Prices: where will it end? - Monochrome Watches
Our own dr. Watch shares his ideas about the value and prices of watches. An interesting timing if we consider the second yearly price increase was just announced by and the Swiss National Bank promises to weaken the Swiss Franc. It was at least 7-8 years ago that a watch collector told me he stopped collecting recent Swiss watches. German watches, vintage watches, OK, but the new products from the country of eternal bank secrecy and Heidi, no, just too darn expensive. At that moment, I thought of the average AP ROO (Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore), which was entangled in a fierce battle with the likes of the BP FB (Blancpain Flyback) and PP¡äs Nautilus to decide once and for all who was the most expensive in steel. I also thought shortly about the moment that I realized what a blessing the introduction of the Euro was for the sales of watches in the Euro zone: in the Netherlands a watch that seemed slightly overpriced at 10.500 Dutch Guilders was suddenly priced just below 5K Eur

Ulysse Nardin Classic Perpetual Ludwig (Specs & Price)
Today we are taking a closer look at one of the most refined and streamlined Perpetual Calendars on the market, the Ulysse Nardin Classic Perpetual Ludwig. Named after the man largely responsible for the original watch some 20 years ago, Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, this modern-day tribute is nothing short of exceptional. Easy to set and even easier to read, this complicated watch helped pioneer a new way of thinking about Perpetual Calendars. Read on to learn what makes it so special.To say that Dr. Ludwig Oechslin is a gifted creator of complications is a gross understatement of the man's incredible talents. Associated with Ulysse Nardin for many years, his was the creative genius that developed the Freak, the Trilogy of Time collection (a trio of watches named Astrolabium Galileo Galilei, Planetarium Copernicus and Tellurium Johannes Kepler), and of course the Perpetual Calendar he created for the brand in 1996 to celebrate its 150th anniversary. He was also heavily involved in creation of

Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 7234G (Price)
When it first came on the market in 2015, the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 5524G clearly made some noise. It was simply miles away from your classic Calatrava watch and marked the first production Pilot’s watch created by Patek (there were some prototypes in the past, though). But the watch found its place in the collection, as a sportier yet still luxurious offer. It was then be followed by a mid-size offer (advertised as a feminine watch, but that I prefer to call unisex), with identical functions and a smaller 37.5mm. And now there’s a new version of this watch in blue attire. Meet the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 7234G-001.In 2015, the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time really surprised the crowd at Baselworld. No doubt, this was a disruptive watch, especially compared to other extremely classical watches offered in the Calatrava collection (thin, compact dress watches mostly). A highly unusual design for Patek with a large and sporty case, matte bl

Introducing Ulysse Nardin Ocean Race Diver Chronograph Limited
The provenance of Ulysse Nardin might be a small, landlocked country, but thanks to its marine chronometers, the brand from Le Locle has always been closely associated with the sea since 1846. By the 1870s, Ulysse Nardin supplied more than 50 navies and merchant marine companies with precision marine deck chronometers. Today, the brand underscores its maritime credentials as the official timing partner of the exciting Ocean Race. Regarded as the longest (60,000 km) and toughest round-the-world team sailing challenge since 1973, the 14th edition of The Ocean Race kicked off in Alicante, Spain, in January 2023. Docking in nine cities around the globe over six months and finishing in Genoa in June, the teams have embarked on their fifth leg from Newport, Rhode Island, to Aarhus, Denmark. Taking advantage of the pit stop in Rhode Island and celebrating The Ocean Race’s 50th anniversary, Ulysse Nardin unveiled a 100-piece edition of its Ocean Race Diver Chronograph.The Ocean RaceOrigi

Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC 44mm PAM00779 (Specs & price)
Let’s get straight to the point: the new?Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC 44mm PAM00779 is packing all the possible cool things Panerai can do in a single watch to an almost gimmick-like level… But honestly, it simply works! It has a?strong, distinctive and masculine look, which results in a completely original combination of classic Panerai elements. This?PAM00779 is, to us here at MONOCHROME, one the most interesting new watches the brand has recently launched – and even its price is rather competitive. Overview.?For its latest release, Panerai is somehow going for the easy recipe. The new?Panerai Luminor California 8 Days DLC 44mm PAM00779 is indeed a concentrate of all things iconic at Panerai: 44mm Luminor case,?bridge lever device over the crown, DLC-coated titanium case, California dial with a time-only display, blued hands, 8-day power reserve movement… And they even add a cool new Bund-like cuff strap. It could have been a total mess, it could have