Watches NEWS
The Collector's Series - a Londoner Gentleman and his Breitling Transocean Chronograph - Monochrome Watches
The Breitling Transocean was originally released in 1958. We are familiar with its current form. A fresh, contemporary take on the classic chronographs of the 1950s and 1960s. So, let's say you're a suave gent, city dweller maybe…why (other than seeing David Beckham wearing one in their ads) would you buy one? We found out this week on the Collector’s Series, by sitting down with one of London’s true gents to discuss his?Breitling Transocean Chronograph.James Massey is one of the most well respected men in luxury. Having worked in London for the past few years, it simply isnt possible to go to an event and not see James or mention him (in a good way James). He is omnipresent when it comes to luxury.? Having started his early career in communications at Nestle as an Assistant Brand Manager, he soon found himself at LVMH (Mo?t Hennessy Louis Vuitton) and spent seven years in their marketing department. In 2007 he joined Finch & Partners, as Head of their Press Divis
Pre-IWC Big Pilots Heritage Watch 48 & 55 (and more about the new 2016 Pilot's collection to come) - Monochrome Watches
Every year, the show is the same for IWC at the SIHH: renewing an entire collection of watches, with plenty of new models.?Last year was the?Portugieser, 2014 was the Aquatimer (that will also have some new models this year), 2013 the?Ingenieur?and 2012 the?Pilot watches. The 4 main collections of the brand have now been updated, so it’s time for another round-up, as for the SIHH 2016, the show will be focused on heritage and navigation. You’ve guessed it, this year will be the year of the IWC Pilot’s Watch. To start the year, here are?the?IWC Big Pilot's Heritage Watch 48 & 55 (and more info about the new 2016 Pilot’s collection to come).The?IWC Big Pilot's Heritage Watch 48 & 55The first novelty of the IWC Pilot’s Watch collection is a tribute to the antique B-Uhr watches manufactured by several brands (including IWC) during Second World War, for German pilots. The IWC Pilot’s Watch collection has always been a modern interpretation of thes
In-Depth - The Future Of Silicon Hairspring & The Expired Patent
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 revolutionizing traditional watchmaking. Borrowed from the semiconductor industry, silicon presents remarkable properties to manufacture hairsprings outperforming those made from conventional metal alloys. But until very recently, silicon hairsprings have been used by a limited number of companies, which patented the technology Things might change as their patent has now expired. We could well enter the silicon age.?The silicon-based Spiromax hairspring of Patek PhilippeThe benefits of the silicon hairspringNot everyone is a fan of the modern silicon hairspring. Some wonder whether silicon has its place in a traditional mechanical watch. Others question th
Christian Gafner, Head of Brand and Design for Ochs & Junior, on Changes and Future Plans for the Brand - Monochrome Watches
Only a few weeks ago, we shared the latest watch by Ochs & Junior, the Calendario Cent’Anni (CCA) with all of you. Once again, it illustrates the simplistic approach to mechanical watchmaking perfected by Ludwig Oechslin and his team. The philosophy in watchmaking displayed by Dr Oechslin is all about simplicity, and it shows in the mechanical side of things. Ochs & Junior offers complex displays using only very few additional parts. One example is the Perpetual Calendar, with only nine new parts and three modified ones. So, after the release of the CCA, we decided to have a chat with Christian Gafner, the new Head of Brand and Design for Ochs & Junior.Robin Nooij, MONOCHROME – What led to your career in the watch industry, and how did you end up working for Ochs &Junior?Christian Gafner, Head of Brand and Design for O&J – My first contact with the industry was after my studies in Industrial and Product Design. The MIHwatch by Ludwig Oechslin was m
Hands-on with the Jaeger-Lecoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 39 black dial from SIHH 2015 (specs & price) - Monochrome-Watches
In this hectic moment?that is the month following?Baselworld, we wanted to go back to the SIHH 2015 and to a watch introduced there in all discretion. From Jaeger-LeCoultre, we’ve seen several novelties this year, including the impressive?Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication,?the superb?Duometre Spherotourbillon Moon?or the vintage-inspired?Grande Reverso 1931 Seconde Centrale. Regardless of the interest we had in these timepieces, there was also a watch introduced this year that fully represents what Jaeger can do on a ‘consumer-oriented‘ side. Here is the?Jaeger-Lecoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 39 now with black dial.This watch is neither a tourbillon, nor a minute repeater or a skeleton chronograph. Instead, it shows what Jaeger-LeCoultre does on a daily basis, the watches that are really produced and sold – of course Jaeger sells tourbillons and minute repeaters but figures are way below those of the classical Master or Reverso watches. It is a visual
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