The Collector's Series - An indie lover and his very special Ochs und Junior Annual Calendar - Monochrome-Watches
Discussing watches with collectors never fails to amaze and inspire me. I tend to find it is the stories behind the watches themselves that evokes the emotion within a collector. As the great marketing guru Simon Sinek always says, it is not the what' but the why' which counts. I am also of the belief watch collecting should be something that has less to do with social significance and more about intrinsic meaning and a deeper appreciation of time for a collector (although this is not always the case). An example of this is this Andre Ekrem's Ochs und Junior, a fascinating timepiece which on first inspection looks extremely simple. Andre is a 34 year old from Bergen in Norway a self-confessed corporate slave by day and watch geek by night (and weekend!). With a passion for travel, he tells me he frequently finds himself visiting independent watchmakers on the move. Let's find out why his Ochs und Junior is so special to him.When did you first get into watches?As long as I can remember

Introducing the Norqain Independence 40mm Hakuna Mipaka
Norqain might only be five years old, but it has managed to establish itself as a promising independent brand producing rugged, functional watches with enough personality to stand out from the crowd. Norqain's latest watch is the result of a collaboration with wildlife ambassador Dean Schneider and flaunts a trendy leopard-print pattern on the dial and strap. As part of the Independence collection, the Hakuna Mipaka is a sporty 3-hand and date model but now comes in a smaller 40mm case and is marketed by the brand as a ladies' watch.With industry heavyweight Jean-Claude Biver on the advisory board, Norqain launched the Independence Wild One in 2022 with an innovative carbon fibre composite material and an eye-catching textured 3D laser-cut dial. The new Independence Hakuna Mipaka also features a striking textured dial with a leopard spot pattern. Designed with Dean Schneider, 10% of the proceeds will be donated to his Hakuna Mipaka wildlife sanctuary and animal rehabilitation centre in

Introducing Ulysse Nardin Diver Lemon Shark (Specs & Price)
Ulysse Nardin is no stranger to the aquatic world. If the brand has a long tradition of marine chronometers, it has also long been involved in dive watches as well as protection of the oceans and their population, specifically sharks – remember the multiple Hammerhead Shark editions done by the brand in past years. Now, as part of the celebration of World Ocean Day, the brand unveils a new model that is, once again, entirely devoted to ocean conservation and reducing marine pollution. This watch follows the DIVER NET concept, by teaming up?with world-renown shark experts dedicated to the study of marine life and ocean conservation by bringing together two dedicated organizations, OCEARCH and the FIU Medina Aquarius Program. And the watch, the new Ulysse Nardin Diver Lemon Shark is focused on a gentle giant that lives in Florida.With this watch and more to come, Ulysse Nardin has pledged its efforts in an environmental commitment that follows the United Nations guidelines and thei

First Look: The Hot Pink Oris ProPilot X Miss Piggy Edition
The English phrase pigs might fly is used to express the impossibility of something happening. Well, Oris has just given wings to one of the most famous pigs in popular culture with its new ProPilot X Miss Piggy. Combining the sharp looks of the ProPilot X Collection in a reduced 34mm steel case with a hot pink dial, the new watch would have provoked a rush of compliments (in French) from Miss Piggy, the fabulous diva from The Muppet Show. Following the green ProPilot X Kermit Edition, this second collaboration with The Muppets will delight fans of Jim Henson's larger-than-life pig in a platinum wig – or create a bit of a storm for more conservative members of the watch community.?A somewhat surprising model to honour the glamorous Muppet character, Oris has chosen its ProPilot X case, the brand's edgiest and most contemporary model. While the brand is renowned for its historical aviation classics like the Big Crown Pointer Date, the 44mm ProPilot X of 2019 was envisioned as a ne

REVIEW: Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar - User Report with Photos, Specs and Price - Monochrome Watches
The new Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar was introduced earlier this year at Baselworld, to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the brand’s?Marine collection. Inside ticks the newly developed calibre UN-153, which actually is the in 2014 introduced Ulysse Nardin in-house chronograph calibre UN-150, with an additional annual calendar mechanism. This is definitely not yet another annual calendar watch; it is a small miracle, both technical as well as price-wise!?Patrik Hoffman, the brand’s CEO, talked about it in the interview that we did during Baselworld, and in the past weeks we had the privilege to wear and test the watch. Here’s our take on the new Ulysse Nardin Marine Chronograph Annual Calendar in stainless steel.?Ulysse Nardin – some background informationThe company was founded by Ulysse Nardin in 1846 after learning the trade from his father, Leonard-Frederic Nardin, and from Frederic William Dubois and Louis JeanRichard-dit-Bressel, two ma