Announcing - The New and Improved MONOCHROME Website
After a few months of intense work, discussions, tests and designs, we couldn’t be prouder to present the 2020 version of MONOCHROME. Refreshed, cleaned, more interactive and more dynamic, with new sections and improved navigation, this is the new face of your “Online Magazine Dedicated to Fine Watches”. But no worries, it is still MONOCHROME all the way!What’s new? First of all, we wanted to discreetly bring back our somehow forgotten but beloved “Monochrome Brown”, which has been used for years at MONOCHROME, changed to a full black-and-white scheme and now back in the game. This is our signature colour and we’re proud of it! Ad - Scroll to continue with article Besides this visual detail, we’ve worked intensively on the new homepage. This is where you’ll be able to navigate, discover, enjoy. There are more

Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept - World's Thinnest Mechanical Watch
At the SIHH 2018, Piaget stole the show by smashing the world record for the thinnest mechanical watch after unveiling the Altiplano Ultimate Concept. Naturally, it was no surprise to see such an achievement from Piaget. Over the years, the brand has set numerous world records of thinness with automatic or manual movements. And records are meant to be broken. What surprised everybody was the amazing slenderness of the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept. At just 2mm thick, it beat the 3.6mm height of the previous record holder, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra-Thin Squelette. A concept watch at the time, the question was whether or not it could make it to the market. Well, the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept is now available as part of a bespoke customization service.The 2018 prototype version of the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate ConceptThe quest for slendernessFor over 60 years Piaget has tirelessly pursued its quest for slenderness. The manufacture mastery of ultra-thin movements has fo

First Look: The IWC Portofino Chronograph 39 On Steel Bracelet
When it comes to icons, every brand wishes to have at least one in the ranks, but few brands can claim to have several cornerstone collections. One such brand is IWC, which can always count on the Big Pilot, Portugieser and Portofino to entice watch lovers. The Portofino, first introduced in 1984, quickly garnered a reputation for its timeless elegance.?However, one thing that has always been absent in the Portofino range is a stainless steel multi-link bracelet.?Making its debut on the Portofino Chronograph 39, this gives a decisively more sporty vibe to an all-time classic.Since its introduction four decades ago, the Portofino has made a name for itself as the elegantly proportioned, easy-to-wear watch. Most often, it is fitted to a leather strap, although mesh bracelets have been introduced in the past. With this new brushed and polished 5-link steel bracelet, IWC shifts the Portofino Chronograph 39 from a sporty-chic watch into a distinctly more sporty spotlight. IWC has cleverly i

Harry Winston Opines with their Opus XIII - Monochrome Watches
On the day of the official Opus presentation, Monochrome had an appointment with Harry Winston to view their watches and viewed the latest Opus interpretation. Each year, Harry Winston releases an Opus creation, giving the world a unique horological creation. The tradition of an Opus began with Max Busser, who at the time worked for Harry Winston, and continues by showcasing the talent of notable watchmakers. Ludovic Ballouard designed the Opus XIII, and you can see his touches with the switching indicators, reminiscent of his Upside Down (see here) and the Half Time (see here). The year’s Opus is Magnus, giving us a watch dial devoid of rotation, which paradoxically provides the illusion of circular movement.Instead of rotation, the watch has jumping hands. The hands present themselves in various ways. The minute counters, surrounding the dial, pop up and down. As the minutes advance, the counters create a wave of movement, which upon completion at 12 o’clock fall in domin

The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze Case & Bracelet
The Big Crown Pointer Date collection has been part of the history of?Oris?since its introduction in 1938. It has even pulled Oris through the quartz crisis and as such is one of the pinnacles of the brand. Reinstating the Big Crown Pointer Date as a full collection in 2018 meant we've seen multiple variants of this interesting, very retro-styled watch. In recent years Oris has also been experimenting with the use of bronze, first seen on a Carl Brashear limited edition in 2016 but since then expanding to other collections as well. The Big Crown Pointer Date followed suit and is now updated with a quartet of full bronze models (including the bracelet), simply known as the Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Bronze.The Big Crown Pointer Date is a classic in the industry, even though it is a relatively simple watch at that. It just strikes a chord with its oversized crown, fluted bezel and red-tipped, crescent-shaped hand to indicate the date. The design is distinctly vintage, and even today the