State of the Industry - Who Does or Doesnt Have an In-House Chronograph? - Monochrome Watches
If the chronograph is one of the most popular complications, it is also one of the most complex types of movements to manufacture. Not so long ago, just a handful of manufactures had the knowledge or the financial resources to produce their own, in-house mechanical chronograph calibre but the past 20 years have witnessed the birth of an impressive number of self-developed movements. During the 1970s, new accurate quartz movements gained popularity and plunged the Swiss watch industry into a deep crisis. Sales of mechanical watches declined sharply, production of mechanical movements was reduced to a trickle, and many Swiss watchmakers went out of business. Zenith is an eloquent example of how stock and production capacities were destroyed (and saved by an act of disobedience for El Primero – read the history of this iconic chronograph here).Following the renaissance of mechanical watchmaking in the 1980s and 1990s, brands massively invested in movement development and production

Review - Piaget Polo S Chronograph Steel (Specs & Price)
When the Piaget Polo S Chronograph (and time-and-date too) was unveiled last year in New York, the response was divisive to say the least. Many thought it paid too close a homage to certain other iconic steel sports watches, whilst others welcomed this bold move by Piaget to offer some more accessible models. Now, more than a year on, the dust has settled a bit and (presumably) emotions aren't running quite so high, which makes it the perfect time for a hands-on review of the Piaget Polo S Chronograph in steel.I must admit, when I first saw the press photos of the Polo S and the Polo S Chronograph last year, I was not particularly impressed. Whilst certainly a big step for Piaget design wise, the watches seemed to fall short of the mark, especially given that the accompanying marketing hype was all about leading rather than following. That said, I do feel that at the time it was difficult to form an impartial opinion, particularly given the endless stream of critical feedback on social

Swatch Group Reports Sales Up For 2022 At Correct Levels
Following a couple of years drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the luxury industry in general and the watch industry, in particular, have been on the rise again since the end of 2021. According to consulting company Bain & Co, sales of luxury goods are anticipated to grow by over 20% in 2022, and the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has just reported record exports of Swiss watches for 2022. It is now time for Swatch Group, one of the main actors in the industry, to release its key figures for 2022. As expected, sales are up overall, combined with a comfortable profit. However, some figures should be nuanced.?Overall, Swatch Group – which comprises brands such as Omega, Longines, Swatch, Tissot, Hamilton, Blancpain, Breguet and more – has recorded net sales of Swiss francs/CHF 7,499 million, an increase of 4.6% compared to the previous year – which has to be compared to the numbers of the FHS, reporting exports of Swiss watches up by 11.4% over t

Interview: An Encounter with Wizard Watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, The Creator of the Ulysse Nardin Freak
Historian, archaeologist, mathematician, philosopher and watchmaker, Ludwig Oechslin is the perfect example of a polymath whose knowledge across different disciplines fuels his innovation and creativity. In the 1980s, his encounter with Rolf W. Schnyder turned Ulysse Nardin into one of the most innovative watch brands around. The presentation of a new Freak at Dubai Watch Week 2023 gave us the perfect opportunity to sit down with this wizard watchmaker.?Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – What is your first horological memory, and how did you get hooked on watchmaking?Ludwig?Oechslin – When I was a kid at boarding school, the school bell used to ring every hour of the day. When I went to university, there were no more bells to let you know that a class was starting, and I figured I needed a watch to tell the time. But I was not a wristwatch fan. So, I started looking for a pocket watch. The first watch that I saw and wanted was a repeater. But it was out of my reach. I bought a less

Introducing: Piaget Polo Emperador Skeleton Tourbillon High Jewellery
Piaget is synonymous with ultra-thin movements and high jewellery watches, areas of expertise the brand started to cultivate in the late 1950s. Not many watch brands excel in both disciplines, and alongside its state-of-the-art watch manufacture outside Geneva and its historic site in La C?te-aux-Fees, Piaget owns the largest jewellery workshop in Geneva. The latest Piaget Polo Emperador is a stunning fusion of Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie, marrying an ultra-thin gem-set automatic skeletonised flying tourbillon movement to a white gold case dripping with bright green emeralds and fiery white diamonds.Piaget's dominion of ultra-thin movements was consolidated in its La C?te-aux-Fees manufacture with the introduction of the famous manual-winding calibre 9P in 1957, followed by the world's (at that time) thinnest automatic movement, the calibre 12P of 1960. The latest gem-set Polo Emperador perpetuates the brand's tradition of ultra-thin movements and is the extravagant sibling o