A well-kept Japanese secret, Seiko's Presage collection was not shared with the rest of the world until 2016. With its winning formula of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, resilient mechanical technology and an unbeatable price, the Presage collection is almost too good to be true. The new Presage Shippo Enamel models, with their eye-catching blu.................. 2018-04-03 More

Now that Baselworld?2018 is over, it’s time for the MONOCHROME team to pick the best watches of the show. One category that is always highly disputed is the dive watch and 2018 has been another productive year. From vintage-inspired pieces to proper instruments, here are 10 of the best dive watches we discovered at Baselworld 2018.Bell & .................. 2018-04-02 More

A good watch doesn’t have to break the bank. As Baselworld 2018 just ended, we have put together a selection of wallet-friendly watches proving that great things can come in affordable packages. Vintage-inspired, sporty, modern, complicated or just nicely designed… We have selected 6 different watches, all with a strong personality and .................. 2018-03-31 More

Smart watches, quartz watches, digital watches… that’s nothing for MONOCHROME. You know us, we cover high-end mechanical watches (and a value proposition once in a while), because the beauty of mechanics is what gets us going. The other day, however, Alpina launched their latest creation on Kickstarter and I think that’s rather no.................. 2018-03-30 More

One of the coolest bronze dive watches just received a new sibling, perhaps an even cooler bronze diving chronograph. For 2018 Oris introduces a new Limited Edition based on the original Carl Brashear commemorative watch from two years ago, and now adds a chronograph to the mix. We've already given you a short rundown of the watch, but now we had t.................. 2018-03-30 More

In 2017, Zenith relaunched the DEFY collection and impressed us with the?Defy El Primero 21, a?hundredth-of-a-second chronograph with a 50Hz?ultra-high-beat escapement dedicated only to the chrono. But that was not all. Later that year came the Defy LAB with its revolutionary and unprecedented oscillator – marking a real innovation. And final.................. 2018-03-27 More

Recently, TAG Heuer introduced the Monaco Gulf Edition, a watch that looked back at the very roots of the model, creating the link with Steve McQueen and the “Le Mans” movie. The result was a vintage take on the iconic square chronograph. Well, for Baselworld 2018, the brand has decided to bring a touch of?avant-garde?to the watch by te.................. 2018-03-26 More

While we’ve already introduced the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date in bronze with a 36mm case, there are other novelties regarding the Pointer Date that Oris is introducing at Baselworld 2018. Alongside the bronze edition, Oris will also release some steel versions of the Pointer Date watch, this time in?40mm and 36mm cases, as well as with steel.................. 2018-03-24 More

A few days ago, just prior to Baselworld 2018, we introduced to you Chopard’s new take on one of its icons, the L.U.C Quattro, a complex watch with no less than 4 barrels and a 9-day power reserve. Yet, as powerful as this watch is, it remains a true statement of elegance and distinction – as a Chopard should be. To understand more abou.................. 2018-03-23 More

A new edition of Baselworld means a new Omega Speedmaster Special Edition. This has become a tradition – think Snoopy Award, Apollo 11 45th Anniversary, CK2998 or Apollo 17 45th Anniversary. This year, the space theme is still the main ingredient, as Omega celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 8 Mission. In that perspective, the brand.................. 2018-03-23 More

The perpetual calendar chronograph is a combination of complications that belongs' to Patek Philippe. The 5270 continues a long tradition initiated in 1941. It was introduced in 2011 with an in-house movement as the successor of the 5970, itself an evolution of the 3970 (read our article about the different generations of the 5270 here). It is now .................. 2018-03-23 More

An alarm is often loud, obtrusive and annoying, simply to remind you to do something at a specific point in the day. Whether it is waking you up, brushing your teeth, leaving home in time for the bus, or simply checking if you've won that superb vintage watch during an online auction. There are watches, however, that exchange this loud, obtrusive a.................. 2018-03-23 More

Exactly a year ago, Bvlgari stunned the watchmaking world by launching what was then the thinnest automatic watch on the market, the?Octo Finissimo Automatic. The best thing about this watch was that it had nothing to do with a shy, demure timepiece. Instead,?Bvlgari came out with what we think is a true example of a luxury sports watch (see it fac.................. 2018-03-22 More

