2019 Behind the Lens - Our Best Videos of the Year - Monochrome Watches
Our videos, which we’d prefer to call “in-depth movies”, are something we’re very proud of, here at MONOCHROME. We take a lot of time and energy to produce them since we believe that seeing a watch or a concept in video and not in photo dramatically helps to understand the beauty that is hidden in these timekeeping objects. This year, 2019, we’ve produced over 60 videos, which can be seen on our YouTube channel. But as we’re saying goodbye to 2019, here’s a recap of our most viewed movies of the year.Understanding the CODE 11:59 by Audemars PiguetWe start with THE most controversial collection of the year, if not of the decade… The Code 11:59 by Audemars Piguet, entirely reviewed here, which you can see in the movie below. Certainly not the most loved watch of the brand, it, however, deserves to be seen in the metal to be fully appreciated, since there are multiple details to discover.Our entire SIHH 2019 coverage (12 videos)Since the SIH

Top 10 Monochrome's Readers Stories of Baselworld 2017
Baselworld 2017 is over. Thus, we, at the redaction, have to come with our Top 10 watches of the show. You’ve already seen Xavier Markl’s picks and Frank Geelen’s top 10 watches, combined with a quite critical take on the fair. Don’t worry, my best of the show will come later this week. But what about you, readers? What are the 10 watches you enjoyed discovering most during Baselworld 2017??To find out,?we looked at the 10 most read articles from the 22nd of March till the 30th of March 2017 and the results are?not that surprising…Analysis of the resultsBefore going into the top 10 stories you read (enjoyed, we hope) most, let’s take a look at what we can learn from this ranking. First of all, no surprise, these 10 watches all come?from the heavyweights of the industry: Seiko, , TAG Heuer, Omega, Tudor, Patek, Bell & Ross (with Frederique Constant making an incursion, but that’s justified by the beauty of their offer). Apart from the brand

Case study about the Chronometer - the Zenith Calibre 135 - Monochrome Watches
In a previous article, we explained you a bit more about what is a chronometer, why they were so important and why the chronometry contests had been so crucial for the evolution of the industry, for the innovation. A chronometer (in the noble way, meaning a watch created with?one single goal, being as precise as possible) is certainly one of the most complicated type of movement to create for a watchmaker, certainly more complicated than a tourbillon or a perpetual calendar – and precision is difficult path to achieve. In order to illustrate our words, and after the first explaining article, here is a case study, applied on the Zenith Calibre 135.The Zenith Calibre 135Ephrem Jobin was the brains and hands behind the Zenith Calibre 135. Introduced in 1948 at the height of a battle to achieve increased precision fought among several watch manufacturers in the Observatory competitions, Caliber 135 included several innovative technical features that enabled it to win numerous prestig

Oris Dive Control Limited Edition 1000m chronograph (Specs & Price)
There’s no denying that Oris has a consolidated background in diving watches. While recent introductions have been more “lifestyle” (yet very good) watches, the brand makes a comeback to rugged, professional-oriented, purpose-built watches today. An evolution of Oris’?high-performance ProDiver watch, made for professional divers, this new piece proves that a chronograph can be a proper diving tool too. Say hello to the?Oris Dive Control Limited Edition, featuring a practical safety device for the bezel and a water-resistance of “just” 1,000m.The combination of a chronograph and a dive watch has always been regarded as rather irrelevant. Not that this function can’t be useful for a diver – it actually makes a lot of sense – but a chronograph is,?inherently, a watch with multiple holes in its case… and that isn’t the best situation for a dive watch. However, Oris believes that a diving chronograph is relevant and proves it

Chronoswiss Regulator Classic Date (Specs & Price)
It's not easy designing a watch that really differentiates itself from the crowd. Obviously, there's more to a watch than an outward appearance and I'm generalizing, but I've always liked brands that have a distinct style that's easily recognized. You know a Panerai, or Roger Dubuis when you see it, for example. You can also spot a Chronoswiss in the crowd with its knurled case and oversized onion crown, and a style it arguably does best - the regulator. I recently wrote a hands-on article about the Flying Grand Regulator Skeleton Limited Edition, which was an almost futuristic take on the regulator setup. Its Regulator Classic Date is a more subdued and traditional piece, yet maintains the Chronoswiss DNA throughout. Let's take a closer look at the silver edition of a future classic.BACKGROUNDChronoswiss is a surprisingly young watch company and has been on the scene for just 35 years. It produced its first regulator piece in 1987 and is probably best known for this style. The regul