Richemont Announces Strong 2017-2018 Results - Sales and Operating Profit on the Rise - Monochrome Watches
Echoing its rivals in the luxury goods industry – including?LVMH, Kering or Swatch Group – Swiss luxury powerhouse Richemont just announced growth for the year ending 31 March 2018. Sales increased by 3% at actual rates and by 8% at constant rates to EUR 10,979 million. The group reports strong performance in its retail network. Operating profit grew 5% and the proposed dividend will be CHF 1.90 (a 6% increase compared to previous period).Richemont's results confirm the positive trend of the watchmaking and jewellery markets. Swiss watchmakers have seen business improving over the past months after a prolonged downturn (the 2015-2016 crisis had a negative impact on most watchmaking brands). Swatch Group sales increased 5.8% in 2017; LVMH Watches & Jewelry division sales were up 10%. Swiss watch exports increased 2.7% in 2017 and 10.1% over the first quarter of 2018.Concerning the different regions, Asia Pacific (China, Hong Kong, Korea and Macau) has a huge impact on th

Omega Spacemaster Z-33 Fully Reviewed - Monochrome Watches
When pulling negative G-forces, inverted and with weapons systems hot, the last thing a fighter pilot needs is an unfriendly watch. The Omega Spacemaster Z-33 is heir to the throne of the original Flightmaster and provides an ease of use that adapts to the most challenging circumstances.? Unlike the interlude with the accomplished X-33 (you really have to see this X-33 article), the Z-33 returns to its roots, but also adds some no-nonsense functionality that makes it brilliant.?With the Z-33, you will never see a cadre of clones adorning the wrists of hipsters, nor will you see anything like it on the tarmac. Ad - Scroll to continue with article I have never worn a watch that was so polarizing; people either loved it or hated it, sometimes to the extreme. These reactions were visceral, and I expect might be for the reader as well. Do you like it? Well that is al

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

Introducing the Piaget Altiplano Skeleton Enamel, Engraved and Diamond-set - Monochrome Watches
Ultra-thin timepieces and the name Piaget have gone hand-in-hand for many decades. So it will not come as a shock that Piaget introduced a number of?varieties on the?ultra-thin skeletonized calibre 1200S. That’s the movement of the Piaget Altiplano 1200, which is the world’s thinnest automatic skeletonized watch. As if that wasn’t enough Piaget now adds engravings, diamonds and even enamel, to the tiny, tiny, skeletonized bridges. And that looks pretty awesome.?The Altiplano models with calibre 1200 measure 38mm in diameter and are of course ultra-thin (the “standard” version with calibre 1200S?is?5.34 mm thick.) Today we’ll focus on the version with the enamel filled bridges, dubbed calibre 1200E. The other new models?featuring fully engraved skeletonized bridges (calibre 1200E) or diamond-set skeletonized bridges (calibre 1200D) are also magnificent masterpieces of the craftsmen at the Piaget manufacture, where they are specialized in engraving en

Two unique Porsche cars from opposite ends of the world
It's always fun to try and find a suitable topic for The Petrolhead Corner, our weekly episodic slice of car-related content. Every Saturday we publish a story that interests us, and hopefully is fun to read for you as well. This week we have a trio of cars lined up all sharing the same badge, but stemming from very different parts of the world. The two cars in question couldn't be much different though, as we go from a vintage Porsche turned into a Pike's Peak monster, to a full-fledged electric race car that’s destined for the future! World's apart, but kindred spirits.Porsche is one of the most prolific sports car manufacturers in the industry, even though they sell more non-sportscars than actual sports cars. And by non-sportscars, I mean SUV’s and such, no matter how fast they might be. The core of the brand is still very much the 911, but over the past 20 years or so the company has had huge success in taking that 911 spirit into new territories. Cars like the Cayenne