and some playing .................. 2022-12-07 More

Green is everywhere. There is no escaping the trend, which has been seen in all kinds of watches, in all categories, and all price ranges. Green is the new blue, which was the new black, and maybe purple will be the new green? IWC is no stranger to the colour green. The brand has shown great creativity when applying this colour to different types o.................. 2022-12-06 More

It’s fair to say that the Seiko 5 Sports collection is one of the most versatile mechanical watch lineups in its price range. If on top of versatility, we tally the factor of manufacture-made movements, as well as the overall quality the Japanese brand is known for, the Seiko 5 Sports collection is practically unbeatable. A potential contende.................. 2022-12-06 More

The Chopard Alpine Eagle, a direct descendant of the slightly baroque St. Moritz model of the 1980s, was resurrected and modernised to reflect contemporary tastes. Since its revival, we’ve seen the Alpine Eagle expand to become an entire collection with a tourbillon,?an extra-large chronograph or a compact feminine version, as well as many co.................. 2022-12-05 More

Whoever has experienced traversing the globe (by plane, train or automobile) while wearing a mechanical timepiece has at one point run into the drawbacks of regular time-only watches. It can tell the time in one location only, which is useless for identifying the time of day or night of your loved ones back home. Luckily, there are watches that off.................. 2022-12-04 More

Wandering hours are one of the most fascinating displays of the watch industry. And if it’s often associated with modern indie watchmakers like Urwerk or with Audemars Piguet, it is actually a very old concept dating back to the 17th century. Yet, if the paternity of the system is far older than many would think, Audemars Piguet is often seen.................. 2022-12-01 More

Bulgari seems intent on marking the 10th anniversary of the Octo Finissimo with limited editions and collaborations. After all, what are friends for if not to share the festive mood? A couple of weeks ago, we talked about an Octo Finissimo Tattoo Acqua, the second edition in limited series created with tattoo artist Mo Copoletta. Now comes an even .................. 2022-11-30 More

The end of the year is near, so it’s time for the MONOCHROME team to sit down and look back at everything that happened in 2022… And there was a lot, with so many new watches launched, in all categories and in all price ranges. Today, we kick off a series of buying guides representing our selection of what we think are the best watches .................. 2022-11-30 More

As you might have guessed from its name, the now very well-established?Oris Divers Sixty-Five was inspired by a watch created back in… 1965. A classic skin diver model, with recreational divers in mind, it has since its comeback been made in countless editions, colours and sizes. But there’s more than just the original (and rather quirk.................. 2022-11-29 More

The manufacture Roger Dubuis has gone a long way before settling to build the “future of hyper-horology.” The brand's vision of this future is a radical one. It is mechanically complex, flamboyant, excessive and expensive, so out of reach for the general population. Still, Roger Dubuis and its Excalibur watches remain a favourite for sh.................. 2022-11-29 More

Baltic skillfully rides the nostalgia wave, mastering the art of making vintage-inspired watches with enviable success. How many watches do you know that sell at a premium in the secondary market? We all know about certain references from , AP and Patek Philippe, but I bet you did not imagine a small French kickstart-startup of only five years of .................. 2022-11-28 More

Barely one centimetre in diameter, the hairspring is the beating heart of a watch movement. It is a strategic component in several respects. Manufacturing hairsprings is a complex process mastered only by a few companies. Conventional hairsprings are made of iron-nickel alloys, such as Nivarox. For several years now, silicon has been revolutionizin.................. 2022-11-28 More

Downsizing is a word that comes with two faces. On one end you might feel corners are cut, you get less bang for your buck, and the experience is less fun. A good example is cars, where downsizing usually means less power, less performance and often less joy to drive. On the other end, specifically in watches, you might experience the exact opposit.................. 2022-11-27 More

The 1980s are not exactly known as a decade of refinement. After all, it’s the period where shoulder pads, spandex and leg warmers were all the rage. It was a decade with plenty of conflict and controversy the world over, but also tremendous progress. The rise of the computer and the birth of the internet are perhaps the foremost technologica.................. 2022-11-26 More

Modern TAG Heuer can be a tricky brand to categorise. Are they the makers of classic and timeless pieces like the Monaco and Carrera collections? Or are they a rather familiar mainstream brand acting in slightly too many areas? Depends on who you ask. I think it's safe to say, though, that the recent collections aren't getting the same kind of enth.................. 2022-11-25 More

Over the years, Cartier's singular perception of elegance and its mastery of shapes have remained the driving force behind the brand's design. The historic Parisian jeweller and watchmaker enjoys an unrivalled legacy in creating fascinating shaped watches. Classic round watches are extremely rare in the brand's collections, and round Cartier watche.................. 2022-11-24 More

IWC Portofino watches are versatile and stylish, with a hint of timelessness. The Portofino collection (introduced in 1984) is supposedly the entry-level offering from IWC Schaffhausen, but despite the efforts seems to remain overlooked and even underrated by the public. No specific data supports this claim, but Internet searches reveal far fewer m.................. 2022-11-23 More

