Recap: The Best Calendar Watches Of 2023
Next up in our rundown of this year’s ‘Greatest Hits’ is a list of calendar watches, specifically Annual and Perpetual Calendar watches. Looking back at what brands have brought to the table in this category only confirms the appeal of a watch that keeps track of more than just the passing of time. With indications that need little to no adjustments over the year, these calendar watches are some of the most complex on the market. But they come at a price as these complications are a) not easy to come by and b) not exactly affordable. Nevertheless, here is MONOCHROME’s selection of the Best Calendar Watches from 2023!From classy to robust and from ultra-thin to oversized, this list will take you in all directions. The preselection for the calendar watch category wasn’t as expansive as the Best of Chronograph or Dive watch lists, but there was real debate within the team to narrow it down to just five. A few exceptional watches didn’t make the cut but

Hands-On - Piaget Altiplano 38mm Hand-Wound Blue Dial Pink Gold
If there’s one watch that perfectly defines the concept of an elegant, ultra-thin dress watch, it is the Piaget Altiplano. Refined, discreet, mechanically interesting and understated, this icon born in 1957 designed by Valentin Piaget has stood the test of time to become one of the definitive “tuxedo” watches. Already available in a very (too) restrained white and white dial version, this year the brand adds a new pink gold and blue dial version to its collection of Altiplano 38mm Hand-Wound watches. And yes, it remains ultra-thin, ultra-elegant, ultra-Piaget.The story behind the Altiplano starts with the creation of a movement, the Calibre 9P, which is known for being one of the thinnest mechanical calibres ever created. This movement, seemingly simple due to a display reduced to only two hands, was, however, an immense technical achievement: it was only 2mm in height – and back then, there were no CNC machines, computer-aided design or LIGA technologies. Every

The Petrolhead Corner: H. Moser & Cie and BWT Alpine F1
For the second week running, I’m going to cover the fast-paced world of Formula 1, as I was lucky enough to be invited by H. Moser & Cie and the BWT Alpine F1 team for a factory tour and a one-day visit to the 2024 Silverstone Grand Prix. For those who have been following our Petrolhead Corner, which includes personal experiences from time to time, it’s no secret I love F1 racing and have been following it for about 30 years now. Weirdly, I have yet to visit an actual F1 race weekend but I’m not going to bore you with details on why that hasn’t happened yet. Instead, I will share my experience setting foot in the Enstone compounds of Alpine, talking to Pierre Gasly for a bit, and paying a visit to the Silverstone track on Friday.Front row, third through fifth from the left; our editor Xavier Markl, Alpine racing driver Pierre Gasly, and myself.The BWT Alpine F1 Team might not be the oldest on paper, as the name has been around since 2021, yet the history beh

Video - Moon Landing 50 - How The Omega Speedmaster Professional Became the Moonwatch, By James H. Ragan
Exactly 50 years ago, mankind accomplished an impressive journey. For the first time in history, a human being walked on soil that wasn’t Earth, on an astronomical body that wasn’t its natural habitat. On July 20th 1969, two men walked on the Moon. Their names: Armstrong and Aldrin. Their mission: Apollo 11. On their wrists, a watch that would become a legend, earning its name as the “Moonwatch”. This is the story that made the Omega Speedmaster Professional an icon.Two years ago, in partnership with Omega, we produced one of our most ambitious series of videos, “The Speedmaster Chronicles” in which five men shed their light on one of the most iconic watches ever created: the Omega Speedmaster Professional “Moonwatch”. Since we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing today, we thought it was the perfect time to take a look back at some of these episodes. Ad - Scroll to continue with article

Value Proposition Rumoe Nobel Royal Watch - Monochrome Watches
Every single day we see watches from every corner of the industry and from all areas of watchmaking. Whether it be super-complex avant-garde watches or elegance encased in a dress watch, we see it all. But, in all fairness, this comes at a price which usually runs in the thousands. That is exactly what the new Kickstarter-launching brand Rumoe has in mind to tackle: offering their luxurious-looking timepieces, but at a very affordable price. Their premiere watch is called the Nobel Royal, and we had the chance to experience it hands-on!These are tough times to start a new brand from scratch, even if you outsource (most of) the parts or movement, and it is not uncommon to seek refuge on Kickstarter in order to get your brand going. You could debate whether this is in the spirit of traditional watchmaking and historical reference, but I am one to applaud properly designed and executed products and campaigns. However, when we cover these on Monochrome, we tend to be a little bit extra cri