Hands-On AP Royal Oak Jumbo 16202 Tuscan Dial White Gold
Last week, Audemars Piguet released an array of new watches, ranging from steel Code 11.59 to an astonishing Grande Complication watch – to be precise, the most complicated wristwatch ever created by the brand – as part of its first semester 2023 collection. In the middle of that, as a slightly more discreet release, was a model that clearly raises the cool factor to a higher level. Royal Oak Jumbo? Check! White metal with blue dial? Check! White gold and low availability? Unfortunately, check! But more importantly, there’s the dial. Because the new Royal Oak Jumbo 16202BC brings back one of the rarest but also most desirable dial styles used by AP in the past, the so-called Tuscan dial. And here’s an early hands-on session with this Jumbo Grained Blue dial.?The return of the rare Tuscan dialAs with many of the nicknames given to Audemars Piguet’s rare and collectable watches (well, they became collectables recently…), the so-called Tuscan dial is as

Why Are Four of The Greatest Icons of Watchmaking Suddenly Being Revamped? - Monochrome Watches
Is this pure coincidence? Indeed, four of the most iconic watches on the market currently are all being revamped within a few months. While it is certainly not new to see brands digging up pieces from their archives for new releases, what's more surprising is to see products with notorious desirability or even waiting lists being discontinued. These highly successful watches are reimagined, while they certainly didn't need to be revamped in order to ensure commercial success. Surely, emblematic models have always evolved to stay relevant. But there is more. Managing availability and exclusivity is key to fuel envy and to create desirability.Managing the life cycle and the availability of such products is fundamental. Scarcity is the foundation of the very notion of luxury. Being – or staying – out of reach is exactly what has made the Patek Philippe Nautilus or 's professional steel watches at the top of the watch food chain for years. “It’s not enough to make

Hands-On - Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase 42mm (Price)
Ulysse Nardin has a long and storied history when it comes to nautical navigation and marine chronometry. For decades, if not centuries, marine navigation relied on the position of celestial bodies. The introduction of precision instruments such as marine chronometers revolutionized navigation at sea. Founded in 1846, meaning the brand celebrates 175 years of watchmaking this year, Ulysse Nardin quickly gained fame for producing precise marine deck chronometers. In what is a celebratory year, UN honours its past with seven new Marine Torpilleur models, one of which we'll be taking a closer look at today, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase 42mm.The Marine Torpilleur collection, introduced as a sub-collection in Ulysse Nardin's emblematic Marine range, was launched in 2017. While inspiration still clearly stems from the early days of marine chronometers, the updated style of the Marine Torpilleur made it a simpler, lighter version around the classic nautical theme. As Rebecca

Introducing: Oris ProPilot X Year of the Snake Limited Edition
Swiss watchmakers are ushering in Chinese New Year with exclusive limited-edition models inspired by zodiac animals and Asian cultural traditions. To celebrate the year 2025, which is believed to bring personal growth, strategic planning and embrace transformation, Oris releases a special Year of the Snake timepiece, a modern, highly technical 44mm watch featuring a skeletonized dial and equipped with an in-house developed calibre. The ProPilot X Calibre 115, introduced in 2019, was a transformative moment for Oris, setting a new direction for the brand with its robust design and technical prowess later seen in more classic versions. The Oris ProPilot X Year of the Snake retains the strength and innovation of the original while introducing unique decorative elements to honour the zodiac theme.The ProPilot X Year of the Snake features a 44mm multi-piece brushed titanium case, water-resistant to 100 meters and topped with a double-domed sapphire crystal. This powerful design later came i

A Personal Insight To Why I Bought the Union Glashutte 1893 Johannes Durrstein
I’m very fortunate (and spoilt, in a way) to handle hundreds of watches every year working for MONOCHROME Watches. To the point that I almost have to admit it’s not that easy to be impressed anymore, but it does happen from time to time. Of course, it’s not that difficult to be amazed by very complex and exquisitely finished watches, but I have to take a certain budget into account when it concerns my own collecting adventures. But when I first stepped into the Union Glashutte manufacture about a year ago, I did not expect to be swept off my feet. The reason for this unexpected love-at-first-sight moment? The handsome 1893 Johannes Durrstein Edition Power Reserve, which I wrote about first in 2022. Seeing it in person made me pull the trigger on this one, which was far from planned, given I had a wedding to pay for shortly after that. Despite all this, and since I now own one, I wanted to revisit the 1893 Johannes Durrstein Edition Power Reserve for my own – and