Breaking a tradition of masterminding complex, visually arresting watches for men, MB&F undertook its maiden voyage into the galaxy of women’s watches in 2019. Faithful to the brand’s spectacular 3D design language, the Legacy Machine Flying T staged a flying tourbillon rising above the dial plate accompanied by an intriguing hours .................. 2022-11-23 More

In 1962, on the 5th of October to be precise, the world discovered a character that will become a legend of the silver screen. Adapted from the 1958 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, Dr. No will start an emblematic series of 25 movies featuring a British secret agent working for MI6 under the codename 007, James Bond. 60 years later, the impac.................. 2022-11-23 More

Movie-themed watches aren’t very uncommon, but it’s another thing to just create a watch?inspired?by a movie instead of creating a watch?to be worn in a movie. Either by chance, like with the Seiko worn in Apocalypse Now, or intentionally like with the Hamilton Khaki Field Murph. Regardless of the scenario, it can launch a watch into st.................. 2022-11-22 More

Like many watchmakers these days, Oris is working on improving the planet and supporting relevant organizations. In fact, it's now independently certified as a climate-neutral company. Its latest partnership is with Coulson Aviation, a family-run Canadian agency that sends planes and equipment around the world to fight wildfires. Of course, there's.................. 2022-11-22 More

Ineichen, the fast-growing auction house based in Zurich, seems to have a thing for both modern, important watches as well as something that is dear to us, independent watchmaking. Following thematic sales focused on one specific material?or an iconic watch celebrating its 50th anniversary, we’ve seen an October sale dedicated to tourbillons .................. 2022-11-21 More

We all know the watchmaking industry is spread far and wide, and you can find pretty much whatever you can think of. And on the top end of the spectrum is where you will find some of the most complex pieces imaginable. Watches that tell you the sunrise and sunset times for instance, or that break down the hour display to morph it into the next hour.................. 2022-11-20 More

We took a look at Harley Davidson's last few traditional Sportsters last year and how remarkably old-school they were. Since 1986, the air-cooled Evo V-twins have barely changed and aren't much different than the Ironhead engines that preceded them (going back to 1957). You'd be hard-pressed to find more traditional motorcycles on showroom floors i.................. 2022-11-19 More

Swiss watch designer Gerald Genta was ahead of his time. The man who designed the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, singlehandedly kickstarting the extraordinarily coveted luxury sports watch genre, also anticipated another niche for watches inspired by characters borrowed from pop culture. When Genta decided to produce watches under his own name, he unl.................. 2022-11-18 More

Austrian independent watchmaker created by couple Maria and Richard Habring, also known as Habring2, has been building a variety of watches/movements, most of them with a little twist for the display – such as a deadbeat seconds or a foudroyante seconds. Yet, their most emblematic model is, without a doubt, the so-called Doppel, or split-seco.................. 2022-11-18 More

There are many watches that can be named iconic or emblematic. Each category has its cult watches – the Submariner for divers, the Speedmaster for racing chronographs and the Calatrava for dress watches. Few can rival the aura of the Type XX watches when it comes to pilot’s watches, specifically pilot’s chronographs. As we speak, .................. 2022-11-17 More

Black & gold livery on the F1 racetrack was the epitome of cool in the 1970s and 1980s and, judging by the number of watches decked out in this sleek, glamorous colour scheme, is still as appealing as it was in its heyday. So, when you take a legendary racetrack watch like the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph and deck it out in John Player Special.................. 2022-11-17 More

If there’s one watch that perfectly defines Patek Philippe, it has to be the chronograph perpetual calendar – a combination that was first introduced by the brand with the reference 1518 and which is now represented by the 5270. This watch debuted in rather neutral, slightly conservative editions but has been updated recently with far b.................. 2022-11-16 More

Bulgari launched its Octo Finissimo collection in 2012, and ten years later, there’s little doubt about the already iconic status of the Octo Finissimo in modern watchmaking. The collection is full of complicated record-holding timepieces, and it is an excellent platform for horological wonders and collaboration. The watches made in cooperati.................. 2022-11-15 More

When considering Franck Muller’s watches, images of tonneau-shaped cases and flashy colours come to mind. But, looking back at the brand’s earliest days, there are some fascinating watches to explore. Just like early Daniel Roth models or early Roger Dubuis timepieces, some of the oldest Franck Muller watches are getting hotter and hott.................. 2022-11-14 More

After we’ve taken a closer look at five very cool watches that put the Earth on your wrist one way or another just last week, this time around we move over to our nearest neighbour, the Moon. This satellite of our beautiful planet has been there forever and has guided us through time on our explorations of our home planet. Instrumental in the.................. 2022-11-13 More

Our last subject on The Collector's Corner was the Cartier Tank Americaine, and though we're sticking to the theme of the classic time-only watch for a little bit longer, this week we'll look at one with a very different flavour. The inaugural article in The Collector's Corner was about the IWC Doppelchronograph reference 3711. In 1993, one year af.................. 2022-11-11 More