Union Glashutte 1893 Johannes Durrstein Edition Power Reserve
The Glashutte region in South-East Germany is home to many very interesting watch manufacturers, ranging from relatively affordable to proper high-end stuff. The region is famous for a very distinct style of watchmaking, which radiates through pretty much any brand currently in operation. Clean, legible, nicely finished and often with clever and practical complications, it seems Germans simply do things differently. A brand we never covered before, for no apparent reason by the way, is Union Glashutte. With designs that tie in with the region’s aesthetical codes, Union Glashutte produces solely mechanical watches under the Swatch Group umbrella. But, as we’re about to see through the Union Glashutte 1893 Johannes Durrstein Edition Power Reserve, there’s plenty to say about this brand.The history of Union Glashutte goes back a century and a half and is intertwined with several other high-end watchmaking companies from the Glashutte region. The story starts in 1874 when

Patek Philippe Aquanaut - Complete History Part 1 (in-depth)
It's taken some time, but the Patek Philippe Aquanaut has become sought after by watch collectors – especially in steel (no surprises there). That will probably sound strange if you're relatively new to the world of high-end watches and are accustomed to seeing Aquanauts advertised at double retail. After all, based on the way the market is behaving now, it's hard to imagine these watches weren't always in red hot demand. The reality is a little different, however. In fact, the story of the Aquanaut by Patek Philippe is an interesting one. That's why we've put together this in-depth, two-part series on the history of the Aquanaut.In Part 1, we'll be talking about the origins of this collection, the environment in which it was conceived and launched, and how the design was influenced by the Nautilus. We'll also take a closer look at some of the key early models. There's a lot to cover but we hope you'll stick with us. In true MONOCHROME fashion, we've done our best to be as thorou

Hands-On - Longines HydroConquest Full Black Ceramic (Specs & Price)
Standing out with its clean and pragmatic lines, the Longines HydroConquest was introduced over 10 years ago as part of the brand's sports collection. This modernly designed dive watch has since seen numerous iterations, including newer versions fitted with coloured ceramic inserts on the bezel. The brand now goes a few steps further in this direction incorporating ceramic on the entire case. Meet the new Longines HydroConquest Full Black Ceramic.This new Longines HydroConquest is a dynamic dive watch and features all the characteristics found in the collection's latest facelift. What's really new though is that its case is fashioned out of high-tech, scratch-resistant black ceramic for the first time – Zirconium Oxide ZrO2 as printed on the dial and the same material used by Omega on the SM300, for instance. The watch stands out among the different versions of the HydroConquest with a stealth, full-black look giving it a modern, sportier character. Ad - Scroll to cont

The Rexhep Rexhepi Chronometre Antimagnetique Only Watch 2023
While most of the watches to be auctioned at Only Watch 2023 have already been released, there were a few left to be discovered… And, in all fairness, some of the most expected ones. Patek Philippe, MB&F x Moser for instance, and there was something to expect from Rexhep Rexhepi’s Akrivia too. The man has long been using the charity to auction to tease his future?releases, such as the 2021 Chronometre Contemporain RRCC II first presented as a unique piece for OW. Now, all we can hope for is a recurring pattern, because the Only Watch 2023 Rexhep Rexhepi Chronometre Antimagnetique has just been presented. And it looks quite stunning.?Following the?Chronome?tre Contemporain I (RRCC I) and Chronome?tre Contemporain II (RRCC II), it is now time for a third installment in the brand’s classic collection, a range known as the Rexhep Rexhepi. Named after the founder of Akrivia, this collection is intended as more classic, more elegant and comes with vintage touches all ar

5 Cool Bronze Watches for Patina Lovers - Monochrome Watches
Bronze, one of the first alloys concocted by man, has been used to centuries. This durable metal is known for a wide range of uses including for crafting watches that stand out with their vintage appeal and golden-brown hue. However, all that glitters is not gold! Strong and tough, it is often used to craft tool watches. However, you need to be aware that bronze oxidizes but only on its outer layer that protects the metal from further corrosion. As such, it slowly develops a patina that makes each watch unique. Pretty cool but you need to be ready for this! Here are some of the best bronze watches presented over the past few months. Ad - Scroll to continue with article Rado Captain Cook BronzeAt Baselworld 2017, Rado brought back the Captain Cook', a cool dive watch based on a model from the early 1960s. The brand has now enlarged the collection with different s