Watches NEWS
Stopping a Tourbillon - Monochrome Watches
The tourbillon is often regarded as one of the most prestigious complications and a demonstration of the skill and craftsmanship of the watchmakers capable of manufacturing this captivating mechanism. Invented by Breguet in 1801, its aim is to negate the influence of gravity on the regulating organ of watches. Changes in position have significant effects on the way watches keep time. In a tourbillon, a mobile carriage rotating at slow speed (most often once per minute) houses the balance, balance-spring and escapement to average out positional errors. Tourbillon watches are, therefore, built to keep time with superior precision, but, until very recently, they had one significant drawback. It was impossible to set the time with to-the-second accuracy with a classic stop-seconds function. Indeed, it would seem logical and obvious to be able to synchronize the movement to a time signal.The ability to stop the balance wheel and the seconds hand of a mechanical movement is critical. Traditi
Baselworld Will Be Back in 2022... But It Will Be Very Different - Monochrome Watches
What has just been announced by the MCH Group, the company behind the Basel watch fair, came as a surprise. We thought and even announced that Baselworld had gone, replaced by another show called Hour Universe. Baselworld was held for the last time in 2019. Seriously hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the departure of most of the large exhibiting brands, the organisation cancelled the 2020 and 2021 editions. However, the MCH Group has just officially announced that the show will be back with its historical name but makes clear that Baselworld 2022, expected in March/April next year, won’t be the same as past editions of the fair.?As Michel Loris-Melikoff, Managing Director of the show, explains, “the Baselworld brand must remain, but it must fundamentally change“. On both statements, we couldn’t agree more. While we’re quite happy to see the return of the emblematic watch fair, it has to change drastically… In fact, it is forced to change since most
Introducing The Parmigiani Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Full Platinum
For its 25th anniversary in 2021, Parmigiani Fleurier presented the Tonda PF collection, its own take on the luxury sports watch with integrated bracelet overseen by the recently appointed CEO – Guido Terreni – who until then was one of the key people responsible for Bulgari’s success with the Octo Finissimo. The Tonda PF was a pleasant update to the long-standing Tonda collection, with several new references launched, one more beautiful than the other. This year, Parmigiani Fleurier chose to attire its fundamental Tonda PF Micro-Rotor in precious metal highlighting “the concept of purism that guides the creative approach of Parmigiani Fleurier.” Meet the all-platinum Tonda PF Micro-Rotor.The newly released watches did the seemingly impossible – Parmigiani, a niche brand, has again been talked about as one of the leading companies offering exceptional timepieces to the great delight of its loyal fans and a much wider public. Four new models, includin
Value Proposition - Laco Cuxhaven And Bremerhaven (Review)
Laco is a brand that sometimes flies under the radar (notably in America), overshadowed by German counterparts like Sinn, Junghans and MeisterSinger. It should definitely not be overlooked as it offers compelling, military-inspired watches at attainable prices. The brand is also older than two of the three mentioned above and is perhaps best known as one of five producers of the B-Uhren Observation Watches. There's currently a healthy portfolio of Laco mechanical pieces from pilot and navy watches to chronographs and classics (and B-Uhr reproductions). Today, we have the new Cuxhaven and Bremerhaven Navy watches on hand with old-school, hand-wound ETA movements, differentiated only by dial colour. Let's take a closer look at this intriguing pair from a brand you should probably know more about.BackgroundLaco was founded in 1925 as Lacher & Co. (La from Lacher and co from Co.) in Pforzheim, Germany. The original founders, Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel, found success early on and H
Hands-On: Fam Al Hut sets a new Benchmark for Chinese Indie Watchmaking
This article is a guest post by one of our readers and contributors to the Collector’s Series, a gentleman who prefers to remain anonymous but who’s very active on Instagram @winewhiskywatches.We've long suspected that Chinese cost structures might provide compelling competitive advantages for high-end watchmaking, assuming that a Chinese watchmaking brand could effectively establish credibility with an original aesthetic vision, advanced movement design, chronometric precision, durability and exceptional movement finishing. Fam Al Hut, a new independent watch brand based in Chongqing, China, aims to be the first to do exactly that. And we’re taking a closer look at its Mark I Bi-Axis Tourbillon.Editor’s Note: Over the past few years at MONOCHROME, we have covered several interesting independent watchmakers from China, proving that the country has far more to offer than just entry-level movements and fake watches. We can, of course, talk about the rise of brands
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