For Baselworld 2018, Longines brings a few updates to one of its most iconic modern watches, the Legend Diver. Not only is now comes with a new and more performant movement, but mainly, it now available in full black – case, dial, strap. And while, here at MONOCHROME, we’re usually not huge fans of full black watches, this new Longines .................. 2018-03-22 More

Patek Philippe continues to surprise us at this 2018 edition of Baselworld. After a rather unexpected perpetual calendar on the Nautilus, the brand now has a chronograph version of the Aquanaut – a first since the introduction of the model in 1997. And there’s more as the?Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A comes with bold touches of colour on t.................. 2018-03-22 More

It is not the first time that Oris uses bronze to craft its watch cases. We’ve seen it twice already on the highly coveted Carl Brashear editions – both the three-hander and the chronograph. Yet, for Baselworld 2018, the brand will make this material standard, as one of its timepieces, the very nice?Big Crown Pointer Date will be offere.................. 2018-03-22 More

Game on! The race between?Bvlgari and Piaget to prove who can manufacture the thinnest watch in the world continues. At Baselworld 2017,?Bvlgari introduced the Octo Finissimo Automatic, a true luxury sports watch with a bold design and the thinnest automatic movement on the market. At the SIHH 2018, Piaget trumpeted not one, but two world records: .................. 2018-03-21 More

In 1948, Omega created its first family of watches, the Seamaster – a collection that has gone on to become one of the cornerstones of Omega Watches, a collection comprising most of the diving instruments the brand has created so far. If our calculations are right (and they are) the Seamaster collection is celebrating its 70th anniversary thi.................. 2018-03-21 More

The Omega that many people refer to as the Bond watch?is the Omega Seamaster Professional, also known as the Seamaster Diver 300M. And it’s back! Not that it was gone or anything, but things had gone a little quiet. The watch that was once lovingly referred to as the Bond watch or the SMP (Seamaster Professional) has been revamped as Omega la.................. 2018-03-21 More

As surprising as it gets, this is the first time the iconic Nautilus receives such a complicated movement. It already features annual calendars, several chronographs, a weird display on the 5712, but never Genta’s brainchild has been offered with one of Patek’s signature “grande complication” movements, the 240 Perpetual Cal.................. 2018-03-21 More

The retro revival is in full swing and the late 1950s are a recurring source of inspiration. Even Vacheron Constantin played the vintage card with a whole new collection –?the FIFTYSIX?– designed to capture the mood of the fifties and appeal to a hipper client base. Tudor's latest Black Bay model shrinks in size to 39mm to emulate the b.................. 2018-03-21 More

Every year, Tudor fans can't wait to see what the brand will be releasing at Baselworld. The prediction game is over as Tudor has just unveiled its novelties for the 2018 edition of the watch and jewelry show. Among these, the new Tudor Black Bay GMT – with a strong flavor – will certainly catch their attention as the iconic Tudor mod.................. 2018-03-21 More

True to its philosophy of producing real watches for real people', the new Oris Big Crown ProPilot Calibre 114 is a utilitarian travel companion with a second time-zone (aka GMT) and a host of practical functions. Propelled by the latest in-house movement with a beefy 10-day power reserve, the novelty of the 2018 Oris Big Crown ProPilot calibre 114.................. 2018-03-21 More

The Carrera is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. To celebrate, TAG Heuer isn’t looking at the past but instead remains true to its “avant-garde” identity. They could have chosen to go vintage. Instead, they gold bold and modern. After the presentation a few weeks ago of the new?Carrera Heuer 02 Chronograph with an update.................. 2018-03-21 More

We just introduced to you the new Navitimer 1 Automatic, a clean, historically-relevant and smaller piece in the collection. That’s not all the brand will have at Baselworld 2018. Breitling will also look at the other side of the range, with a true instrument piece. Voluntarily large, properly masculine and bold, made with ruggedness and insp.................. 2018-03-20 More

We already knew that some changes were about to come at Breitling. We’ve seen it with the introduction of the Navitimer 8, a brand new collection that we explained to you in details. This new strategy will be deployed over all the collections and that includes the iconic Navitimer 1. Here is the first (and drastic) evolution, with the?Navitim.................. 2018-03-20 More

, Omega, Patek Phillipe, Tudor, TAG Heuer and many more… Tomorrow, the 2018 edition of world’s largest watch fair, Baselworld, will open its doors. Hundreds of new watches will be revealed to members of the press, retailers and collectors. Even though the general consensus around the fair itself seems quite negative, the industry is in.................. 2018-03-20 More

