Recap - The 5 Highlights of the Watchmaking Industry in 2017 - Monochrome Watches
As 2017 is coming to an end, and before the new horological season starts with the SIHH (as of January 15th, 2018), we thought it was important for you to understand what happened this year in the watchmaking industry. The idea here isn’t to focus on watches, we’ll have another recap article for that.?In all fairness, 2017 has been an eventful year. From the?game of musical chairs at Richemont to the return to growth, let’s take a look back to the highlights of the watchmaking industry in 2017.The industry is back to growth and profits (and apparently this will last…)2015 and 2016 have been difficult years for the Swiss watchmaking industry – relatively speaking of course, as in all fairness, major groups such as Richemont, Swatch or LVMH were still generating quite healthy profits. Yet, we’ve seen sales dropping quite dramatically month after month. The monthly report for exports of watches was becoming a recurrent dosage of bad news. The high Swiss

Grand Seiko Spring Drive Snowflake Titanium SBGA211 | REVIEW
Quartz… A word that you don’t often read on MONOCHROME. I’m not afraid to say that and freely admit that we are watch snobs. We love fine mechanics and Haute Horlogerie. However, the watch that we’re about to review has a quartz regulator, but isn’t battery powered – and that already makes things slightly different. Secondly, this watch is made by Grand Seiko – and we’ve already seen that it is committed to doing things in a different (better?) way. And last but not least, this quartz crystal is part of a hybrid movement, mixing old-school mechanics and modernity. This watch is the?Grand Seiko Spring Drive Snowflake SBGA211 and no, we’re not afraid to review it in this “online magazine dedicated to fine watches”.?I recall that following his visit to the Seiko manufacture, our founder Frank Geelen came to the conclusion that: “Quartz CAN be high-end”. A concept that will be important to this article because, a

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar 2020 Hands-On
Earlier this year, during the digital presentation of Watches & Wonders, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a refreshed take on its Master Control collection. Among the four watches representing the updated 2020 design features is the Master Control Chronograph Calendar, a captivating combination of complications that immediately caught our eye. Equipped with a column-wheel chronograph and triple calendar display with moon phases, the Master Control Chronograph Calendar marks the first time JLC concocts this mix of complications. With its refined whiff of the 1950s without being a vintage throwback, this beautiful Master Control Chronograph Calendar is fitted with a new automatic in-house movement. Let's take a closer look at this compelling combo of complications.Master ControlIntroduced in 1992, the defining spirit of the Master Control collection is the combination of technical rigour with stylistic restraint drawing on inspiration from classic round timepieces made by JLC in the 1950s.

Interview: Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot, on the success of PRX and the new PRC 100 Solar
Founded in 1853, Le Locle, Switzerland, Tissot is renowned for delivering quality Swiss-made watches at truly competitive prices. Sylvain Dolla took the helm of the brand in 2020, after leading Hamilton, bringing fresh energy to the brand – most notably, with the successful launch of the PRX, which has now grown into a complete, coherent collection. The debut of the new PRC 100 Solar provided the perfect opportunity to dive into all things Tissot.Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – Sylvain, thanks for having us! You have been the CEO of Tissot since 2020. What has been your agenda to support the development and transformation of the brand? Ad - Scroll to continue with article Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot – Well, first of all, Tissot was founded in 1853 and is stronger than people. You need to understand the brand from the inside rather than arrive with

Introducing the Ulysse Nardin Classico Manufacture (live photos & price) - Monochrome-Watches
The words manufacture' and in-house' linked to a?movement seem to be something we hear probably too often these days and in certain situations, not used in the proper way. It is becoming increasingly important for brands nowadays in terms of credibility. However, some?manufactures are more worthy than others at using the name manufacture for their movements and Ulysse Nardin is part of this gang. And even if they are creating insane watches (like the Hannibal), they also have simple watches that feature their own calibres, like for instance the brand new?Ulysse Nardin Classico Manufacture.Ulysse Nardin was and still is one of the most innovative manufactures and even 15 years after its introduction, the?Freak remains a proper UFO in the horological landscape. The brand was?also able to totally renew the concept of the escapement this year, while introducing the impressive Anchor Tourbillon. Finally, in a more classical but still astonishing approach, Ulysse Nardin can create ultra-comp