Last week, at the Geneva International Motor Show (where TAG also announced the Monaco Gulf Special Edition), Jean-Claude Biver (CEO of TAG Heuer and President of the LVMH Group Watches Division) and Andy Palmer (President and CEO of Aston Martin) announced that TAG Heuer has been chosen as Official Partner, Official Watch Partner and Official Conn.................. 2018-03-15 More

Chopard should not be forgotten when the subject of Haute Horlogerie comes on the table, especially with the L.U.C collection – launched in 1996 and representing?the brand's top line. The Chopard L.U.C collection comprises watches with beautifully hand-finished?in-house movements. The first movement they launched in this collection was calibr.................. 2018-03-14 More

Chopard's famous Happy Sport collection turns 25 and celebrates the occasion with shimmering mother-of-pearl dials and a new, purpose-built, in-house automatic movement… Introducing the new generation of Happy Sport.Caroline Scheufele, co-president and artistic director of Chopard, was determined to show women that diamonds can be fun and cam.................. 2018-03-14 More

For once, this won’t a product-related news – understand here, the launch of a new watch – that we will share with you. Instead, we’ll look at the other side of the industry: suppliers. Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, one of the most respected movement constructors of the Swiss industry, indeed unveils an integrated high-frequ.................. 2018-03-13 More

A somewhat surprising, yet very encouraging trend seems to be emerging in our tiny watch ecosystem. Young people from around the world, millennials who aren't supposed to even care about traditional (outdated') technology, are discovering a passion for mechanical wristwatches. And what's more, they are finding interesting ways to explore and develo.................. 2018-03-12 More

Jaeger-LeCoultre takes a decidedly elegant plunge into the sports watch arena with the 2018 Polaris Collection. Reviewed here in detail, the five new members of the Polaris family are clearly descendants of the legendary Memovox Polaris model of 1968, revisited with just the right mix of vintage styling and contemporary tweaks. The Polaris Automati.................. 2018-03-10 More

For several years, Bell & Ross was mainly known for its square, pilot-inspired watches. But not everybody wanted to wear such a large and bold 46mm watch (the BR-01) and what became a true icon of modern watchmaking could have become a trap for the brand. Bell & Ross had to evolve. This was the mission of the “Vintage Collection”.................. 2018-03-08 More

Earlier this year at SIHH, Audemars Piguet unveiled a watch that is the epitome of top-notch craftsmanship both inside and out: the Royal Oak Frosted Double Balance Wheel Openworked. For this watch, Audemars Piguet pulled out all the stops, combining one of the brand's most beautiful and technically advanced calibres with a remarkable Frosted gold .................. 2018-03-07 More

Richard Mille and McLaren have been partners for over a year now, even if this partnership was mainly focused on Formula 1 – with, for instance, the creation of the mighty?Richard Mille RM 50-03 McLaren F1. Today, at the?88th Geneva International Motor Show, both brands are announcing the?extension of this venture to road cars marking the off.................. 2018-03-07 More

Right in the middle of the Geneva car show, TAG Heuer has announced a global partnership deal with Gulf Oil International, one of the most legendary sponsors of motorsports. So, what happens when a brand known for its racing-car roots teams up with one of the best-known players in the automotive industry? Well, the result is the immediately recogni.................. 2018-03-07 More

For those who are familiar with Italian brand Anonimo, you will agree that if the design is easy to recognise, its watches are not what can be referred to as “subtle elegance”. Large, sporty or even military-inspired, Anonimo’s watches are on the tool-ish/instrument side. For Baselworld 2018, a hint of sporty-chic Italian lifestyl.................. 2018-03-06 More

I said it before and I’m saying it again, my?wrist is rather lucky, as it gets to wear quite some extraordinary timepieces. For the past three months, I’ve been wearing the Spirograph from master watchmaker Karsten Fr??dorf, and it has been worn as a?daily beater. And that was exactly what Karsten asked me: “Wear it as your daily .................. 2018-03-03 More

Oris is a?frequent contributor to the limited editions. The?Clipperton Limited Edition, the?Movember Edition, the?Royal Flying Doctor Service Edition… Yet, many of these special watches are linked to a good cause or a mission to bring “change for the better”.?Oris continues its mission with a new limited edition of the praised Aqu.................. 2018-03-02 More